Salt & Spine

Live from Cookbook Fest with Tyler Florence In this episode of Salt and Spine, host Brian Hogan Stewart interviews acclaimed chef Tyler Florence live from Cookbook Fest in Napa. Tyler shares his inspirational journey from a childhood filled with severe food allergies to becoming a renowned chef and television personality. Growing up in South Carolina and cultivating a deep love for Southern cuisine, Tyler's path led him to culinary school and eventually to New York City's culinary scene. He discusses his passion for live fire cooking, his newest cookbook 'American Grill,' and the importance of sustainable beef production. The episode also features a fun culinary game where Tyler demonstrates his creativity in crafting a dish using randomly drawn ingredients.00:00 The Ceremony of Cooking00:24 Introduction to the Live Episode01:05 Tyler Florence's Early Life and Food Allergies04:11 Discovering a Passion for Cooking08:35 Culinary School and Early Career13:34 Moving to New York and Early TV Appearances15:56 The Journey to Fame and Success23:24 Sustainable Beef and Regenerative Agriculture30:33 Mastering Live Fire: The New Cookbook31:11 The Comet and Its Tail: A Metaphor for Career Decisions31:53 Launching a Steak Restaurant: The Comet Moment32:33 From Comfort Food to Grilling: A Culinary Pivot33:08 The Art of Grilling: Personal Insights and Techniques34:27 Celebrating Culinary Achievements and Collaborations36:44 Alice Waters: A Friendship and Culinary Inspiration37:16 The Essence of California Cuisine42:38 Cookbook Inspirations and Southern Cooking Techniques45:49 Fun with Grilling: A Culinary Game54:17 Conclusion and Farewell 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

Enjoy this excerpt as Viola Buitoni reads from Italy by Ingredient. As Viola recounts, one vivid memory stands out from her childhood. It was a late September day when her mother took her to a fishmonger in Orbitel, nestled by the southern Tuscan coast. The experience, accentuated by the salty breeze of the lagoon and the familial presence, introduced her to bottarga—a cured fish roe delicacy—that has lingered in her kitchen and heart for fifty years.Viola fondly recalls stepping into the courtyard, her mother's gentle guidance leading her to bottarga, an ingredient as much about tradition as it is about taste. She vividly describes their ritual of shaving it over buttered toast with lemon upon returning home, which later graced their spaghetti—a testament to Bottarga's sea-like essence that mirrors the salt, wind, and shells. 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

Exploring Italy by Ingredient with Viola ButoniIn this episode of Salt and Spine, host Brian Hogan Stewart welcomes Viola Butoni to discuss her first cookbook, "Italy by Ingredient." Viola delves into her rich Italian culinary lineage, tracing back to the Butoni pasta and bocce chocolate. Growing up surrounded by fresh, homegrown produce and moving to New York, she transitioned from restaurant kitchens to owning a food shop, and eventually becoming a beloved cooking teacher. Viola's cookbook integrates her Italian roots with California's agricultural bounty, aiming to guide home cooks in exploring authentic Italian flavors with pantry staples. Throughout the episode, they discuss Viola's cooking tips, her unique recipes, and the creative process behind combining traditional and innovative Italian cuisine. The show also features a culinary game and an excerpted recipe narrated by Viola.00:00 Welcome Viola Buitoni03:08 Family Legacy and Food Heritage05:17 Childhood and Early Food Experiences08:22 Moving to New York and Culinary Beginnings11:20 Starting a Catering Business13:43 Transition to Teaching and Italy by Ingredient 15:42 The Concept of Italy by Ingredient 29:07 Choosing the Best Meat for Stew 29:41 Creative Rice Recipes 32:44 Pork Tenderloin in Bread Crust 34:43 Anchovy Enthusiasm 37:40 Chicken and Rabbit Recipes 40:24 Cookbook Inspirations 44:45 Italy by Secret Ingredient Game 49:08 Conclusion and Farewell 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

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

Episode 168: Sohla El-WayllyThis week, Sohla El-Waylly joins us to #TalkCookbooks! I was so thrilled to have Sohla join us in studio for a chat about her career and her debut cookbook, Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook. In this episode, we hear from Sohla about her childhood, growing up in the San Fernando Valley and watching her mother prepare elaborate, multi-course Bengladeshi dinners for dozens (sometimes hundreds) at a time. And despite a phase as a picky eater, Sohla realized early on that she enjoyed working with her hands—from building furniture (lots of clocks!) to, eventually, cooking.After culinary school and working in fine dining kitchens, Sohla found herself gravitating towards food media, working first with Serious Eats and then Bon Appetit. While not her initial career objective, Sohla has carved a space in the competitive food media world, celebrated for her on-camera work and creative approach to culinary history.With her cookbook Start Here, Sohla created a playful-but-informative tome (600+ pages!) that emphasizes teaching culinary techniques for both sweet and savory cooking. And she's intentionally done so in a way that many such technique-driven cookbooks before it haven't: by rejecting the notion that European culinary technique are supreme, ensuring the book includes recipes from a wide range of cuisines and diets.

This week, Lara Gilmore joins me to discuss Slow Food, Fast Cars, the latest book from her and her husband, chef Mossimo Bottura.The book tells the story—through photography, essays, and of course recipes—of Casa Maria Luigia, the boutique inn (albergo) opened by Lara and Mossimo in 2019. Once here, a restored 18th-century villa offers a dozen guest rooms, uniquely decorated with art from Lara & Massimo's personal collection. From there, the property unfolds: meticulously landscaped orchards and vegetable gardens supply the casual kitchen, led by Osteria Francescana alum Jessica Rosaval, and the on-site restaurant, Francescana at Maria Luigia, where Rosaval and team offer a nightly tasting menu showcasing nine of Massimo's most iconic dishes. Nearby is the “playground,” where you'll find a pool table, a gym, and most visibly Massimo's collection of cars and motorcycles. And Casa Maria Luicia breathes the region, down to every detail: guests staying on the property will find hunks of Parmigiano Reggiano and bottles of Lambrusco greeting them in their rooms.This dichotomy of fast/slow appears often in Massimo's work. Perhaps most known is his dish, Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano, which has been an evolving presence at Osteria Francescana for decades. “It's about celebrating the slow passing of time,” he tells Forbes, “with a fast and contemporary mind.”In Slow Food, Fast Cars, you'll find recipes like:Gnocco Fritto, the classic Emilian fried dough, in this case topped with mortadella, whipped ricotta, and extra-aged balsamic vinegar. (“Once you join the fraternity of gnocco fritto,” the authors write, “it is very hard to turn back.”)Smoked Beef Short Rib, a less traditional way of addressing the short rib cute in Modena, but one that at Casa Maria Luigia is paired with a sauce built from smoked fresh apricots and marigold vinegar.Tiramisu, an “untouchable classic” that the team serves in small, individual-sized glass jars to guests.An ML Pantry section that offers infused waters (Fennel Water!), preserved fruits (Amarena Jam!), and other conserves, oils, vinegar, liqueurs, and salts.

Episode 166: James ParkThis week, James Park joins us to discuss his first cookbook, Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings.James is a seasoned recipe developer and food writer who has been published in outlets including Eater, Food52, BuzzFeed, and Chowhound. After moving from Korea to the American South when he was 13, James began to navigate two cultural identities and continued to turn to food as a medium.And unless you've been living under a rock, you know chili crisp has been having a ~moment~ in the United States. While the condiment has become trendy in the US, its roots are deep in Asia and became a more steady consumer product when Lao Gan Ma began producing containers of chile crisp in China's Guizhou province in the late 1990s. A slew of American brands have emerged with chili crisps and chili crisp-inspired products, with Cathy Erway chronicling the “cult of spicy chile crisp” for TASTE. Just this month, David Chang's Momofuku brand drove chili crisp headlines after going after (and then backing off) companies using their trademarked term “chili crunch.”So when James went to write his first cookbook and narrowed his focus on chili crisp, it was in sync with the zeitgeist. Though he considers himself an “unofficial chili crisp ambassador,” James didn't discover the condiment until later in life, which allowed him to see how he could incorporate it into recipes in creative and unexpected ways.“Chili crisp opened the door of connections with other Asian cultures for me,” James writes in Chili Crisp. “The more I tasted chili crisp, the more I appreciated it and was proud to be a part of it. It even became my pickup line when making new friends. Do you know about chili crisp? Do you like chili crisp? What's your favorite way of enjoying it? Do you want to try my chili crisp?”In Chili Crisp, James presents recipes like:* Kimchi Quesadilla with Chili Crisp* Savory Morning Oats with Jammy Eggs and Pork Floss* Chili Crisp Bucatini Carbonara* Beef Short Ribs Ragu* Fiery Spaghetti and Meatballs* Chili Crisp Biscuits with Honey-Butter Glaze* Chili Crisp Ice Cream Two Ways* And more!We've got a great chat with James—and of course, we put him to the test in our signature culinary game! Find this episode anywhere you podcast.Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings by James ParkIf you already love chili crisp, this book is for you. If you're new to it, this book is for you. With more than 50 recipes, Chili Crisp is here for you, wherever you are on your spicy life journey.Packed with chili crisp inspiration to take your love of this spicy ingredient to the next level, Chili Crisp provides dozens of no-recipe recipes (like potato chips and chili crisp, a match made in snack heaven) and a handy build-your-own chili crisp formula to inspire you to create your very own version. Soon all your family and friends will be clamoring for a jar. 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

