Salt & Spine

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Hetty Lui McKinnon on her deeply personal Tenderheart—and how home cooks can break free of their 'vegetable handcuffs' Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

Hi, long time! Phew, October is always the wildest cookbook month—it’s even officially dubbed National Cookbook Month—and we’ve been a bit quiet around here. With two little ones running around the house, germs have been rampant, and my voice just hasn’t been cooperating. So we’re catching back after falling a bit behind on our fall release schedule and thrilled to share today’s chat with Hetty Lui McKinnon with all of you.

And now, somehow, it’s Oct. 31 - Halloween! I’m a sucker for anything fall. We’re in a judgment-free zone, of course, so I’ll readily admit that I’m happily ordering pumpkin-spiced lattes. I made chili as soon as the temps dipped a bit after our recent heat wave. I broke out my extra warm sweaters, put them away (see: heat wave), and broke them out again.

Tonight, I’m making a big batch of Eric Kim’s Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese, which keeps it simple with cheddar and Velveeta. It feels equal parts crowd-pleasing (we’re talking actual toddlers here) and nostalgic. (Usually, for holidays, Martha Stewart’s baked mac is my trusted go-to.)

Ah, and costumes. How fitting that we’re talking with Australia-born Hetty today as my family prepares to transform into the animated, hilarious Australian sheepdog family of Bluey, Bingo, Chili, and yours truly, Bandit. Wish us luck on the trick-or-treat streets!

📖 What I’m Reading

* Kristin Jensen writes about the publication of Butter Boy, the new cookbook from Paul Flynn, “the beloved chef at the Tannery in Waterford and the Irish Times food writer,” wondering: Is a cookbook without photos so retro it's radical?

🎧 What I’m Listening To

* Self-promo: I was so honored to share the origin story of Salt + Spine on the Everything Cookbooks podcast with friends of the show Kate Leahy, Molly Stevens, and Kristin Donnelly. This trio (plus fourth co-host Andrea Nguyen) really ask great questions and it made for a fun and engaging chat. Listen here or wherever you podcast!

🍳 What I’m Cooking

* You already know the Halloween menu: Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese by Eric Kim [New York Times]

Episode 162: Hetty Lui McKinnon

In this week’s episode, Hetty Lui McKinnon and I discuss:

* The loss of her father when she was a teenager, and the impact his passing had on her relationship with her family and with food. “As a child,” Hetty writes in Tenderheart, “I didn’t see living among cartons of fresh produce as anything but normal. … My memories of my father are suspended in time, a disrupted dream without an ending. Every memory I have of him is through the lens of a child. He was tenderhearted—generous, caring, affectionate, kind, and playful.”

* Her path to writing Tenderheart, her fourth and most personal book to date. Hetty first wrote about her father’s passing in an essay for Peddler, her self-published journal on food and culture.

* How Hetty approaches recipe development and her “deep obsession” with vegetables, which leads to recipes in Tenderheart like Cabbage Carbonara-ish, Chocolate-Eggplant Brownies, Tingly ‘Cacio e Pepe’ Snow Peas with Rice Noodles, Lazy Butternut Squash Tiramisu, and—on of my new favorite lunches—an egg salad in which Hetty swaps out the egg for roasted Brussel sprouts. Genius! (By the way, in addition to Hetty’s cookbooks, she publishes recipes regularly with The New York Times and on her Substack, To Vegetables, With Love .)

* Plus, as always, we put Hetty to the test in our signature culinary game!

For more great listening, our 2021 episode with Hetty is here:

Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds by Hetty Lui McKinnon

Heritage and food have always been linked for Hetty Lui McKinnon. Tenderheart is a loving homage to her father, a Chinese immigrant in Australia, told in flavorful, vegetarian recipes. Growing up as part of a Chinese family in Australia, McKinnon formed a deep appreciation for her bicultural identity, and for her father, who moved to Sydney as a teenager and learned English while selling bananas at a local market. As he brought home crates full of produce after work, McKinnon learned about the beauty and versatility of fruits and vegetables.

