The first Ottolenghi dinner in June was such a success that we decided to host another feast to showcase more recipes by the renowned chef. Even though the dishes we chose were all from different cuisines and cookbooks, the flavors all worked together to create another memorable dinner party.
Continue reading “Another Ottolenghi Feast”
Yotam Ottolenghi is a chef, restaurateur, and food writer who is a regular contributor to The New York Times Magazine. He has authored nine bestselling cookbooks, including Plenty (2010) and Simple (2018). With the exception of Simple, many of his original recipes are quite involved, although they are all incredibly delicious. My friends and I are no strangers to combining efforts to make and eat elaborate feasts together – like our Greek Feast in 2019 or the Christmas Quarantine BBQ of 2020. So it’s not surprising that a group of similarly food-obsessed friends got together and pooled our various Ottolenghi cookbooks together.
Continue reading “An Ottolenghi Feast”I have been given several monstrous zucchinis this summer from people who have overflowing gardens! These plants grow in most temperate climates, and are low-maintenance enough to easily grow huge zucchinis in your own backyard. I have been looking up tons of zucchini recipes to find a way to cook these enormous vegetables, because loaves of zucchini bread get tiresome after a while!
I don’t have a love affair with cheese. I use it in cooking sometimes and I love cheese pizza, but up until a few years ago, you would never see me add more than one kind to a dish. I’ve only recently started exploring blending cheeses and using them more frequently, so I figured it’s about time for me to dive in and use all the cheese as I can get my hands on to make this hearty lasagna!
Cookies are easy to make, versatile, portable and bite-sized. Plus, who doesn’t like cookies? This cookbook features tons of recipes that go “above and beyond” your standard chocolate chip cookies: delicate pink macaroons, tiny shortbread sandwiches filled with mousse, and elaborately iced cookies for every occasion!
Cioppiono is a familiar stew if you live on the Pacific Ocean, so I’ve definitely eaten my fair share. It’s a little intimidating to spend so much money on seafood if you’re making it for the first time, but this recipe is ridiculously simple and forgiving, easy to customize to your individual preferences, and my roommates claimed it was “marvelous.”
It’s 11 AM on the morning of September 1, which means that the Hogwarts Express is leaving Kings Cross station right now, bringing eager young witches and wizards to another year of school. One of the ways J.K. Rowling is able to paint such a rich, detailed picture of this fictitious universe is by using food – Harry, who has never known an abundance of food, suddenly experiences sumptuous feasts, holiday treats and hearty meals. I love this cookbook because it emphasizes how intertwined food and literature are, and the best meals are made with love and shared with others.
Continue reading “September: Barley Soup and Brussels Sprouts with Béchamel”
I first encountered Plum when I was volunteering at KEXP 90.3 FM: before the radio station’s new home was built at Seattle Center, the major giving offices were located upstairs in the Armory, where the food court is. I stopped by Plum Pantry for pre-made salads and sandwiches on my way to my other job, but at the time I didn’t know it was part of a larger group of restaurants owned by Makini Howell. Today, the Plum brand encompasses a vegan bistro, bakery, food truck, pantry, catering and a cookbook. Although the Plum Pantry food is delicious, I’m excited to try something more elaborate.
Continue reading “August: Chai-Spiced Yam Bruschetta with Crunchy Kale”
I love pineapple, I would put it in everything if I could. This delicious recipe is called a poke cake – “poke” meaning to jab, not “poke” like the raw fish salad. The name comes from the process of baking the cake, poking holes into it and letting the glaze soak into it so that when you serve it, every bite has a ton of pineapple flavor.
I’ve always enjoyed cooking, but lately I’m more likely to be adventurous in the kitchen. And because I have a ridiculous number of cookbooks that I like to flip through, rather than searching the internet for a specific dish, I’m going to try and review new vegetarian recipes that use a variety of flavors, techniques and ingredients. So here we go!
Louisa Gaylord 