Well, hello there! It's been a minute. The Salt + Spine team has been busy taking some much-needed rest—and, of course, planning for an inspiring year ahead. What's in store? Amazing podcast episodes, naturally, and all the typical goods: exclusive recipes, cookbook giveaways, and behind-the-spine content you won't find anywhere else. But there's more brewing. Big stuff! I can't spill all the beans yet—but stay tuned for a cookbook lover's dream, coming this summer. Woo!I hope your 2024 is off to an excellent start. Can you believe we're already six weeks in? I blinked and it's Valentine's Day. And now, I'm so thrilled to be back with all of you to launch our 14th season (!!!) of Salt + Spine.By the way… It's a new season of Salt + Spine, and if you love what we do, we would be so grateful if you shared the word! Click below to share this episode with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too.Before we get to this episode…

Hi there, I hope those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a relaxing and delicious moment of gratitude. Or maybe you went hard like I did? By the way: I'm so thankful for all of you, the Salt + Spine community. After six years, it's incredible to continue to hear from you all—what you're cooking, something in our interviews that stood out to you, and getting the chance to meet you at our events and live shows.

Hi there. First today: We're remembering beloved photographer Aubrie Pick, who tragically passed away last week after a battle with cancer. Aubrie's work was stunning and personal, and she was a visionary creative force in the Bay Area. Elana Kadvany writes in the San Francisco Chronicle: Pick's images — vibrant and charismatic, like the photographer herself, collaborators said — have left an indelible mark on the national food scene, and particularly in the Bay Area. Pick photographed numerous high-profile cookbooks, from celebrity chef Chrissy Teigen's “Cravings” and Bay Area chef Tanya Holland's “California Soul” to Andrea Nguyen's “Vietnamese Food Any Day.” Her photos were featured on the covers of Bon Appetit and Food & Wine magazines. She captured Chez Panisse owner Alice Waters in her Berkeley backyard, and caught the light falling just so across a set restaurant table. There is an ongoing GoFundMe to support Aubrie's husband Erik and 2-year-old daughter Romy here.

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

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!

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 PerelmanIn this week's episode, of 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 PerelmanIn 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 yearsThese are the fail-safe, satisfying recipes you'll rely on for years to come--from Perelman's forever files to yours.We

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 ParlaIn 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 ParlaA 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

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 GawIn 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 GawIn 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

Episode 158: Vicky BennisonIn 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 TucciWho 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

Episode 157: Noah GalutenIn 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 GalutenAs 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

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

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

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

Episode 153: Uliks FehmiuUliks 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

Episode 152: Maya-Camille BroussardMaya-Camille is the creative force behind Justice of the Pies, her Chicago bakery that's become known for inventive and unmatched flavors (Lemon Espresso Pie … Blue Cheese Praline Pear Pie … and so on).Much of Maya-Camille's work traces back to her roots, with a significant influence from her father, the self-dubbed “Pie Master,” who worked as a criminal defense attorney by day. As with many family stories, Maya-Camille's is complex and dotted with both adoration and strife. A strong sense of social activism and community building runs through her blood, though, and is baked into her work.Her first cookbook, also titled Justice of the Pies, brings these beloved and revered recipes to home bakers with 85 recipes for both sweet and savory pies—plus quiches, tarts, whoopie pies, and more.“I've always loved baking,” Maya-Camille says in our chat. “But at my core, I am a creative individual. And also at my core, I love working with my hands. I do have an arts background in terms of dancing, in terms of theater, in terms of visual art. I even played upright bass for five years. But culinary is still an art form—and it's the only art form that we have that's required for us to live. I don't dance as much anymore, but I'm still living, you know? I don't paint anymore, but I'm still living. If I don't eat, I'm not gonna live. So I can take this creative energy that I have and pour it into something that also provides me sustenance.”Justice of the Pies is also filled with stories of “stewards" who Maya-Camille says are “agents of change who stand for fairness and equality.” Maya-Camille penned short profiles and developed recipes to honor folks like Black Joy Project creator Kleaver Cruz; cookbook author and Equity at the Table founder Julia Turshen and Design*Sponge founder Grace Bonney; and disability rights activist Claudia Gordon. (Or take Big Kika Keith and Kika Jr., who opened LA's first Black-owned, women-led dispensary. To accompany their story, Maya-Camille developed a “Peaches and Herb Cobbler” that features a weed-infused butter.)P.S. Maya-Camille starred in Netflix's “Bake Squad” hosted by Christina Tosi, and she returns to the cast for a second season with it drops later this month.Featured Recipes from Justice of the PiesThis week, paid subscribers can access two featured recipes from Maya-Camille's Justice of the Pies: Lavender Whoopie Pies and Chocolate-Peanut Butter + Pretzel Tart.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

Hi there, today we're excited to release the fifth episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Thanks for your patience, as our team was under the weather! Today's guest is Brian Noyes, whose latest cookbook is The Red Truck Bakery Farmhouse Cookbook. For all of December, we'll be celebrating some of the year's best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on!* 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 151: Brian NoyesNext in our Baking Month series, Brian Noyes joins us to #TalkCookbooks!Brian is the founder of Red Truck Bakery, the rural Virginia spot that's become a national attraction and drawn the praise of everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Barack Obama. During a career in art direction at major media outlets in Washington, DC, Brian began spending his weekends baking pies and other goods. Before long, he'd purchased an old red pickup truck (from Tommy Hilfiger, no less) and was selling out of his sweet treats. Two locations and two cookbooks later, Red Truck Bakery continues—and Brian's latest cookbook, The Red Truck Bakery Farmhouse Cookbook is out now and goes beyond sweets to include rustic, savory fare.Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekThis week, paid subscribers have access to two recipes from Brian's book: Orange Pecan Rolls and Virginia Peanut Pie as well as other bonus Baking Month content:Find the Red Truck Bakery Farmhouse Cookbook recipes here:* Orange Pecan Rolls* Virginia Peanut PieMore Salt + Spine Baking Month!Stay tuned to our Substack through the end of the month for exclusive recipes and more featured conversations with baking authors. 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

Hi there, today we're excited to release the fourth episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Today's guest is Laurel Kratochvila, whose debut cookbook, New European Baking, is out now. For all of December, we'll be celebrating some of the year's best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on!* 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 150: Laurel Kratochvila Next in our Baking Month series, Laurel Kratochvila joins us to #TalkCookbooks!Born in Boston, Laurel left her hometown for Katmandu after graduating with a degree in Physics from Tufts. She wound up in Prague, working in a bookstore and café, where she also met her husband. It wasn't until the duo decided to open up a bookstore in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg that Laurel started baking professionally—and her delicious bagels and baked goods were a hit. But Germany loves its paperwork, so Laurel decided to head to France to get a formal education in pastry. The long-standing traditions of baking in Europe inspired her first cookbook: New European Baking: 99 Recipes for Breads, Brioches, and Pastries. The book features not only classic pastry recipes and step-by-step instructions for complicated breads and pastry, but it also profiles a dozen bakers across Europe who represent what Laurel sees as the “new” baking that's taking off in Europe. Working off a basis of strong tradition, female bakers are leading the way to a thoughtful approach to baking. Now, Laurel's café, Fine Bagels, and her husband's bookstore, Shakespeare & Sons, are both running smoothly, and Laurel reports that Berliners have come to love the English-language bookshop and New York-style bagels. Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekThis week, paid subscribers have access to two recipes from Laurel's book: Halva Flan and Potato, Thyme, and Gruyère Hand Pies as well as other bonus Baking Month content:Find the New European Baking recipes here:* Halva Flan* Potato, Thyme, and Gruyère Hand PiesMore Salt + Spine Baking Month!Stay tuned to our Substack over the next two weeks for exclusive recipes and more featured conversations with baking authors. 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