We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Hetty’s Tenderheart here:

Hetty’s previous cookbooks include Neighborhood, Community, Family, and To Asia, With Love.

This week, paid subscribers will receive two featured recipes from Hetty’s Tenderheart—a stunning eggplant dish that gets a classic char siu treatment, and a “carrot-laden ramen” that draws on the smell-memory of satay. These are dropping on Thursday, along with an excerpt of Hetty reading from Tenderheart.

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipes—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today.

This Week’s New Cookbook Releases

* Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook by Sohla El-Waylly

* Big Heart, Little Stove by Erin French

* Kung Food: Chinese American Recipes from a Third-Culture Kitchen by Jon Kung

* Hungry As Hell by Michelle Davis + Matt Holloway

* Preserved: Condiments Darra Goldstein, Richard Martin, Cortney Burns

* Preserved: Fruit Darra Goldstein, Richard Martin, Cortney Burns

Psst, we were quiet the past couple of weeks, so catching up on a bunch of other new releases I hope you didn’t miss!

* Just Eat by Jessie James Decker

* More is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen by Molly Baz

* Rintaro: Food and Stories from a Japanese Izakaya in California by Sylvan Mishima Brackett

* The Global Pantry Cookbook by Ann Taylor Pittman + Scott Mowbray

* Chocolate All Day by Steve Hodge

* Fish Butchery: Mastering the Catch, Cut, and Craft by Josh Niland

* Joshua Weissman: Texture Over Taste by Joshua Weissman

* Let's Bake Bread! by Bonnie Ohara

* Let's Eat Paris! by François-Régis Gaudry

* The Encyclopedia of Cocktails by Robert Simonson

* ScheckEats―Cooking Smarter: Friendly Recipes with a Side of Science by Jeremy Scheck

* Basics with Babish: Recipes for Screwing Up, Trying Again, and Hitting It Out of the Park by Andrew Rea

* Bread and Roses: 100+ Grain Forward Recipes featuring Global Ingredients and Botanicals by Rose Wilde

* Make It Japanese: Simple Recipes for Everyone by Rie McClenny

* Maman & Me: Recipes from Our Iranian American Family by Roya Shariat

* My Everyday Lagos: Nigerian Cooking at Home and in the Diaspora by Yewande Komolafe

* Polish’d: Modern Vegetarian Cooking from Global Poland by Michal Korkosz

* The Chutney Life: 100 Easy-to-Make Indian-Inspired Recipes by Palak Patel

* Veg-Table: Recipes, Techniques, and Plant Science for Big-Flavored, Vegetable-Focused Meals by Nik Sharma

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Deb Perelman on building Smitten Kitchen and what makes a "keeper" recipe Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

Hi there, happy Thursday! We’ve got a great chat with Smitten Kitchen herself (aka Deb Perelman) this week, so let’s cut right to it:

Episode 161: Deb Perelman

In this week’s episode, deb perelman of the smitten kitchen digest and I discuss:

* Her initial foray into blogging—from her short stint chronicling her dating life in New York City and shifting the focus to cooking;

* How she approaches cookbook writing, from her initial reluctance to write a cookbook to what makes “keeper recipes;”

* Where she finds inspiration, including which cookbooks she turns to.

Plus, as always, we put Deb to the test in our signature culinary game.

Hey there, do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:

Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics For Your Forever Files by Deb Perelman

In her third book, Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics for Your Forever Files, Deb Perelman gives us 100 recipes (including a few favorites from her site) that aim to make shopping easier, preparation more practical and enjoyable, and food more reliably delicious for the home cook.

What's a keeper?

* a full-crunch cucumber salad you'll want to make over and over again for lunch

* a tomato and corn cobbler that tastes like summer sunshine

* an epic deep-dish broccoli cheddar quiche that even quiche skeptics love

* a slow-roasted chicken on a bed of unapologetically schmaltzy croutons

* a butterscotched apple crisp that will ruin you for all others

* perfect spaghetti and meatballs, better than ever

* Deb's ultimate pound cake, one to redeem all the sleepy ones you've eaten over the years

These are the fail-safe, satisfying recipes you'll rely on for years to come--from Perelman's forever files to yours.

