Hello, April!
Some links to what I'm cooking, reading & watching this month
I’m always divided between a few books at the same time since books are like food for me, and what I read depends on what mood I’m looking to curl up with a book. The book du jour these days is Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves by Nicola Twiley Before an electric system for cooling perishable foods 125 years ago, eating local wasn’t a fad or trend—it was a necessary way of life. The advent of refrigeration impacted more than just the way we eat, though, as the title of Twiley’s book suggests.
This past weekend I went to see The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist, and it’s a must-see film. The first half ignited the anxiety I already feel about AI, and made me want to curl up with the covers over my head. The second half eased my worries but felt a little too good to be true, and this is where both roads meet in the middle—how do we balance the true dangers of power concentrated in the hands of an ultra wealthy minority with the real benefits artificial intelligence offers?
Remember that yummy roast chicken recipe I shared a couple of weeks ago? It is still on constant rotation, and last night I swapped in sweet chili sauce for the honey, omitted the lemon, and added a drizzle of sesame oil. So good! Have you made it yet, and put your on spin on it?
Passover starts tonight, and it’s the first year I decided not to keep it strictly at home since I want to enjoy the Easter food traditions I grew up with this weekend. So, there’ll be some matzoh ball soup, matzoh pizza, and Passover Blueberry Muffins in my future, but also lots of Easter Bread, and maybe even some Pizza Dolce (pictured at the top of this post. The muffin recipe and pizza dolce can be found in my Spring Holidays eBook, along with 14 other favorites, by clicking here to download the book.
Some more ideas for the holidays & week ahead
The risotto is lovely for Easter brunch, and works for Passover if you’re Sephardic or eat kitniyot during Pesach. The halibut & chicken are great for both holidays, and for Passover you can serve it over mashed potatoes instead of polenta, as pictured. The kale & feta galettes are a nice make ahead option for Easter; feel free to swap in spinach if you prefer.
Sweet Corn & Basil Risotto
My first taste of risotto was in 1997 at a co-worker’s house in Carroll Gardens. Anne’s husband, Diego, grew up in Turin, Italy, and made cooking seem so effortless. His enjoyment in eating and feeding people was an early inspiration, and it was at their house that all illusions of risotto being a complicated dish dissipated.
Moroccan-Inspired Braised Chicken
I mentioned this recipe a few weeks ago, having cooked it for Shabbat, and it became a fast favorite. As with most stews, this one is equally delish leftover, so you can cook this on the weekend for an easy weeknight dinner that just needs reheating.
Tomato-Poached Halibut with Fresh Basil
My cookbook collection is modest for someone who’s made a career steeped in food for the last 25 years. Since paring down a few years ago, I’m very discerning before adding any new ones to the already full shelves.
Kale & Feta Galettes
I love the portable, and easy to prepare nature of these galettes. They’re great for breakfast, lunch, a late afternoon snack, and even make for a nice nibble with cocktails—well-worth the effort to turn on the oven this summer.