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One of my favorite Must-Read Spring books this year is Ready or Not by Cara Bastone! See the other Must-Read books here!
The New York Times recently wrote an A-Z guide for all things romance and they included The Slow Burn in the actual definition of the term ‘slow burn’. So that’s pretty exciting!
What an honor! The Slow Burn is an instant USAToday bestseller. Hope you’ll give it a try!
I wrote an article for the New York Times about my favorite romances that take you on a trip
This broccoli (yes, raw broccoli!) salad is ALL about texture. It’s crazy fast and easy to make and can be served anywhere. The salad is absolutely beautiful, and each bite has the perfect combination of creamy and crunchy. And the best part? It’s *gasp!* healthy!
Read MoreFried flowers? I know, it’s different. But trust me - this recipe is SO fast and easy, and it’s an absolutely delicious crowd pleaser. A popular starter dish in Italy, these fried zucchini blossoms are light and crispy and utterly addictive.
Read MoreSo, you want to make a pie - I promise, it’s not as hard as it seems! While buying pie crust is definitely the easier option, making your own crust takes no time at all and can make your final product even more fulfilling.
Read MoreDo you ever have a recipe you pull out of a magazine and go back to over and over?
That was the theory of Saveur’s 25th Anniversary Issue, revisiting some of their favorite past creations. But instead of just choosing the most popular they went to their test kitchen directors past and present to find the recipes that really stuck with the people who saw them the most.
Current test kitchen director, Kat Craddock knew exactly which one she would choose. The Canadian Butter Tarts from a 2000 issue spoke to her as a teenager and she carried the recipe with her over the years. So we decided to have Kat over to share this intentionally runny and intensely delicious recipe that she has been going back to for 20 years.
Read MoreNo one makes Southern food like Nathalie Dupree. The cookbook author and fellow Charlestonian is undeniably brilliant when it comes to bringing herself into your home through recipes. But among the best of her repertoire is two ingredient biscuits. They are as easy as could be and will make anyone into a biscuit obsessive. So in honor of her new book Nathalie Dupree’s Favorite Recipes and Stories we had her over to show us the perfect methodology.
So watch the video or make the recipe below - we won’t apologize if you start eating biscuits every day.
Read MoreWine can be intimidating. There’s so many facts to remember and every list and shop is different and there’s always an air of “I know something you don’t know” about people who serve or sell it. But what if there were a few key clues you could use to your advantage?
Maryse Chevriere has the answers to make you feel a bit more confident without having to go get a PhD in wine. Her new book, Grasping the Grape, is a beginner guide to steer you in the right direction. Unlike a lot of wine books that might make some of us glaze over, her little tome is written like a friend who only has your best interests at heart. We got Maryse to come by and give us her best tips for navigating our wine choices. It’s a bit of new confidence to bring into the new year! Watch the video below to see what she says.
Read MoreI think my love for Italy has been made pretty clear, so when a new pasta spot comes into town I am immediately there. When Stefano Secchi opened Rezdôra, focusing on one of my favorite regions, Emilia Romagna, I instantly went and was blown away. There’s nothing like homemade pasta done well, and Secchi has it across his menu in spades - but could that translate to making it at home?
Luckily Secchi came over to give us a recipe that anyone can make, no matter your kitchen equipment. It’s a beautiful shape called Strozzapreti and all you need is your hands. He shares his secrets and then finishes with a simple sauce.
Read MoreIs there anything more universal than a hangover (or even for the non-drinkers, the days where we just feel particularly blah)? We all know the feeling of wanting something warming and filling that will hit that sweet spot to comfort us when we aren’t feeling well.
But maybe you hadn’t realized that the food for hangovers has global appeal. In her new book Hangover Helper Lauren Shockey explores the hangover cures that hit the spot across an array of cultures and gives us new ideas to shake up our old routines.
Read MoreFor so many people there is no book more beloved that The Joy of Cooking. Its unique style and depth has helped generations to cook.
But how do you update a classic that has sold millions upon millions of copies since the 1930’s to make it more approachable for today’s cook without losing its…joy (sorry, I had to)? Megan Scott and her husband iJohn Becker - original author Irma Rombauer’s great grandson - spent 9 years on the task. They tested, researched, went back through every edition and came up with original recipes to ensure that the classic tome would hold the same role for today’s cooks.
Read MoreThere are few dishes as popular at restaurants as beef tartare. And yet despite being among the easiest to execute, most people stay away from it at home. Raw beef in a restaurant setting seems fine, but there is some kind of mental block to making it yourself. But is it really just as easy for home cooks?