We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Smitten Kitchen Keepers here:

This week, paid subscribers will receive a recipe for Ginger Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup, the first recipe she worked on for this book and “the definition of a keeper.”

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipe—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today.

New Cookbook Releases*

*from this week and last week, as we’re behind! 😊

* The Ranch Table: Recipes from a Year of Harvests, Celebrations, and Family Dinners on a Historic California Ranch by Elizabeth Poett

* Here We Go Again: Recipes and Inspiration to Level Up Your Leftovers by Tiffani Thiessen

* The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp: Spicy Recipes and Stories from Fly By Jing's Kitchen by Jing Gao

* Always Hungry! by Laurent Degenais

* Sohn-mat: Recipes and Flavors of Korean Home Cooking by Monica Lee and Tien Nguyen

* Jacques Pépin Cooking My Way: Recipes and Techniques for Economical Cooking by Jacques Pépin

* The Secret of Cooking: Recipes for an Easier Life in the Kitchen by Bee Wilson

* Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert

* Lidia's From Our Family Table to Yours: More Than 100 Recipes Made with Love for All Occasions by Lidia Bastianich

* The Korean Cookbook by Junghyun Park and Jungyoon Choi

* Scandinavian from Scratch: A Love Letter to the Baking of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden by Nichole Accettola

* Unwind: A Devotional Cookbook for the Harried and Hungry by Aarti Sequeira

* The Lula Cafe Cookbook: Collected Recipes and Stories by Jason Hammel

* Zingerman's Bakehouse Celebrate Every Day: A Year's Worth of Favorite Recipes for Festive Occasions, Big and Small by Amy Emberling, Lindsay-Jean Hard, Lee Vedder, Corynn Coscia

* A Man & His Kitchen: Classic Home Cooking and Entertaining with Style at the Wm Brown Farm by Matt Hranek

* Slow Drinks by Danny Childs

* Signature Cocktails by Amanda Schuster

* The Chocolate Chip Cookie Book: Classic, Creative, and Must-Try Recipes for Every Kitchen by Katie Jacobs

* Now & Then: A Collection of Recipes for Always by Tessa Kiros

* Natasha's Kitchen: 100+ Easy Family-Favorite Recipes You'll Make Again and Again by Natasha Kravchuk

* Latinísimo: Home Recipes from the Twenty-One Countries of Latin America by Sandra A. Gutierrez

* Familia: 125 Foolproof Mexican Recipes to Feed Your People by Marcela Valladolid

* Cooking: Simply and Well, for One or Many by Jeremy Lee

* Diner: Day for Night by Andrew Tarlow

* Cook Clever: One Chop, No Waste, All Taste by Shivi Ramoutar

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Katie Parla on the Italian islands, shepherd culture, and diving for urchin Sep 22, 2023

Show notes

Happy Friday folks! This week’s episode is a wee bit late because it’s a live show (!!!) which means the audio gave us a slight technical run-around. But it’s a fun one, for sure, in which we chat with Katie Parla in front of a live audience at our beloved Omnivore Books in San Francisco.

First — last week, I shared the New York Times profile of B. Dylan Hollis, and this week the NYT is back (via Salt + Spine friend Priya Krishna) with a full feature on TikTok stars and how they’re changing the name of the cookbook game. “[Hollis] is one of several TikTok creators, many of them with little or no professional cooking experience, who have gone from tinkering in their home kitchens to topping best-seller lists in a remarkably short time. In the process, they’ve shot a jolt of energy into a sagging cookbook market.”

Now, let’s head to Italy…

* Hey there, do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:

Episode 160: Katie Parla

In this week’s episode, Katie joined me in front of an audience at Omnivore Books in San Francisco to discuss:

* The cuisines of Italy’s islands—which involve less fish and seafood than you might think;

* Her decision to self-publish her latest cookbook, Food of the Italian Islands—and why she’ll keep self-publishing in the future;

* What she wishes she knew when she first moved to Italy 20 years ago.

