LET'S START with dessert:
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Dorie Greenspan's Cookie Tips
Get Inspired: Black Forest Cake
Beginning the meal: Cocktails, Appetizers and Sides
It's Turkey Time
Thanksgiving turkey? Who needs her? With COVID going on, my family’s Thanksgiving is going to be much smaller than usual this year. Instead of basing a massive turkey, I’ve decided to go with making smaller, individual cornish hens. The name sounds fancy, but I promise you - this is the easiest thing you’ll be making this holiday.
And in Non-Thanksgiving News:
Food:
It’s really special when my love of food and love of fiction get to combine. So I was thrilled to have this feature on Today detailing the strange and wonderful balance of both! You can read the whole article here.
Drinks:
We are starting to get into that time of year where summer sunshine departs and the cool weather starts the change the tone of the day. But for those of us who try to hold onto that brightness a little longer, there’s nothing better than a cocktail to keep us going.
We went to Jungle Bird, a tropical cocktail bar to try and find a drink that is stiff enough for the fall but still retains the breezy air of warmer weather. And we think we’ve found it in their signature cocktail. It’s only 4 ingredients so it’s easy, it works great as a punch if you need something for a group, and it strikes a great note any time of year.
Interviews:
It was such a treat to be interviewed by The Washington Post about 15 Minute Meals — they shared the inspirations behind the book and a few of the “clever shortcut[s]” in the book. They also included one of my favorite recipes from the book, the shrimp fried rice that uses the flavorful combo of sriracha, ginger and garlic powder. Give it a look!
Travel:
This time of year I start to get antsy for spring. February is over and it should be warm.- except it never actually is.
But the good news is that we can enjoy all the incredibly warming recipes of winter for a little longer. Luckily, we have just the recipe, from a book I am particularly excited about: Katie Parla’s Food of the Italian South. If you aren’t familiar with Katie’s work then you just aren’t reading enough about Italy. The Rome-based journalist has written some of the best food and travel guides for the region. Her first book, Tasting Rome, is an engrossing love letter to the food of one of the world’s greatest food cities. And now her upcoming book explores the cuisine of Italy’s Southern regions.
I am so excited for this book (since my love of Italy is basically unsurpassed) and loved having Katie in the kitchen to showcase one of the book’s recipes. She shared her Polpette Casce e Ovo - essentially bread ‘meatballs’. They are doughy delights and perfect for staying inside and eating to your heart’s content.
I hate to sound old enough to say I've enjoyed following someone's career, but apparently today I'm going to. I have loved watching whatever Eden Grinshpan does next. She is a barrel of laughs and a breath of fresh air wherever she goes. I first interviewed her when she had a show on Cooking Channel. She has since moved on host Top Chef Canada and now she has opened her first restaurant, Dez. It combines all of her Israeli, Middle Eastern and other travel experiences into one spirited and flavorful fast casual spot.
And since I can't possibly pick a favorite I decided instead to pick her brain about mezzes. It's an all-encompassing word but it can help outline one of the best appetizer plans possible.
