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In the summer, for me, everything is about berries. There is nothing purer and sweeter than a summer strawberry and it can feel like a replacement for any other sweet treat unto itself. So when I know I am not ready for the sugar high of my beloved gelato I turn to these popsicles. They are as easy as turning on the blender and they have the added touch of turmeric to give them a little more depth. They are quick, perfect, sugar-free bites of summer. What more could you ask for!?
Read MoreSome books really make you just want to trade places with the author and that’s how I feel about everything from Elizabeth Minchilli. She lives in Rome and Umbria and her newest book, The Italian Table, invites you in to her lush Italian world. It is divided into dinners across regions and seasons and it will have you wanting to book a flight to Italy pronto.
But one of the best things about the book is that it is full of delectable treats that are also easy. We decided to take on one of the simplest but most delightfully surprising - fried sage leaves. They are as simple to eat as an appetizer as potato chips or crudite but they have their only special uniqueness that will stop anyone in their tracks. Everyone will love them and everyone will be a bit surprised by their presence.
Read MoreSometimes simplicity can make for a perfect dish. And when it comes to spaghetti there’s nothing better than pairing it with garlic. But the trick to taking it to the next level is a few key ingredients and techniques. Gabe Thompson of L’Artusi stopped by to show us his recipe and it truly might be the perfect, simply spaghetti dish.
Read MoreIt’s not often that a major city gets an entirely new neighborhood right in the center of the city, but that’s what has happened in New York with Hudson Yards. And with this big new neighborhood has come a plethora of big name restaurants and restaurateurs so it was to no one’s surprise that Danny Meyer teamed up with the newest cultural institution, The Shed, to bring his stamp to the proceedings.
We got a chance to catch up with Meyer to talk about his newest spot, Cedric’s at the Shed, and we delved into the new area, the intersection of art and food, and why Meyer keeps finding ways to open up inside cultural space. Hopefully it’ll be a bit of inspiration to make your next dining experience an artistic one as well.
Read MoreAs busy people we are always looking for new ways to make our lives (and meal prep) easier. There is the constant battle between a home cooked meal and convenience.
But I was intrigued by RealEats, a meal prep company that sends healthy prepared meals via vacuum sealed packaging that keeps their food fresh for 7 days. I wondered whether this methodology could also work for people at home who want to prep food ahead.
RealEats’ Head of Culinary, Chef Aliya LeeKong, very kindly let us into her kitchen to share some of her tactics as well as a recipe for a delicious and easy miso salmon. Aliya goes into the types of food that work best for vacuum sealing and she even showcases how to hack your regular ziploc bags with another method for storage.
Of course if all this makes you just want Aliya’s food for yourself you can always head over to RealEats. But watch the video below to get a look at how you could make your meal prep even easier at home.
Read MoreIf you caught me on Dr Oz today you’ll have seen me demo’ing a recipe for pork butt in a segment on the best cheap cuts of meat. And while it’s true that pork butt is one of the best values it also happens to be one of the most flavorful cuts around. It just requires a bit of low and slow cooking, although the prep is as easy as could be - or if you are a fan of the instant pot it is even easier,since you could make it in less than an hour.
But this recipe is packed with flavor - lots of herbs and lots of vinegar make a bright delight ready to take on any occasion.
Read MoreThere’s nothing like a bright cocktail for spring - but what about one with a bit of a lady-fied twist? We got Ghost Donkey’s Cat Sutherland to give us a bright treat ready for warm weather. With a smoky mezcal base and light ingredients like lemon and yuku, it’s an easy drink with a lot of flavor to make when you want to impress.
Read MoreThere are some books I can’t help but be instantly obsessed with, but my obsession with Indian-ish even predates its publication. I am lucky enough to have recipe tested for Priya Krishna’s new tome and I fell in love with it from first concept. Priya’s book is based off of her mother’s recipes that she made for her family when she moved from India to Texas. The book is called Indian-ish because of the adaptations that were made to create the recipes in the US - and as such it makes it one of the most approachable and fun books for a US audience.
I was lucky enough to live in India for a year so I am already predisposed to having an unhealthy love for any Indian cookbook that crosses my desk. But this one is special because it speaks to a uniquely American experience as well. For those who are intimidated by Indian cooking this is a good place to start - not just because the ingredients are more readily available but also because so many of the recipes are aimed towards the kind of weeknight cooking that Priya grew up with and we all tend to need in our lives.
Read MoreThere are few dishes that please everyone but a Dhokla might be that secret weapon recipe. It’s vegetarian, gluten-free and nut free but also hearty enough and tasty enough to win over any meat eater. You can serve it piping hot as a side dish or as an easy room temperature party appetizer. You can add almost any topping from your pantry to make it even more delightful.
So what’s the deal with this magical dish? Niki Segnit came by to sing its virtues. The author of the beloved and celebrated Flavor Thesaurus has a new book coming this fall, Lateral Cooking, and it expands on her approach to cooking across cultures, science and history. And her view is that if you can cook cornbread, you can cook dhokla. It’s one piece of a book that encourages cooking as less of a regional plan and more of a global sharing of ideas.
Read MoreToday I got to swing by Dr Oz again to chat about one of my all-time favorite subjects - eggs! Anyone who follows me on Instagram knows most of my mornings are reliably egg-filled, so I never want to say a bad word about them. So it was a joy to get to share a bit of information on egg yolk health, substitutes and recipes with Oz.
Read MoreOnce spring shows up even a little bit I try to lean into it as much as possible - picnics outside (even if it’s a touch too cold), as many snap peas and asparagus as I can find, and light jackets that might require an extra few layers underneath.
But some dishes can help bridge that seasonal gap, and who better to help than Jenni Kayne. You may be more familiar with Jenni as a designer but her new book, Pacific Natural, also lets you into her chic California world. The book is divided by seasons and includes recipes but also a wider look at entertaining. Jenni makes everything look gorgeous while still being effortless, and in the book she shares how as a mom and business owner she gets it all done without a lot of fuss.
So Jenni suggested a chili that is perfect for spring or summer - packed with veggies and beans, it is actually vegan but also includes optional toppings that could satisfy anyone who needs a bit of dairy in their life.
Read MoreSometimes I get a cookbook that just sings right from the first page. I shouldn’t have been surprised that Carla Lalli Music’s book had that je ne sais quoi quality - she is, after all, the food director at Bon Appetit.
But her new book, Where Cooking Begins, is a true delight. It starts with methodology rather than recipe and seems to aim to get people to be more spontaneous with their cooking. It is a book that will help people need recipes less. If you want to be a more confident cook you’ll love having Carla along to guide you and if you already are confident then Carla will help you get new ideas and brush up on some classic techniques.
It was a delight to have Carla come to the Potluck kitchen and showcase a recipe that seems to embody the book - super simple and bright but with just enough twist to feel brilliant.
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