Plus, as always, we put Katie to the test in our signature culinary game.

Food of the Italian Islands by Katie Parla

A transportive cookbook inviting readers through Sicily, Sardinia, and Italy’s lesser-known island destinations so you can sink your teeth into the secrets of their rustic, romantic dishes. Katie Parla will take you through the streets of Palermo where her great-grandfather was born, across the caper fields of volcanic Pantelleria, into the kitchens of Sardinia for lessons in ornate pasta making, and to the pristine waters of Ponza to dive for sea urchins. And no island adventure with Katie would be complete without a jaunt through the Venetian lagoon on her fishing boat Laura!

But Food of the Italian Islands isn’t just an island journey with your favorite Jersey girl. There are also over 85 recipes, both original and reimagined, that showcase the allure of the islands, including pane frattau featuring Sardinia’s beloved flatbread; bigoli in salsa, a party pasta popular in Venice; coniglio all’ischitana, braised rabbIt in the style of Ischia; torta caprese, Capri’s flourless chocolate-almond cake; and an array of pesto sauces from Pantelleria, Trapani, Linsoa, and Carloforte that will have you asking, “pesto genovese who?”

We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Katie’s latest book here:

This week, paid subscribers will receive a recipe for Pesto Pantesco, the regional recipe from the island of Pantelleria, a speck south of Sicily, which employs tomatoes and the “wonderful, savory flavor of Pantelleria’s most famous export, salted capers.” Yum!

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipe—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today.

This Week’s New Cookbook Releases

* Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation by Clarissa Wei

* Simply West African: Easy, Joyful Recipes for Every Kitchen by Pierre Thiam with Lisa Katayama

* Eater: 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes from the Authority on Where to Eat and Why It Matters by Hillary Dixler Canavan

* A New Way to Bake: Re-imagined Recipes for Plant-based Cakes, Bakes and Desserts by Philip Khoury

* Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds by Karen Akunowicz

* Les Dames d'Escoffier New York Cookbook: Stirring the Potby Silvia Baldini and Sharon Franke

* Gatherings: Casual-Fancy Meals to Share by America’s Test Kitchen

* Every Season Is Soup Season: 85+ Souper-Adaptable Recipes to Batch, Share, Reinvent, and Enjoy by Shelly Westerhausen Worcel

* Skinnytaste Simple: Easy, Healthy Recipes with 7 Ingredients or Fewer by Gina Homolka and Heather K. Jones R.D.

* Fraiche Food, Fuller Hearts: Wholesome Everyday Recipes Made With Love by Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer

See you next week!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Frankie Gaw on Olive Garden, Lion's Head Big Macs, and learning to love yourself Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

Hi there, fellow cookbook lover. I’m here with great news: We’rrrreeee bacccckkkkk, baby! Season 13 (but who’s counting?) of Salt + Spine starts right here, and we’ve got an awesome line-up of conversations headed your way this fall. Plus, loads of new featured recipes, bonus content, events, and more. We’ve got Deb Perelman. Dan Pelosi. Katie Parla. Hetty McKinnon. AND MORE! Like I said, “we’re bacccccckkkk, baby!”

If you’re not yet a paid subscriber to Salt + Spine, I’d love to extend a special offer of 20% off monthly or annual subscriptions for up to a year. Act fast - this is only valid for the first week of our new season!

A few fun things I’ve been reading lately…

* B. Dylan Hollis (if you have TikTok, you’ve seen his vintage recipes) has one of the breakout cookbooks of the year with “Baking Yesteryear.” He talks to the New York Times (B. Dylan Hollis is Bananas for Vintage Self-Published Cookbooks) about his growing collection of community cookbooks:

* “Community cookbooks come from the church ladies and bridge clubs of the United States. They are the menus and the recipes of everyday folks. They’re a treasure trove of information,” Hollis said. He makes an excellent point: “You’re not going to find Velveeta fudge in an Anthony Bourdain cookbook.”