Luckily we had the perfect person to answer this conundrum - Chris Starkus, the chef at Denver’s steakhouse Urban Farmer also operates Lost Creek Micro Farm , so he knows about sourcing from a multitude of perspectives. We got his breakdown of what to look for when purchasing meat for serving raw, the best cuts to buy and the perfect recipe to make it all come together. You might not get to be on a cattle ranch in Denver, but you can come pretty close.
Read MoreYou might know Rocco DiSpirito from television or as healthy cookbook author. But the chef also remains passionate about the cuisine he first became known for - Italian - and so he stopped by recently to show us his take on a classic recipe, Paccheri alla Genovese. The sauce is a meat sauce but that designation is a misnomer - its power comes from the giant pile of onions that are encouraged to cook down over hours. This sauce is as easy as could be because it mostly just takes time to sit and cook. So if you are in need of something warming for the cold weather, this recipe is it.
Read MoreThere is no other place like Shuko. The Japanese spot, which serves some of the best omakase and kaiseki in New York, has it’s own particular vibe that is unlike any other little corner of the city. A lot has been said about the music (let’s just say a lot more modern than most expensive temples to Japanese gastronomy) but more than that it is a sense of fun that often disappears when in the presence of excellent, high end food.
So I wanted to get a sense of what dish they felt best exemplified the restaurant, and I was not disappointed by the choice. Instead of the sushi they are most known for, the pick was a robata course from their kaiseki menu: the Grilled Gindara Cod. Why cod - one of the most common fish - for a restaurant that revels in finding the most special ingredients? Well because the best possible cod, prepared in the most thoughtful way, can still be the most excellent dish. And that’s the fun part of Shuko.
Read MoreFew people can make healthy food seem extremely fun, but Ellie Krieger has that effect. Through her many books and cooking shows she always gives the impression that you can have your cake, eat it too and somehow find a way to make it as good for you as possible.
But her new book takes it to a new level because not only is she giving recipes that are healthy, but she’s saving you time and energy in the kitchen. Whole in One is all about cooking with one pot and making your life as easy as possible. If you cant do it in one pot there are no cheats her - she has figured out how to make it work.
We had Ellie in the kitchen to chat about the new book and make her herbed lentil skillet with spinach, tomatoes and ricotta. I’m not even going to pretend like I didn’t subsequently make this dish every night for a week - it was the perfect type of dish for real life. It was easy, quick, minimal clean-up and most importantly delicious.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreFew things have entered into the vernacular as quickly as poke. The Japanese fish-based rice bowls have gone from under-the-radar to everywhere in the span of a few years. And it’s easy to see why - they are like the love child of sushi and healthy grain bowls. What could make for a better lunch option?
But they have felt elusive as a meal to make at home. Maybe it’s the raw seafood or the seemingly difficult-to-aquire ingredients, but it has remained an item to purchase rather than assemble in your kitchen. But we got the pros from poke spot Chikarashi to upend our notions. With ingredients that can be assembled ahead or easily purchased, a poke bowl can be a quick option to throw together.
Read MoreThere is nothing more classic than cacio e pepe - but can even this perfect combination of spaghetti, cheese and fresh pepper be improved upon?
Raquel Pelzel makes a pretty excellent case in her new book Umami Bomb. The book is all about utilizing umami, that famed extra category of flavor that brings a savory richness to any food, to make vegetarian food even more satisfying. Two of the ingredients she highlights are miso paste and nutritional yeast, and they are used in great effect in this recipe. It’s hard to imagine deepening the flavors of the original, but this take on cacio e pepe just bumps everything up a notch for an unforgettable version.
Read MoreFor a party I am always looking for the intersection of easy and ‘looks impressive’. You want to make guests feel like you’ve gone the extra mile but you also don’t want to be running around worrying the whole time.
So I loved the idea of flavoring your own liquor in advance to make it cocktail-ready. You look impressive with very little work and you have something a little different for people to get excited about. Instead of mixing ingredients the day-of you’ve already infused your ingredients together. It’s the perfect combo.
We got the details from Chris Joseph of Wild Roots - which makes their own infused spirits if you want to remove a step - and he gave us the details on two potential liquors you can infuse.
Read MoreThere are few things more satisfying to me than a warm English muffin slathered with butter. What’s not to like!?
But it never occurred to me that I actually make them at home. English muffins felt like something impossible or the realm of true bakers. But then Gertie’s Head Baker Savannah Turley came by and turned my entire English-muffin-loving world upside down. You really just need time and a good amount of yeast. The rest is simpler than you can imagine.
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The Slow Burn was featured as one of 13 Charming Books to read on Book Bub! Read it Here!