‘Orange Is the New Black’ Star Laura Prepon Takes THR’s Taste Test

Alex Vause is never behind the cafeteria counter on Orange Is the New Black, but Laura Prepon is the Red of her own kitchen.

“My mom was a gourmet chef, so I grew up prepping and cooking my own food,” she says. “I’m the youngest of five kids, and we’d always congregate in the kitchen around her cooking. And in my house now, the hangout is always the kitchen. When I’m not on set, that’s the other place I feel I’m in my element. It’s such a fun and creative place, and there’s something about it that mellows me out.”

The actress and panelist at the upcoming New York City Wine & Food Festival — who often struggled with digestive issues, bloating and low energy — joined forces with nutritionist Elizabeth Troy to co-author The Stash Plan (March 2016, via Simon & Schuster), a 21-day food preparation-based detox plan that combines modern nutritional science with Chinese Meridian Theory. Though she’s no longer a snacker, Prepon has a new culinary “sweet spot” of sorts: “Bone broth — you want it to have a gelatinous consistency because that’s the collagen in it. It sounds cheesy but whenever I make it, I get super excited if it’s really jello-y.”

LAURA PREPON’S THR TASTE TEST

Current Fixation

“Soaking grains. I’ll have four bowls of different rice, millet and oats, all soaking in a yogurt-water concoction on the counter. Sometimes, my friends think I’m soaking bowls with soapy water, so they dump them by accident. The yogurt eats the outside coating of the grain, making them easier to digest.”

Known for Cooking

“Big holiday dinners. My favorite is my ‘misfit Thanksgiving.’ My friends that don’t have family in L.A. come to my house. One friend who came for the first time said, ‘I’ve never been to such a rock ‘n’ roll Thanksgiving in my life!’ it usually turns into a big party because after other family obligations, people end up at my house afterwards.”

Destination Dinner

“There’s an amazing little restaurant outside of the Porta Genova stop off the metro in Milan. I couldn’t tell you the name of it, but I know how to get there from when I lived there. This little old man runs it — he was always so nice to me and his food was so fresh. It was like he picked the tomatoes right before he made his sauce.”

Go-To Take-Out

“I cook a lot at home and always have prepped food in my fridge, so I don’t do much take-out. If I do, when filming in New York like I am currently, I order take-out from Souen. It’s macrobiotic and they use a lot of organic ingredients.”

Adventurous Bite

“Probably pig intestines — however, blood sausage was a close second. It’s nasty.”

Simply Won’t Eat

“Bugs, or blood sausage (again).”

Favorite Snack

“I try not to snack, so to curb my appetite I drink Chia Kombucha.”

Dietary Regimen

“I do my book regimen, except for the snacks.”

Preferred Company

“My best friends.”

Pet Peeve

“When people are rude to waiters.”

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Big Wish

“To expand The Stash Plan to many other areas and help a lot of people heal with this information.”

Embarrassing Experience

“I had a Pretty Woman moment with some kind of mollusk at a restaurant. I grabbed it with the little tongs, and it slipped out and flew off the table. It would have been more fun if a waiter caught it like in the movie.”

Guilty Pleasure

“I love nuts, especially macadamia nuts.”

Last Meal

“My mother’s chicken cordon bleu.”