Hi there, today we're excited to release the third episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Today's guest is Erin Jeanne McDowell, whose latest cookbook, Savory Baking, is out now. For all of December, we'll be celebrating some of the year's best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on!* 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 149: Erin Jeanne McDowellNext in our Baking Month series, Erin Jeanne McDowell joins us to #TalkCookbooks!A Midwest native, Erin learned to bake like so many of us: alongside her grandmothers. While studying Baking & Pastry Arts at the Culinary Institute of America, Erin was drawn to a career in food media. After years of working alongside other cookbook authors and for food media outlets, Erin published her first solo cookbook, The Fearless Baker, in 2017, to high praise. Her pie book, aptly titled The Book on Pie, soon followed. And now we're treated to her latest cookbook—the one she tells us she's been mulling on for years: Savory Baking: Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between. From breads to hearty tarts and other savory bakes (yes, that includes pizza!), Savory Baking brings the joy of baking to those of us with a “salt tooth” more than a sweet tooth. (Don't worry — there are some sweet spins, too.) Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekPaid subscribers have access to two featured recipes from Savory Baking: Enchilada Pie and the Flakiest Cheese Biscuits.Find the Savory Baking recipes here:* Enchilada Pie* Flakiest Cheese BiscuitsMore Salt + Spine Baking Month!Stay tuned to our Substack over the next two weeks for exclusive recipes from Benjamina Ebuehi's The New Way to Cake and more featured conversations with baking authors.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

Hi there, today we're excited to release the second episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Today's guest is Brian Levy, whose sugar-free baking book, Good & Sweet, is out now. For all of December, we'll be celebrating some of the year's best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on!* 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 148: Brian LevyNext in our Baking Month series, Brian Levy joins us to #TalkCookbooks!Brian's interest in cooking and gastronomy began in high school when he went on a month-long trip to France. He discovered Gourmet magazine and started watching Martha Stewart, The Two Fat Ladies, and more food TV. Before he began his career in pastry, Brian studied journalism and was determined to work for Gourmet. To build up his resume, he thought some experience in the kitchen might help—so he went back to France where he interned in a bistro outside of Paris. Eventually, he made his way to New York where he interned at Michelin-starred Babbo before later studying architecture at Yale. Brian's first cookbook, Good and Sweet: A New Way to Bake with Naturally Sweet Ingredients, has been called a “game-changing collection of desserts” by celebrated author and baker Alice Medrich. In the book, Brian eschews processed sugar and common substitutes like maple syrup, opting instead to let pure fruits and other whole ingredients naturally sweeten and enliven his recipes.Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekThis week, paid subscribers will receive three featured recipes from Good & Sweet: Rosemary-Lemon Shortbread, a Pistachio-Studded Peach Galette, and the Perfect Currant Scone. Find the recipes here:* Rosemary-Lemon Shortbread* Pistachio-Studded Peach Galette* Perfect Currant SconeMore Salt + Spine Baking Month!ICYMI, yesterday we featured recipes from Chetna's Easy Baking: Simple Cakes with a Twist of Spice by Chetna Makan:* Spicy Coriander Chicken Bake* Banoffee Chocolate PavlovaAnd stay tuned to our Substack this week for exclusive recipes from Benjamina Ebuehi's The New Way to Cake and a featured conversation with Erin Jeanne McDowell.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 free or 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

It's our annual Baking Month, and we're kicking things off with some return guests! Back on the show today are Rose Levy Beranbaum and her collaborator-turned-hubby Woody Wolston. They're joining Brian in-studio to talk about their latest work, The Cookie Bible.Episode 147: Rose Levy BeranbaumRose likely needs no introduction to those in the cookbook world. But here's what you need to know:* She published the ground-breaking The Cake Bible in 1988, changing how many home and professional bakers approached the craft. (In particular, Rose helped lead the charge to include the more accurate weight measurements in her recipes instead of just volume.) * The Cake Bible is now in its 60th printing (!!!), and Rose shares some news on what's next for the classic work.* In that time, Rose has penned a dozen other cookbooks, from The Baking Bible to The Bread Bible—and other non-bible titles on ice cream, cakes, Christmas cookies, and more.* Rose's latest cookbook, The Cookie Bible, completes her “quartet of bibles” on cake, pie, bread, and, now, cookies. The book includes every type of cookie you could imagine—from macarons to rolled-and-cut holiday cookies, to sandwich cookies and cookie bars. In this first episode of Baking Month, Rose and Woody join us to discuss the book-making process, their newly minted marriage, and play a cookie-themed game.Two Recipes from The Cookie BibleTo celebrate the launch of Baking Month, today's first recipe for Lemon Lumpies is available to all Substack subscribers for a limited time! A second recipe from The Cookie Bible for Chocolate Truffle Cookies is available for paid subscribers.* Do you love Salt + Spine? We'd love it if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:Still to Come in Baking MonthOur Baking Month line-up is packed with all-star authors from this year's top baking books. Hear new podcast interviews with guests like Claire Saffitz and Maya-Camille Broussard. Become a paid subscriber to Salt + Spine today to get access to dozens of featured Baking Month recipes.Here's a peek at our full line-up: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.Stay tuned to our Substack tomorrow for exclusive recipes from Chetna's Easy Baking: Simple Cakes with a Twist of Spice by Chetna Makan. 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

Hi there, exciting show for you this week. Melissa Clark, one of the most prolific cookbook writers of the modern era, joins us. Read on!* 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 146: Melissa ClarkThis week, Melissa Clark joins us to #TalkCookbooks!When we launched Salt + Spine, I wrote a short list of our dream guests — the cookbook authors who, at the time, I felt were pushing the industry in new directions or had a wealth of experience to learn from. We've been lucky to sit down with many folks from that list (from Samin Nosrat to Julia Turshen to Vivian Howard…). Today, we're marking one more off that list as Melissa joins us in-studio to discuss her latest cookbook, Dinner in One.Dubbed the “gold standard for Internet recipe writing” by Eater, Melissa Clark has been developing recipes for over a decade at The New York Times, where she started with a short sidebar on home cooking questions before joining as a columnist and reporter. (A recent search on NYT Cooking showed her byline attached to some 1,391 results!)That early NYT series Melissa authored, called “Food Chain,” offered helpful tips and answers to cooking challenges in the era before such information was one keystroke away. Today, her NYT column, “A Good Appetite,” features everything from a reinvented crab dip to her best Instant Pot recipes.And all the while, Melissa's written 45 cookbooks! She's collaborated on books with chefs like Daniel Boulud, David Bouley, and Claudia Fleming. Her 2017 home-cooking tome, Dinner: Changing the Game, features more than 200 recipes for inventive, interesting meals. She's following it up with her latest work, Dinner in One, which features recipes that use just “one” vessel—one sauté pan, one sheet tray, one pot, etc.In this week's show, we're talking with Melissa about growing up with food-loving parents who immersed her in French food and culture at an early age … how she landed at the NYT, even though she turned down their first job offer … and how dining out is critical to her recipe development process. And, of course, we're putting her to the test in our signature culinary game.Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekThis week, paid subscribers will receive two featured recipes from Melissa's Dinner in One: the Roasted Cauliflower and Potatoes with Harissa, Yogurt, and Toasted Almonds and her Ricotta Olive Oil Pound Cake.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.Coming Up…* Attention Bay Area fans: Our fifth-annual Cookie Swap is coming up on Sunday, Dec. 11 featuring oodles of cookies and demos from yours truly, Kristina Cho, and more! The cookie swap is sold out, but you can join the waitlist here!* This week's episode with Melissa Clark is the last “regular” episode of the year—but we've got something really exciting in store for December. Stay tuned for more details! 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