And now, onto this week’s show with guest Frankie Gaw:

Pssssssst. Hey there, do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:

Episode 159: Frankie Gaw

In this week’s episode, Frankie and I discuss:

* How growing up in a Taiwanese-American family in Ohio shaped his relationship with food, and how he felt pulled toward a career in food media while working in tech,

* The loss of Frankie’s father, which led to a period of self-reflection that pushed Frankie to re-evaluate his priorities and purpose,

* A winding path—through Skyline Chilis and his grandmother’s recipes and a design-related career and a successful food blog and Instagram—that ultimately led to his debut cookbook, First Generation.

Plus, as always, we put Frankie to the test in our signature culinary game.

First Generation: Recipes from My Taiwanese-American Home by Frankie Gaw

In First Generation, Frankie Gaw of Little Fat Boy presents a tribute to Taiwanese home cooking. With dishes passed down from generations of family, Frankie introduces a deeply personal and essential collection of recipes inspired by his multicultural experience, melding the flavors of suburban America with the ingredients and techniques his parents grew up with.

In his debut cookbook, Frankie will teach you to master bao, dumplings, scallion pancakes, and so much more through stunning visuals and intimate storytelling about discovering identity and belonging through cooking. Recipes such as Lap Cheong Corn Dogs, Honey-Mustard Glazed Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken, Stir-Fried Rice Cakes with Bolognese, Cincinnati Chili with Hand Pulled Noodles, Bao Egg and Soy Glazed Bacon Sandwich, and Lionshead Big Mac exemplify the stunning creations born out of growing up with feet in two worlds.

Through step-by-step photography and detailed hand-drawn illustrations, Frankie offers readers not just the essentials but endless creative new flavor combinations for the fundamentals of Taiwanese home cooking.

We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Frankie’s First Generation here:

This week, paid subscribers will receive two recipes from Frankie’s First Generation: First up, his Lap Cheong Corn Dogs, “a dream pairing of cornbread batter and Chinese sausage—destined to be together in the mind of a young Asian American kid from suburban Ohio.” Plus, Frankie’s Stir-Fried Rice Cake Bolognese. “I can trace my love of Bolognese all the way back to third grade,” Frankie writes, “when my best friend, who lived across the street, introduced me to what would become one of my favorite meals: SpaghettiOs with Meatballs.”

These recipes will drop into paid subscribers’ inboxes in the next 48 hours! To get these and hundreds more featured recipes, become a subscriber today.

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. If you love cookbooks, what are you waiting for?

This Week’s New Cookbook Releases

Fall is hereeeee! It’s officially cookbook season. And here’s what is fresh this week:

* I Could Nosh: Classic Jew-Ish Recipes Revamped for Every Day by Jake Cohen

* [🎙Jake on SALT + SPINE: Jake Cohen on Jew-ish cuisine, reinventing recipes, and becoming the ‘gay Ina Garten’]

* The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hopeby José Andrés (Longer Tables with José Andrés), World Central Kitchen, and Sam Chapple-Sokol

* Pasta Every Day: Make It, Shape It, Sauce It, Eat It by Meryl Feinstein of pasta social club

* Simply Symon Suppers: Recipes and Menus for Every Week of the Year by Michael Symon and Douglas Trattner

* The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Tableby JJ Johnson and Danica Novgorodoff

* Gohan: Everyday Japanese Cooking: Memories and Stories from My Family's Kitchenby Emiko Davies

* The Food of Sicily: Recipes from a Sun-Drenched Culinary Crossroads by Fabrizia Lanza

* Comfort and Joy: Irresistible Pleasures from a Vegetarian Kitchen by Ravinder Bhogal

* Pasta et Al: The Many Shapes Of A Family Tradition by Alec Morris

* Restaurant Gordon Ramsay: A Story of Excellence by Gordon Ramsey

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Preserving Tradition, One Nonna at a Time, with Pasta Grannies' Vicky Bennison Jun 02, 2023

