hillary
favorite foods & recipes:
Staying very true to my libra roots, it's all about balance for me. I could probably live on veggies and sweets alone. I love a great big salad; roasting root veggies gives my heart such great joy. While everything they made was incredible, I loved my Grandma Angel's fassolia (green bean stew in a tomato-ish sauce) and Grandma Mary's minestra (cabbage, white beans, lots-o-garlic).
To balance out all of those leafy greens and beans, I have a killer sweet tooth. Baking is therapy for me; my latest guilty pleasures include Ichabod's signature vanilla sundea; the mint chocolate brownie's from Sarah Kieffer's Baking Book; and if you feel ready to commit to a full day of baking, Martha's three-tier candied pecan cake with brown butter pears will not let you down.
favorite sites:
My Name is Yeh - I love everything about Molly. Her challah is amazing, her recipes are accessible but creative, and she makes North Dakota look super cool.
Vanilla Bean Blog - best baker's blog hands down. She makes her own vanilla extract!
Food52 - easily the first site I navigate to when a recipe hunt begins. articles are awesome, genius recipes live up to their namesake, and I love browsing through all the pretty things in their shop.
The First Mess - all the veggies (pretty ones) all day.
favorite utensils:
kitchen scissors - I can cut pizza, open my amazon packages, snip herbs and spatchcock a chicken (never have, but someday I will) - all with one tool.
silpat silicon mats - one of the best kitchen investments I've ever made. Endlessly useful for baking and roasting - you may never need parchment paper again.
favorite cookbooks:
amanda
favorite foods & recipes:
Basically these donuts make me believe in everything.
Noodles all day everyday. Specifically, I wish I could create a quick link to my grandma, but the secrets of her ricotta cavatelli can't even be described on the internet. I swear it will be the last thing I eat on earth. (You'll notice we all mention her here. It's not a coincidence, we're really obsessed with her. Ask anyone who's ever met her for 5 minutes and they'll tell you she's a real life Yoda. And they'll tell you to never try and haggle with her for even $.50)
During the winter I try to roast or simmer a whole chicken weekly for soup or stock. I won't rant here and make you think I'm a bone broth weirdo, but it's real.
Speaking of food trends, I'm really on Poke right now. If Jeremy Piven can survive fake mercury poisoning so can I.
favorite sites:
Bon Appetit - I know it's boujee, but they're the best. If you feel overwhelmed by za'tar and soaking beans overnight and whatever the f*ck sous vide actually does, start with their BA Basics section.
I am a food blog - I love the way she transitions from Totoro themed Japenese food to mac and cheese in the blink of an eye. I also feel like she's always eating poutine which is actually my dream.
Smitten Kitchen - An OG
The Pastiche Blog - my homegirl, and the best local blogger. Not just great recipes, but love, style, and home design tips. Things we can all use over at 3SE.
favorite utensils:
I'm obsessed with tongs. They're the perfect utensil for everything. I recently left my sad, handle melted pair at a friends house and I feel a piece of my soul is missing.
Le Creuset / Staub Dutch Ovens- Buy one. Right now. I love mine equally, you can't pick a favorite kid. Well, maybe you can, but you certainly shouldn't let the world know which one it is on your blog. They will last forever, you will find infinite uses for them, and they are without a doubt my most utilized kitchen item.
favorite cookbooks:
Genius Recipes by Food52 - especially after listening to their Burnt Toast podcast, a great recipe makes all the difference.
Prune - recently moved to the top of my list after watching the new Mind of A Chef episodes on Netflix. She's the baddest bitch of all time.
Anthony Bourdain Appetites: A Cookbook - the way he writes about his journey in life and having his daughter will restore your faith in humanity.
Milkbar - I sort of hate baking (ok I actually really hate it) but I can never turn down the challenge with Christina Tosi's recipes. Crack pie though, do it.
kate
favorite foods & recipes:
I am not exactly sure where this undying love came from, but whenever it is my week to choose a recipe I have a hard time straying from an Asian inspired dish.
Another one of my truest loves, aside from Panang and dining outside, is cheese. In fact, it is safe to say every meal I consume is either Asian inspired or, well, cheese inspired. Which brings me to Khachapuri. If my Italian grandmother's pizza recipe had a flirty Armenian cousin, it would be this dish. I can't explain to you the experience I had while eating it but please stop reading this blog and go make it immediately.
favorite sites:
The Kitchn- as a true lover of both picture books and explicit instructions, The Kitchn makes all my cooking dreams come true. I can rely on this site for pretty much anything; whether your looking for how to knife lessons or The Best Macaroon Recipe, The Kitchn has it all.
If it wasn't for my deep obsession with chicken wings, I could probably be a vegetarian. That being said, A Couple Cooks is my go to site when I need to be reminded that healthy can still be delicious.
favorite utensils:
Aside from the wildly popular Sushi Go game, Calphalon Pans were by far my favorite birthday gift. I rarely cook without using them and quite honestly I don't know how I did any efficient cooking before them. They take the "non stick" concept to a new level and provide a perfectly cooked over-easy egg every single time.
Also, never underestimate the power of some good ass knives.
favorite cookbooks:
Make It Spicy - brought to you by the sister who is constantly suggesting something that brings the heat. This cookbook is a perfect fix for anyone who has found spiciness to be an essential part of life. My all time favorite restaurant, Bangkok, goes beyond "hot" and labels their spice by stars. ***Respect.
The Year of Cozy - Adrianna's book isn't just a cookbook but an inspiration for changing your lifestyle. This book, coupled with Adarme's reference to David Foster Wallace's commencement speech, "This is Water", has given me a constant reminder to always live life with intention.