Hi there! After a short break last week, we're back with new episodes and bonus content for subscribers. This week, cookbook author Odette Williams joined us in our studio at The Civic Kitchen in San Francisco to talk pasta.* 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 145: Odette WilliamsThis week, Odette Williams joins us on Salt + Spine to #TalkCookbooks!Odette was an actor long before she started calling herself a cook (or an author). She called Sydney home until 2006 and credits the unpretentious, adventurous attitude of Australia for her own approach to cooking.Leaving Sydney for love, Odette joined her now-husband in New York and started a family. As she was spending more time cooking with her children, she was inspired to design high-quality aprons just for kids. (The aprons were a hit and sold by goop, J. Crew, and Anthropologie; Odette jokes that she quickly became the “apron lady.”) While Odette's career as a food writer grew (her new Wall Street Journal column, Party Trick, makes entertaining easy), those aprons also ended up in the hands of a couple of editors at the cookbook publishing house Ten Speed Press—and, well, the cookbook cards fell into place.Heavily influenced by the food writing of prolific cookbook author Donna Hay and the recipes she found in the monthly Australian Women's Weekly magazine, Odette's recipes are clear, concise, and simply delicious. Odette's first cookbook, Simple Cake, featured recipes for basic cakes that could be customized and combined in a number of different ways.And now, Odette's back with her second cookbook: Simple Pasta. In a similar vein to Simple Cake, this book provides some building blocks—dough recipes, and a few sauces—that can be customized to your mood. But the book explodes with dozens of creative recipes from cocktails to starters to salads. And of course, lots of pasta.There are classics—cacio e pepe and carbonara and so on. But the seasonally divided book also offers recipes like Peppery Pappardelle, Pancetta & Mushrooms … Sweet Corn & Jalapeno Ravioli … to a Luxe Mac & Cheese that Odette says is “bordering on hedonistic.” The emphasis here is fresh pasta—which Odette says you can and should make!—though notes indicate where store-bought dried pasta can stand in. We've got a great episode for you today: In today's show, we're talking with Odette about how she settled into this career, about the success of her “Simple” books, and why pasta is sometimes better for serving 2 than 20. And of course, we're putting her to the test in our signature culinary game.Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekThis week, paid subscribers will receive:* Two recipes from Simple Pasta: the Garganelli with Vodka Sauce and the Winter Chicories with Date and Anchovy Dressing. Yum:* An exclusive author-read except: Hear Odette read her love letter to pasta from Simple Pasta!* The next installment of our bookseller Q&A: This week, Bonnie Slotnick joins us. (Fun fact: She started by selling books at Kitchen Arts & Letters!)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 Week's New Cookbook ReleasesHere are a few of the new cookbooks on shelves this week:* Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics for Your Forever Files by Deb Perelman* Tasty Total Comfort: Cozy Recipes with a Modern Touch: An Official Tasty Cookbook* Baking Bread with Kids: Trusty Recipes for Magical Homemade Bread by Jennifer Latham* Avocadomania: Everything about Avocados from Aztec Delicacy to Superfood: Recipes, Skincare, Lore, & More by Déborah Holtz & Juan Carlos Mena* The Anchor Brewing Story: America's First Craft Brewery & San Francisco's Original Anchor Steam Beer by David Burkhart* Cocktail Time!: The Ultimate Guide to Grown-Up Fun by Paul Feig* The Pastry Chef Handbook: La Patisserie de Reference by Pierre Paul Zeiher and Jean Michel Truchelut* Steve the Bartender's Cocktail Guide by Steven Roennfeldt* Eat Plants, B*tch: 91 Vegan Recipes That Will Blow Your Meat-Loving Mind by Pinky Cole* Seattle Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the Emerald City by Neil Ratliff

Hi there! It's Election Day in America, so we're bringing you a special episode today that's all about baking with a political and emotional spin. If you haven't voted yet, find your polling place here. If you've already voted, it's always a good time to donate to organizations like the ACLU or Color of Change to protect our voting and civil rights.* 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 144: Becca Rea-TuckerThis week, Becca Rea-Tucker joins us to #TalkCookbooks.Becca is the creator of the popular Instagram, @thesweetfeminist, where she became known for creating visually striking cakes and other baked goods with political and empowering messages. Check out a few:After living in Washington, DC, and working at the beloved Baked & Wired bakery, Becca decided to merge the frustration and anger she was feeling living in the capital during the previous administration with something she was great at: writing on cakes. The book deal came next, and Becca decided to focus on a new aspect of baking: the therapeutic benefits. Baking by Feel brings together 65 recipes with related emotions—if you're feeling awkward, she suggests the Kitchen Sink Cookies; in optimistic moments, turn to her Cardamom Caramel Poke Cake. There are recipes in all five major mood groups, from happy to sad to angry (pounding out graham crackers for a crust, anyone?).We've got a great episode today — Becca joins us to talk about baking as an act of resistance, of self-care, and of tapping into whatever you're feeling today (or tomorrow). This Week's RecipesPaid subscribers this week will get access to two of Becca's recipes from Baking by Feel: the Black Pepper Snowballs (if you're feeling vengeful) and the Chocolate Espresso Shortbread (if you're feeling bitter). Yum!Get all our bonus content—and our full archive of hundreds of exclusive recipes—by becoming a paid subscriber today:Listeners like you support Salt + Spine. To get full access to our exclusive content and featured recipes, and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.This Week's New Cookbook ReleasesHere are a few of the new cookbooks on shelves this week:* What's for Dessert: Simple Recipes for Dessert People by Claire Saffitz* The Perfect Loaf: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Breads, Sweets, and More by Maurizio Leo* Noma 2.0: Vegetable, Forest, Ocean by René Redzepi* The Big Texas Cookbook: Food That Defines the Lone Star State by Texas Monthly Editors * Cook As You Are: Recipes for Real Life, Hungry Cooks, and Messy Kitchens by Ruby Tandoh* Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door: 50 American Chefs Chart Tomorrow's Food Culture by Emmanuel Laroche* Eat, Drink, and Be Murray: A Feast of Family Fun and Favorites by Andy Murray * Where the River Narrows: Classic French & Nostalgic Québécois Recipes from St. Lawrence Restaurant by J-C Poirier* Chinese-ish: Home Cooking Not Quite Authentic, 100% Delicious by Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu* Big Has HOME: Recipes from North London to North Cyprus by Hasan SemayAnd we were off last week, so here's last week's new releases, too:* Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking: Traditional Family Recipes From Italy's Best Home Cooks by Vicky Bennison* The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family by Bill, Kaitlin, Judy & Sarah Leung* (Serious) New Cook: Recipes, Tips, and Techniques by Leah Su Quiroga and Cammie Kim Lin* Chicano Bakes: Recipes for Mexican Pan Dulce, Tamales, and My Favorite Desserts by Esteban Castillo* Very Good Salads: Middle-Eastern Salads and Plates for Sharing by Shuki Rosenboim and Louisa Allan* All About Cookies: A Milk Bar Baking Book by Christina Tosi* Baking Imperfect by Lottie Bedlow* Free Spirit Cocktails: 40 Nonalcoholic Drink Recipes by Camille Wilson* Midcentury Cocktails: History, Lore, and Recipes from America's Atomic Age by Cecelia Tichi* The Best American Food Writing 2022 by Sohla El-Waylly 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

Hi there! This week's episode is coming to you a bit later than normal, as I've been under the weather fighting what feels like my 47th sinus infection over the last few years. Thankfully, we recorded this chat with the wonderful Kristen Miglore several weeks ago—with both a live audience and a non-nasally host. That said, we've got a great show for you: Kristen is back for the second time on the pod, this time sharing a new batch of Genius tips and tricks (and hacks, if you will). Plus, recipes and tons of new cookbook releases this week.

Episode 142: Jorge GaviriaThis week, we're thrilled to welcome Masienda founder Jorge Gaviria to #TalkCookbooks with us.Jorge's first cookbook, Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple, explores the deep history and significance of masa—the dough made of nixtamalized corn that goes on to become tortillas, tamales, sopes, and many more Mexican and global staples. It all started with a realization while apprenticing at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Jorge started to dream of opening the “tortilla equivalent of Tartine Bakery, the San Francisco–based high temple of sourdough.” That idea led to sourcing heirloom corn and masa harina (the dried version of masa) from local farmers in Oaxaca and supplying some of New York City's top chefs. Jorge's company, Masienda, was born.Eight years later, Masienda is on a quest to revolutionize how we think about corn—and therefore, masa, masa harina, and other products. Today he's sourcing heirloom corn from a network of 2,000 farmers across six states in Mexico. And yet, he realized something else was missing: a text.And so, he created Masa the book. It's a quite comprehensive tome (nearly 300 pages) on the history of corn and masa and a guide that's as useful for a home cook as it is for a scientist. (Want to nixtamalize your own corn at home? Jorge walks you through it! And offers practical lessons on how to make high-quality masa at home.) Somewhat shockingly, this is the first major cookbook to focus on masa.Of course, there are recipes, too. Masa offers 50 base recipes for tortillas, tamales, pozole, and more to build on, as well as inventive recipes from top chefs across the world. (Get two of them this week by becoming a paid subscriber to Salt + Spine!)Jorge writes that “like sourdough before it, craft masa is on the brink of a global culinary movement.”In today's show, we're talking with Jorge about what led him to focus on masa and launching his company Masienda, about how we're now in a “third wave” of masa, and we're putting him to the test in our signature game.[[EPISODE DETAILS GO HERE. INCLUDE BOOKSHOP LINK.]] ALSO INCLUDE AN IMAGE OF THE BOOK COVER WITH THE CAPTION "GET COOKING: BOOKSHOP OR OMNIVORE BOOKS" with links to both referral URLs.Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekThis week, paid subscribers will receive three recipes from Jorge Gaviria's Masa: Blue Masa Sourdough Bread (from Philippine-born chef turned cottage baker Karlo Evaristo) and Masa Tempura Batter (from chef Alex Stupak of New York City's Empellón). We also have the Table Tortilla Masa.And later this week, producer Clea Wurster kicks off a new series featuring beloved cookbook stores. First up, she's chatting with Matt Sartwell of New York City's Kitchen Arts and Letters.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 free or paid subscriber.This Week's New Cookbook ReleasesA big week of new cookbooks hitting the shelves this week! Here's a few:* Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook by Illyanna Maisonet* The Cookie Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum and Woody Wolston* Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things by Yotam Ottolenghi and Noor Murad* Cooking with Mushrooms: A Fungi Lover's Guide to the World's Most Versatile, Flavorful, Health-Boosting Ingredients by Andrea Gentl* Justice of the Pies: Sweet and Savory Pies, Quiches, and Tarts plus Inspirational Stories from Exceptional People by Maya-Camille Broussard* The Siete Table: Nourishing Mexican-American Recipes from Our Kitchen by The Garza Family* Somebody Feed Phil: The People, Stories, and Recipes by Phil Rosenthal* Make Every Dish Delicious: Modern Classics and Essential Tips for Total Kitchen Confidence by Lesley Chesterman* Spice: A Cook's Companion by Mark Diacono* Feed These People: Slam-Dunk Recipes for Your Crew by Jen Hatmaker* Evergreen Kitchen: Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone by Bri Beaudoin* Mamacita: Recipes Celebrating Life as a Mexican Immigrant in America by Andrea Pons* Kolkata: Recipes from the Heart of Bengal by Rinku Dutt* Cooking with Nonna: Sunday Dinners with La Famiglia by Rosella Rago OCT 25* The Delmonico Way: Sublime Entertaining and Legendary Recipes from the Restaurant That Made New York by Max Tucci (NOV 1)* 60-Second Cocktails: Amazing Drinks to Make at Home in a Minute by Joe Harrison & Neil Ridley* Bar Menu: 100+ Drinking Food Recipes for Cocktail Hours at Home by André Darlington* The Little Book of Aperitifs: 50 Classic Cocktails and Delightful Drinks by Kate Hawkings* The Complete Book of Pasta Sauces: The Best Italian Pestos, Marinaras, Ragùs, and Other Cooked and Fresh Sauces for Every Type of Pasta Imaginable by Allan Bay Wildcrafted* Vinegars: Making and Using Unique Acetic Acid Ferments for Quick Pickles, Hot Sauces, Soups, Salad Dressings, Pastes, Mustards, and More by Pascal Baudar 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