Show notes

Episode 158: Vicky Bennison

In this week’s episode, Vicky and I discuss:

* Growing up for several years on a farm in Kenya, where her father was working in agricultural development, and how she formed a relationship with food at an early age;

* Her nearly-decade-long project, Pasta Grannies, to document the time-honored techniques and recipes passed down through generations of nonnas, the Italian grandmothers;

* The diversity of regional pasta and cooking styles around Italy, and the stories behind these recipes;

* Her cookbooks, including her debut award-winning Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook that has now been translated into six languages, and her latest, Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking.

Plus, as always, we put Vicky to the test in our signature culinary game.

Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking by Vicky Bennison

"Heartwarming and deliciously comforting." - Stanley Tucci

Who better to take inspiration from than Pasta Grannies who have spent their lifetimes plating up comfort and connection. Vicky Bennison, the author of the bestselling Pasta Grannies cookbook, brings you more heart-warming recipes and stories from our favourite Italian grandmothers in this easy-to-follow, crowd-pleasing recipe book that shows you how to make authentic Italian food that everyone will enjoy.

We 💚 to support local bookstores!

This week, paid subscribers will receive two recipes from Vicky’s latest cookbook: Anna Maria's Ziti alla Genovese (Pasta with Stewed Beef from Naples) and Nini's Arancini (Sicilian Deep-Fried Rice Balls)

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipes—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Don't panic! Unlocking the secrets of pantry cooking with Noah Galuten May 23, 2023

Show notes

Episode 157: Noah Galuten

In this week’s episode, Noah and I discuss:

* His early interest in both food television (Lidia Bastianich, Ming Tsai) and cookbooks (Marcella Hazan, Edna Lewis),

* How he fell into opening up new locations of Bludso’s BBQ and then teaming up with Kevin Bludso to co-author Bludso's BBQ Cookbook: A Family Affair in Smoke and Soul … and then with chef Jeremy Fox to write On Vegetables: Modern Recipes for the Home Kitchen,

* The pandemic-inspired “Don’t Panic Pantry” video series, which went onto become the concept for his first solo cookbook,

* And the chef’s favorite pantry staples, including dried seaweed.

Plus, as always, we put Noah to the test in our signature culinary game.

The Don’t Panic Pantry Cookbook by Noah Galuten

As the world changes around us, we are constantly vacillating between two different versions of ourselves: the one who wants to be healthier and the one who wants to be excited, or comforted, by the food that we eat. We all want to eat "better," but what does that mean? This book is here to say: Don't panic.

Don't panic about learning how to cook; or environmental sustainability; or nutrition. Don't panic about what to make for breakfast or dinner or midnight snacks, because Noah Galuten has your back! In Noah's kitchen, trying really matters, perfection is overrated, and better is good enough.

We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Noah’s The Don’t Panic Pantry Cookbook here.

This week, paid subscribers will receive a recipe for Noah’s Vegan Minestrone with Miso Pesto, his riff on Soupe au Pistou, the “French classic in which a usually mild broth gets livened up at the very end with a dollop of pistou (French pesto) placed onto each bowl.”

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipe—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Breathing freshness into Midwestern fare with Maren Ellingboe King May 04, 2023

Show notes

This week, Maren Ellingboe King joins us to #TalkCookbooks. But first…

In today’s episode, Maren and I discuss:

* How her upbringing in the Midwest influenced her decision to pursue a career in food.

* Her work at food media outlets like Food & Wine and Sunset magazine as well as culinary events companies like Just Add Salt.

* The inspiration behind her first cookbook, Fresh Midwest, including how a collection of family recipes compelled her to tackle the project.

Plus, as always, we put Maren to the culinary test in our signature game.

We 💚 local bookstores. Find your copy of Maren’s Fresh Midwest at Bookshop or from Omnivore Books.