Episode #141: Sophie MinchilliThis week, Sophie Minchilli joins us to #TalkCookbooks.Sophie leads food tours around Italy with her mother, cookbook author and previous Salt + Spine guest Elizabeth Minchilli. The two lead food lovers through Rome, Umbria, Puglia, and other destinations.Growing up in Italy with a cookbook author as a mother, Sophie's life has always revolved around food. She left briefly for university in London, before moving back home to Rome to devote her career to food.Now, Sophie's out with her first book—The Sweetness of Doing Noting: Live Life the Italian Way with Dolce Far Niente. It's part cookbook, with a few recipes, but mostly it's a guide to the southern Italian philosophy of “dolce far niente” and finding pleasure in the everyday.As Sophie writes, “How often do you focus on being in the moment, doing nothing? Whether it's sitting outside at a cafe watching the world go by, whiling away the hours with your loved ones sipping a glass of wine or being immersed in nature at the beach taking in the sun, these seemingly ordinary moments are the ones that bring happiness in the long run and highlight the joy in living.”In today's show, we're talking with Sophie about growing up in Rome and Umbria, her career in food tourism and writing, and putting her to the test in our culinary game.I hope you enjoy my chat with Sophie.Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekThis week, paid subscribers will receive three featured recipes from Sophie's The Sweetness of Doing Nothing: her Carbonara and Amatriciana as well as Insalata Di Finocchi E Arance, which marries fennel, orange, and black olive.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