This week, paid subscribers will get two featured recipes from Maren’s Fresh Midwest—Wild Rice Salad with Butternut Squash & Pomegranates and Maren’s Apple Cake. Get both with a paid subscription or a free 7-day trial.

Get these recipes this week by becoming a paid subscriber! Salt + Spine is a reader-supported publication. Paid subscribers get bonus content like featured recipes and more for just a few dollars per month.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Mission Possible: Danny Bowien's vegan revolution arrives, in cookbook form Apr 26, 2023

Show notes

The Chat!

In today’s episode, Danny Bowien and I discuss:

* Growing up in Oklahoma after being adopted from his birthplace of South Korea, and a lingering nostalgia for Olive Garden.

* His journey to becoming a chef, from an early job at a pizza shop to culinary school to winning the Genova Pesto World Championship.

* The process of opening Mission Chinese Food and how he handled being catapulted to a new level of fame.

* The inspiration behind his latest cookbook, Mission Vegan, and some of the ways his culinary repertoire has evolved in recent years.

Plus, as always, we put Danny to the culinary test in our signature game.

The Recipes!

This week, paid subscribers will get two featured recipes from Danny’s Mission Vegan.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Claire Saffitz Returns! Unleashing the power of nostalgia (and stovetop desserts) Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Hi there!

Our Spring 2023 season of the Salt + Spine podcast kicks off right here, right now, with a marvelous returning guest: the delightful Claire Saffitz.

In today’s episode, Claire and I discuss:

* How she’s worked to create dessert recipes that speak to everyone—from sweet to tart, simple to complex.

* The impact of the pandemic on her creative process as she embarked on writing book No. 2, What’s for Dessert.

* Which cookbook authors inspire Claire, and which books she turns to time and again—including community cookbooks!

* Her advice to home bakers, based on years of creating recipes for curious novices looking for a boost.

Plus, as always, we put Claire to the culinary test in our signature game.

The Book!

We 💚 local bookstores. Find your copy of Claire’s What’s for Dessert at Bookshop or a signed copy (!) from Omnivore Books.

P.S. Find Claire’s first book, Dessert Person, on Bookshop and Omnivore.

The Recipes!

This week, paid subscribers will get two featured recipes from Claire’s What’s for Dessert—these vibrant No Bake Grapefruit Bars and an utlra-swirly Flourless Chocolate Meringue Cake.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Uliks Fehmiu on his beloved bakery, born from war-forged friendships Jan 23, 2023

Show notes

Episode 153: Uliks Fehmiu

Uliks Fehmiu is a co-founder of the beloved bakery Pain D’Avignon, which sprang up on Cape Cod over three decades ago. But the story of the bakery begins back in Uliks’ childhood and his early friendships in war-torn Belgrade.

What Uliks calls an “improbable journey into baking” is shared, for the first time in this format, with his recent cookbook: The Pain d'Avignon Baking Book: A War, An Unlikely Bakery, and a Master Class in Bread. The book offers an in-person account of Uliks’ and his co-founders’ stories—brought to life with striking illustrations. Here’s more:

In a journey that started in Belgrade amid the beginnings of war, and continued in America, four friends tested this philosophy to the extreme: They began a new life and opened a tiny bakery together on Cape Cod. Working hectic, twenty-four-hour days, while living all together in a loft above their business and making it all up as they went along, the founders of Pain D'Avignon quickly became one of the first highly acclaimed purveyors of artisanal bread in the Northeast.

The book also features 60 recipes spanning from Pain d’Avignon’s chef-loved loaves of sourdough and Cranberry Pecan bread to croissants, sandwiches, sweets, and more.

Uliks joined us remotely in our virtual studio for this Baking Month episode. I hope you enjoy our chat!

Featured Recipes from The Pain d’Avignon Baking Book:

This week, paid subscribers can access two featured recipes from Uliks Fehmiu’s The Pain d’Avignon Baking Book: an Apple Tart and the bakery’s Blueberry Lemon Scones.

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. To get full access to our exclusive content and featured recipes, and support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

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