Episode 140: Erin GleesonThis week, Erin Gleeson joins us to #TalkCookbooks.What a fun episode! I packed up our recorder and microphones and headed south from San Francisco and into the woody, serene drive to Erin Gleeson's charming cabin-esque home in the South Bay. Just look at this enviable set-up—I wish we could record every episode here!And Erin even prepped us a plate of lavender shortbread, which is featured in her latest cookbook, and a warm pot of coffee:Anyway — we were at Erin's house to talk about her latest cookbook, The Forest Feast Road Trip.A California native, Erin spent her early career pursuing art and photography. But she was always drawn to food, and it quickly became the subject of much of her work. When a cross-country move brought her from bustling New York to a serene cabin in the Santa Cruz Mountains, she set her focus on working on cookbooks. Before long, her content was finding an audience online, and her signature aesthetic (hybrid watercolor-photography) was born. Soon after came her first cookbook, The Forest Feast: Simple Vegetarian Recipes from My Cabin in the Woods. To date, Erin has authored five vegetarian cookbooks. Her most recent, The Forest Feast Road Trip, is built around her family's extensive road trip, covering more than 2,500 miles around California.As Erin explored the state and stayed in 10 unique cabin-like places, she created recipes, art, and photography that evokes each stop, from Palm Springs to Mendocino.In today's show, Erin and I sit down on her deck to discuss her childhood filled with California produce, the career path that led her to Forest Feast, and about the travels that inspired her latest book. We've got a great chat and Erin takes a stab at our signature culinary game.I hope you enjoy my conversation with Erin.P.S. Just as I was leaving Erin's home in the mountains, I noticed her kids and their friends had set up a lemonade stand. For a few bucks you could grab a glass of lemonade—and, if you had enough cash on hand, a copy of The Forest Feast Road Trip. All in the family!Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekThis week, paid subscribers will receive two featured recipes from The Forest Feast: Road Trip—Walnut Enchiladas and Blender Muffins.Later this week, we welcome back our friend Paula Forbes of Stained Page News to chat about what trends we're seeing in this fall's crop of new cookbooks and what to get excited about.Get all our exclusive content by becoming a paid subscriber: 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. Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 139: Eitan BernathThis week, Eitan Benath joins us to #TalkCookbooks!Eitan is one of the most visible people in food media today. At just 20 years old, he's amassed a remarkable 8+ million social media followers. Odds are, if you have a social media account, you've seen Eitan. Whether on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or even Snapchat, where he's hosted three cooking shows. Last year, his original content reached more than 350 million people with 3 billion views.It all started with Food Network. Building on his childhood love for cooking, 11-year-old Eitan appeared on the first kids' episode of “Chopped.” And there was no stopping him after that; he started a blog and social media accounts, becoming a near-overnight success thanks to his charismatic personality and his engaging content. (Case in point: Oprah Magazine called him “the internet's most delightful chef.”) Today, he's president of his own culinary production studio, the Principal Culinary Contributor for CBS' “The Drew Barrymore Show,” and just published his first cookbook, Eitan Eats the World: New Comfort Classics to Cook Right Now. It's full of both classic comfort foods (Shakshuka or Chicken Tikka Masala) and creative spins like a Double Grilled Cheese With Blueberry-Thyme Jam and his tuna melt-Croque monsieur hybrid.In today's show, we're talking with Eitan about how his childhood love of cooking morphed quickly into a career, about creating his first cookbook, and of course, putting him to the test in our signature culinary game.I hope you enjoy my chat with Eitan. Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekRECIPES!!!This week, paid subscribers will receive two featured recipes from Eitan Eats the World: a childhood classic turned breakfast with PB&J Pancakes and a decadent Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Pie. Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Hi there, happy Tuesday! This week, Nicole Taylor joins us in studio to talk Watermelon & Red Birds. Plus: We chat with Carla Lalli-Music later in the week—and bring you featured recipes and highlight new release cookbooks. Read on!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 138: Nicole TaylorNicole Taylor—author of Watermelon & Red Birds—joins us this week to #TalkCookbooks.A Georgia native, Nicole pivoted to a career in food media when she relocated to Brooklyn with her husband in 2008. Her Heritage Radio Network podcast, Hot Grease, brought 162 episodes with an emphasis on highlighting Black food personalities and “reclaiming culinary traditions & celebrations, cooking at home and eating as a political act.”That led to a couple of cookbooks: first, writing The Last O.G. Cookbook (yes, the cookbook-companion to the Tracy Morgan TBS comedy), and Nicole's first solo project, The Up South Cookbook: Chasing Dixie in a Brooklyn Kitchen, which pairs her Georgia culinary roots with New York influences. After a stint at a major media company, Nicole embarked on her latest cookbook, Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations. In the book, Nicole explores the history of Juneteenth—a history full of complexity, difficulty, and sorrow. Federal recognition of a holiday long recognized by Black communities in America only came in June 2021, amidst the pandemic, a national focus on long-standing racial inequality, and the unjust deaths of Black folks at the hands of police. As Nicole writes in her introduction, “Black joy often emanates from Black sorrow, and so it has been with that small Texas tendril of freedom, which has continued to spread and strengthen.” This cookbook is not just a historical text; it's quite modern, and Nicole hopes it will be part of the ongoing conversation around Black food in America. Not only as a chronicle of the ways that Black ingenuity and cooking have shaped America's food scene, but also how it will shape the 21st Century. In today's episode, Nicole tells about growing up in Georgia, making the leap into food writing professionally, working with past S+S guest George McCalman to design a book that “breaks all the rules,” and the importance of finding joy where it has not always been afforded.I hope you enjoy my chat with Nicole.Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekRECIPES!!!This week, paid subscribers will receive. two featured recipes from Nicole Taylor's Watermelon & Red Birds: the Southern-ish Potato Salad and a Sweet Potato Spritz inspired by Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man. A sneak peek:THE FRIDAY NOTE!!!Carla Lalli Music joins us this week for “The Friday Note” with Salt + Spine producer Clea Wurster, in which Carla shares some insights into how she approaches recipe development and what she's been cooking lately.Get all our exclusive subscriber-only content today: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 free or paid subscriber.This Week's New Cookbook ReleasesHere are a few of the new cookbooks on shelves this week:Fresh Midwest: Modern Recipes from the Heartland by Maren Ellingboe KingHomage: Recipes and Stories from an Amish Soul Food Kitchen by Chris Scott Evolutions in Bread: Artisan Pan Breads and Dutch-Oven Loaves at Home by Ken ForkishHow To Cook Everything Fast Revised Edition by Mark BittmanEssentials of Classic Italian Cooking, 30th Anniversary Edition by Marcella HazanMore Mandy's: More Recipes We Love by Mandy & Rebecca WolfeDon't Worry, Just Cook: Delicious, Timeless Recipes for Comfort and Connection by Bonnie Stern & Anna RupertChinese Homestyle: Everyday Plant-Based Recipes for Takeout, Dim Sum, Noodles, and More by Maggie ZhuNorthern Soul: Southern-Inspired Home Cooking from a Northern Kitchen by Justin SutherlandWorld Cocktail Adventures: 40 Destination-Inspired Drinks by Loni Carr & Brett GramseComing Soon!Don't miss our next live podcast recording!Food52's Kristen Miglore joins us on Oct. 1 at Omnivore Books in San Francisco to discuss her latest book, Simply Genius. Come hear Kristen and Brian record an episode of the show, get your book signed, and support local bookstores. Details are below—hope to see you there! Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 137: Ali SlagleThis week's episode is a fun one — our first live event since pre-pandemic! Ali Slagle joined me in front of a live audience at Omnivore Books in San Francisco recently. A Los Angeles native and UC-Berkeley grad, Ali started her career at Ten Speed Press, where she worked on several cookbooks as an editorial assistant. She joined the Food52 team after working on their Genius Recipes cookbooks (featured here in our 2018 chat with Kristen Miglore!) and later went solo with a freelance career.A prolific contributor to the New York Times Food section, in which she's published over 250 recipes, Ali's work has also been featured in Bon Appetit, the Washington Post, Saveur, and more. Ali's first cookbook, I Dream of Dinner… (So You Don't Have To), offers 150+ recipes for getting quick, crave-able meals on the table every day. From her mom's chilli recipe to bacon-jalapeno smashburgers, Ali's recipes come to her via a “dinner matrix” process that we discuss in the show. We've got a great chat with Ali to share — and of course, we put her to the test with our signature culinary game, with a wild secret ingredient.I hope you enjoy my conversation with Ali. Featured Recipes & Bonus Content This WeekRECIPES!!!This week, paid subscribers will receive two featured recipes from Ali Slagle's I Dream of Dinner: a Spicy Seared Tofu & Broccoli and the cover-star, Turmeric Shrimp with Citrus and Avocado.THE FRIDAY NOTE!!!This Friday, Salt + Spine producer Clea Wurster is back with The Friday Note, in which she chats with someone interesting. This week, it's a look at Toothache Magazine and a chat with creator Nick Muncy. Consider a paid subscription today: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 free or paid subscriber.This Week's New Cookbook ReleasesHere are a few of the new cookbooks on shelves this week:Mezcla: Recipes to Excite by Ixta BelfrageMasa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple by Jorge GaviriaThe Mediterranean Dish: 120 Bold and Healthy Recipes You'll Make on Repeat by Suzy KaradshehThe Vegan Chinese Kitchen: Recipes and Modern Stories from a Thousand-Year-Old Tradition by Hannah CheBras, the Tastes of Aubrac: Recipes and Stories from the World-Renowned French Restaurant by Sébastien BrasDine in Palestine: An Authentic Taste of Palestine in 60 Recipes from My Family to Your Table by Heifa OdehHoney Cake & Latkes: Recipes from the Old World by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Survivors from the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial FoundationThe Complete Cocktail Manual: Recipes and Tricks of the Trade for Modern Mixologists by Lou BustamantePierogi: Over 50 Recipes to Create Perfect Polish Dumplings by Zuza ZakDictator Lunches: Inspired Meals That Will Compel Even the Toughest of (Tyrants) Children by Jenny MollenComing Soon!Don't miss our next live podcast recording! Food52's Kristen Miglore joins us on Oct. 1 at Ominvore Books in San Francsico to discuss her latest book, Simply Genius. Come hear Kristen and Brian record an episode of the show, get your book signed, and support local bookstores. Details below—hope to see you there! Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 136: Kristina ChoThis week, we're joined by Kristina Cho to discuss her debut cookbook, Mooncakes and Milk Bread: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries. Kristina is a Bay Area-based recipe developer and writer who grew up in a restaurant family in Cleveland, Ohio. After a degree in architecture left her longing for something more, she turned to food blogging and launched Eat Cho Food. As her recipes grew in popularity, she realized some of the hits were items you'd find at Chinese bakeries (one of the first to resonate: the hot dog flower buns). Before long, Kristina had made another realization: the cookbook world was missing a book dedicated to Chinese bakery-style recipes. So Kristina set out to write up.Mooncakes & Milk Bread is the result of that effort, and it landed Kristina two coveted James Beard Awards earlier this year (in both the Baking & Desserts and Emerging Voice cookbook categories.) The book is packed with classic and inventive recipes, from pineapple buns to almond cookies. Sweet and savory items share the space, as they do in most Chinese bakeries. And Kristina offers essays on the history of Chinatowns, profiles of some storied bakeries, and more. I met up with Kristina in San Francisco's Chinatown, where we strolled past long-standing bakeries, sampled some fare, and chatted about her career and her first cookbook. We were meeting just before the Mid-Autumn Festival (or Moon Festival), one of the most important Chinese holidays and an important time for enjoying and sharing mooncakes. I hope you enjoy my chat with Kristina Cho.Bonus Content + Recipes This WeekThis week, paid subscribers will receive Kristina's recipe for Youtiao (Chinese Doughnut), which we enjoyed together in San Francisco:Also later this week: Chef Ji Hye Kim on how she celebrates Chuseok, the Korean Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival.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 free or paid subscriber.This Week's New Cookbook Releases Here are a few of the new cookbooks on shelves this week:Dinner in One by Melissa ClarkThe Weekend Cook by Angela HartnettPrep and Rally by Dini KleinHealthy in a Hurry by Danielle WalkerModern Bistro from America's Test KitchenChetna's Easy Baking by Chetna MakanPasta Night by Deborah KaloperThe Little Book of Gin Cocktails from PyramidCocktail Botanica by Elouise AndersFlavor by Fire by Derek Wolf This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saltandspine.substack.com

Hi there — happy Tuesday! We’ve got a great conversation for you today with author Adrienne Cheatham on her first cookbook, Sunday Best. Check out the episode and more—featured recipes!—below. But first, a few announcements:Our Summer Cookbook Club is in full swing and we’re baking our way through Jessie Sheehan’s Snackable Bakes. Next Tuesday, we’ll come together on Zoom with Jessie to make a cherry clafoutis (if you’d like) and to discuss cookbooks, sweets, and more. Reserve your seat now! Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:And now, here’s Adrienne:Episode 135: Adrienne CheathamThis week, we’re joined by Adrienne Cheatham to discuss her debut cookbook, Sunday Best: Cooking Up the Weekend Spirit Every Day: A Cookbook (with Sarah Zorn).Adrienne is a Chicago native who grew up spending a lot of time in the restaurants that her mother managed. She was drawn to the kitchen and, before long, it became a safe place for her to thrive.After college, Adrienne dove into the back of the house, working in kitchens and enrolling at the Institute of Culinary Education. From there, she landed at Le Bernardin under Chef Eric Ripert, where she spent eight years and worked up from a commis to the Executive Sous Chef of the 3-Michelin star restaurant. She went on to work as the Chef de Cuisine of the Marcus Samuelsson Group, where she helped open new concepts and served as executive chef of the flagship Red Rooster.And of course, through it all were cookbooks. As Adrienne tells us, she worked with both Eric Ripert and Marcus Samuelsson on their books before she landed a deal of her own. And that debut book, Sunday Best, builds on the longstanding family tradition of gathering for a Sunday meal. The roots of the name actually run back to the days of segregation, when enslaved Black people would wear their “Sunday best” in order to “demand respect from those who didn’t accept them as equal.”Today, Adrienne — who also came in second place on season 15 of “Top Chef” — also hosts virtual Sunday Best conversations on her Instagram, an extension of the Sunday Best pop-up dinners she planned pre-pandemic. And now her first cookbook, she brings the “weekend spirit” to everyday cooking with 100 recipes ranging from grilled skirt steak with mustard-green chimichurri to green tomato chili to yuzu banana pudding. Bonus Content This WeekPAID SUBSCRIBERS (you can become one!) this week will get two featured recipes excerpted from Sunday Best: Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Bacon and Grilled Green Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Vinaigrette and Pepitas.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 free or paid subscriber.We’ve got a great show for you today. Check out my conversation with Adrienne, and thanks for joining us to #TalkCookbooks. –Brian, Clea, and the Salt + Spine team Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Hey there, We’re back with a very special episode for you: Today’s episode was the first we’ve been able to record in-person in 899 days! We met Bay-Area native Andy Baraghani at The Civic Kitchen (our studio home in San Francisco) to hear about his first cookbook, The Cook You Want To Be. We’d almost forgotten how magical in-person interviews are. While we’re grateful to have been able to bring you great conversations, recorded remotely, during the pandemic, there’s something special about how the conversation flows naturally, how an author’s personality fills the space and the interview with ease, and, of course, the way the colorful spines of hundreds of cookbooks brighten the wall behind us. Here’s a shot of us at The Civic Kitchen after our chat:It felt so great to be back in the studio and it feels so great to share that conversation with all of you! -Brian & CleaEpisode 134: Andy BaraghaniThis week, we’re joined by chef and author Andy Baraghani to discuss his debut cookbook, The Cook You Want To Be.Andy is a California native who grew up in the East Bay and was influenced by shopping trips at the awe-inspiring produce paradise that is Monterey Market. As a young person, he took note of the powerful culinary culture all around him.He tells us that his interest in food started when he was very young: He grew up watching Martin Yan and Julia Child and experimenting with flavors from the moment he had the motor skills to do so. When he was in high school, at just 15, someone suggested that he learn a little about Chez Panisse, the infamous restaurant near him in Berkeley, CA. So he went in and asked for work. Soon, Andy spent all his extra time there, learning from chefs like Cal Peternell and Beth Wells. Andy talks with us today about how he struggled to find pride in his Iranian heritage, the process of finding his voice as a recipe writer and chef, and how it feels to find excitement, nourishment, and pride in his cooking.The Cook You Want To Be is Andy’s debut cookbook and is a beautiful compilation of recipes that aims to teach the home cook his gentle, effortless style of California cooking, influenced by the flavors of the herb-heavy Iranian cuisine. Bonus Content This WeekPAID SUBSCRIBERS (you can become one!) this week will hear Andy read an excerpt from his book about learning to make and perfecting his own recipe for Kuku Sabzi—and get two featured recipes excerpted from the book for Chickpea Cacio e Pepe with Caramelized Lemon and Pork Chops with Toasted Garlic and Spicy Capers.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 free or paid subscriber.We’ve got a great show for you today. Check out my conversation with Andy and thanks for joining us to #TalkCookbooks.–Brian, Clea, and the Salt + Spine team Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Hi there,Thrilled to share this week’s conversation with you—we’ve got Jessie Sheehan in the virtual studio! And stay tuned: we’ve got an exciting Cookbook Club announcement coming your way shortly.Episode 133: Jessie SheehanPeeps! We’ve got the easy-peasy baking star Jessie Sheehan on the show this week. You may know her from her beloved previous cookbook, The Vintage Baker, or from the recipes she’s developed for numerous media outlets. Or, perhaps you too were sucked into TikTok at the start of the pandemic, where Jessie became an overnight standout for her viral, engaging videos.Well, we’re talking about all of it—from how she got into baking and then cookbook writing to what lessons she learned from those active days on TikTok—in today’s episode.Jessie’s latest cookbook, Snackable Bakes, features 100 of those “easy, peasy" recipes” for which she’s become known. Think snacking cakes, fruit crisps, cookies, and bars—all of which come together quickly and require only a few dishes and no special tools. Easy. Peasy.Recipe This Week:Paid subscribers this week will get a featured recipe for Strawberry Sheet Cake from Jessie Sheean’s Snackable Bakes: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 free or paid subscriber.We’ve got a great show for you today. Check out my conversation with Jessie and thanks for joining us to #TalkCookbooks.–Brian, Clea, and the Salt + Spine team Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Hi there,Apologies for the silence last week! The COVID fairy finally pulled my card, and it knocked me (and my family) down for a number of days. We’re all recovering over here, and I’m excited to share this week’s conversation with you now! I hope you’ll forgive the delay. Read on for more on my recent chat with Kwame Onwuachi—and make sure you’re subscribed to our Substack to access exclusive recipes from Kwame’s My America later this week.–BrianEpisode 132: Kwame OnwuachiIt really does feel like we’re living in Kwame Onwuachi’s America.Industry folks run into him around every turn—he’s fresh off the high-profile hosting gig at Monday’s James Beard Awards, for one—and his voice and influence are becoming undeniably one of the most impactful. After opening five restaurants before turning 30, Kwame has earned accolades from nearly every major media outlet (James Beard Foundation’s Rising Star Chef, Food & Wine Best New Chef, Esquire Chef of the Year, Forbes 30 Under 30, the “most important chef in America” by the San Francisco Chronicle, and so on). Now, Kwame is an executive producer for Food & Wine magazine and is responsible for convening the upcoming 2nd Annual Family Reunion, a multi-day event that celebrates racial and ethnic diversity in hospitality.In Kwame’s first book, 2019’s Notes From A Young Black Chef written with Joshua David Stein, he chronicles his life from growing up in New York City, with extended stints in Louisiana and Nigeria, to the path that led him to his first restaurant, the Shaw Bijou. (And that memoir is now being made into a feature film by A24!)He’s followed it up with a new book—this time a cookbook, titled My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef, and also co-authored by Stein.Part memoir, part cookbook, My America features recipes from Kwame’s culinary journey—from Suya (Nigerian BBQ) to Egusi Stew, a Nigerian recipe he grew up eating that’s thickened with egusi (melon seed).Recipes This Week:Paid subscribers will get access to two recipes from Kwame’s My America this week: Jamaican Beef Patties and Suya (“the grandfather of American BBQ”):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.We’ve got a great show for you today: Kwame joined us to discuss his culinary career, his books, and of course, to play our signature culinary game. Thanks for joining us to #TalkCookbooks!–Brian, Clea, and the Salt + Spine team Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Hi there — Happy June! This always feels like the best month to me (spoiler alert: it’s my birthday month! 🦀). It’s probably still a holdout, many many years later, of the school’s-out-and-summer-is-here bliss, but the days feel long, the dinners feel relaxed and homey, and I feel energized.How are you feeling this June?Whatever you’re feeling, we’ve got a great show for you this week:Episode 131: Sheldon SimeonThis week, we’re joined by chef and author Sheldon Simeon to discuss his debut cookbook, Cook Real Hawai’i.Sheldon is a native of Hilo, on the Big Island, and grew up with a love for food. He learned how to cook (and how to cook for others) from his family, parlaying his interest in the craft into an impressive restaurant career.After graduating from the Maui Culinary Academy and an internship at World Disney World, he rose up the ranks of Hawaiian restaurants, serving as executive chef for the opening of Maui’s much anticipated Star Noodle. (He earned his first James Beard nod that year, with a 2011 Rising Star Chef of the Year nomination, and helped Star Noodle secure a Best New Restaurant nomination from the Beard Foundation.) The accolades kept rolling in (Food & Wine People’s Choice Best New Chef of the Pacific & Northwest, for one), and before long, “Top Chef” producers had recruited him to join the show’s 10th season in Seattle. He quickly won audience support and was one of the final three finalists. (Sheldon returned for Season 14 of the Bravo show in Charleston; he won the Fan Favorite award in both seasons.) More restaurants followed, including the beloved Tin Roof, Sheldon’s first solo restaurant which opened in Maui in 2016.And now, a cookbook: We're treated to Cook Real Hawai’i, Sheldon's collection of 100 recipes that he says “embody the beautiful cross-cultural exchange of islands.” From Hawaiian traditions to influences from around the globe—Asia, Portugal, the Philippines—Sheldon offers recipes for everything from wok-fried poke to crispy cauliflower katsu to chocolate birthday cake butter mochi. Get Cooking Today: Buy Cook Real Hawai’i from Bookshop or Omnivore BooksRecipes This Week:Paid subscribers will get access to these three featured recipes from Cook Real Hawai’i this week—Chicken Hekka, Chocolate Birthday Cake Butter Mochi, and Li Hing Mui Palomas. Subscribe today so you never miss a recipe!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.We've got a great show for you today: Sheldon joins us to talk about his career and his debut cookbook. Of course, we also put him to the test in our signature culinary game.Thanks for joining us to #TalkCookbooks!–Brian & the Salt + Spine teamP.S. This week, I recommend reading the latest from Soleil Ho: The limits of comfort food in a time of national horror Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

Hi there,Memorial Day is this weekend and if, like me, you’re just getting around to thinking about food, we can help. We dug into our Salt + Spine archives for some grill-tastic options:How about some Smoked Chicken or Pork T-Bones (two prime mains from pitmaster Rodney Scott)? Stacey Adimando’s got a side dish covered with her Blackened Summer Squash with Buttermilk Cream Sauce, Rosemary, and Chives.And wash it down with Grilled Margaritas from Maggie Hoffman! And to ring in summer, we’re offering a special Memorial Day promotion! Become a paid subscriber before the end of the month and you’ll get 20% off your first year! Remember, paid subscribers get access to our full archive of 200+ recipes from featured cookbooks, as well as other exclusive content.Happy grilling! And now, onto this week’s show:Episode 130: Fanny SingerWe’ve got a fun episode for you today: Fanny Singer, the author of Always Home: A Daughter’s Recipes & Stories, is here to #TalkCookbooks with us.Fanny, of course, is the daughter of legendary restauranteur Alice Waters (who opened Berkeley’s Chez Panisse 50 years ago). Fanny is a writer, editor, art critic, and the founder of Permanent Collection, a clothing and household goods line.As Fanny set out to write Always Home—part memoir, part cookbook, and partially neither of those things—she began negotiating an inheritance that her mother passed down: her relationship to and appreciation for food.Unsurprisingly, food was a central theme in Fanny’s childhood home, though she tells us she mostly learned from her mother via “sort of a process of osmosis.” Always Home is, of course, filled with stories and memories from Fanny’s life, and it’s loaded with vivid descriptions of sensory experiences related to food: meals she’s enjoyed at home and around the world. She writes about her mother’s practice of burning sage or rosemary when they returned home from a trip, and how as a child she once tried fish cooked in a fig leaf—despite first being opposed to the idea—because her mother was able to describe the flavor and scent of the coconut-y leaf. Get Reading Today: Order via Bookshop or Omnivore Books (signed!)This Week’s RecipePaid subscribers this week will get access to an excerpted recipe from Fanny’s Always Home for Coming Home Pasta. Subscribe today to get full access!Salt + Spine is a reader-supported publication. To get full access, including featured recipes, consider becoming a paid subscriber.We’ve got a great chat with Fanny — plus our signature culinary game and a featured recipe later this week.Thanks for joining us to #TalkCookbooks!—Brian & the Salt + Spine Team Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

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Hi there,Hope you are doing well — I am finally (I hope) recovering from a little non-COVID infection that took my voice fully away for a good 24 hours. Every podcast host’s nightmare! But it’s back-ish (bear with me) in time to tee up this week’s conversation, which I’m thrilled to share with all of you.My long-overdue conversation with chef and author Renee Erickson is hitting the podcast waves today. We recorded our chat quite some time ago and, sadly, the world got in the way and it’s been sitting in our queue. Episode 129: Renee EricksonI think you’ll love hearing from Renee about her growing up near Seattle and how she took a job at the Boat Street restaurant that parlayed itself into ownership of the whole place. At just 25, Renee took the helm and never looked back, growing her restaurant empire to include a good handful of establishments today. Along the way, her fame grew, and locals became enamored with her vision and values, while the culinary world flocked to the PNW to enjoy her French-inspired and Puget Sound-sourced menus. Renee’s first cookbook, A Boat, A Whale, and a Walrus: Menus and Stories, quickly became a classic. (I’ll admit, it’s one of the few that I rotate regularly through my in-kitchen cookbook stand.)And now, Renee’s second cookbook—Getaway: Food & Drink to Transport You—couldn’t come at a better time. As the world keeps reopening, Getaway is Renee’s culinary guide to the places she travels to again and again, and how to eat like you’re there. From Rome to Baja California to, of course, Seattle, Renee showcases her way of travel and dining for us to emulate.Get Cooking Today: Order via Bookshop or Omnivore BooksThis Week’s RecipesPaid subscribers this week will get access to four excerpted recipes from Renee’s Getaway! Subscribe today to get full access! See a peek here:We’ve got a great chat with Renee — plus our signature culinary game and featured recipes. Thanks for joining us to #TalkCookbooks!—The Salt + Spine Team Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

For episode details: https://saltandspine.substack.com/p/renee-ericksonGetaway: Food & Drink to Transport YouGet Cooking Today: Order via Bookshop or Omnivore Books See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hi there,I’m excited to share today’s episode with you: We’re joined by chef Peter Hoffman—of the legendary New York City restaurant Savoy, and then of others—to discuss his career and first book.Today’s Guest: Peter HoffmanPeter Hoffman was the chef-owner of Savoy, the farm-to-table eatery in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood he opened in 1990 and that upended ideas about fine dining at the time. Savoy ran for two decades before Peter shut the doors in 2011. (His other restaurants closed in subsequent years, with the final one shuttering in 2016.) During its tenure, Savoy was one of the first U.S. restaurants to champion seasonal, local cuisine; dishes typically relied heavily on and were inspired by the produce Peter would find at the Union Square Greenmarket, where he became a fixture. (A typical greeting between farmer & chef at the greenmarket: “What’s good?”)As a child growing up in New Jersey, Peter was introduced to an array of diverse foods. Both of his parents were home cooks—his mother more so than his father—and they inspired him to get comfortable in the kitchen. His mom taught him to read and follow recipes with the Joy of Cooking. And his housekeeper, Hortence, taught him the beauty of butter, an ingredient that gets a whole chapter in his new book. Peter got his start working in kitchens at a Vermont resort after his construction job there ended. As he got more and more excited about a path in food, he trained under several renowned cooks, including Richard Olney. He traveled to Japan to learn and, one summer, even ran a small fish market. Peter says that learning from these chefs and experiences taught him the beauty of local geographies and the ingredients they provide.His first book, What’s Good: A Memoir in 14 Ingredients, is expressive of this type of thinking. It’s part memoir, part cookbook, and features 14 chapters each named after an ingredient that fueled the forward-thinking menus at Savoy. Filled with anecdotes and stories about running a restaurant and his slow-food philosophy, Peter says the book is not just a tribute to the many relationships he formed with farmers, cooks, and the broader community, but it is also a tribute to his journey to discover what seasonality means.Get Cooking: Bookshop | Omnivore Books (signed)!We’ve got a great episode for you today—Peter shares some stories like those that fill the pages of his book with us, stresses the importance of simplicity and sustainability, and reflects on what the past two years have meant for the restaurant industry. And, as always, we put him to the test in our signature culinary game!Featured Recipes This WeekPaid subscribers get access to two featured recipes from What’s Good this week: Susan’s Peach Raspberry Pie (that’s Peter’s wife, Susan), and Peter’s Zhoug. Each week, paid subscribers to Salt + Spine get exclusive recipes from our featured cookbooks. To get full access (including our archive of 200+ recipes) and support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber today.Of the zhoug, Peter writes: I love it with fish either accompanying a piece of grilled fish or drizzled into a fish broth brimming with spring vegetables and gently poached fish but it is great just with bread or over tomatoes. Not bad on a steak too.Here’s a peek at the zhoug atop a lovely piece of sea bass:Thanks for joining us to #TalkCookbooks,Brian Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

We're joined today by chef Peter Hoffman—of the legendary New York City restaurant Savoy, and then of others—to discuss his career and first book.To get featured recipes, subscribe to our Substack today.Today's Guest: Peter HoffmanPeter Hoffman was the chef-owner of Savoy, the farm-to-table eatery in New York City's SoHo neighborhood he opened in 1990 and that upended ideas about fine dining at the time.Savoy ran for two decades before Peter shut the doors in 2011. (His other restaurants closed in subsequent years, with the final one shuttering in 2016.) During its tenure, Savoy was one of the first U.S. restaurants to champion seasonal, local cuisine; dishes typically relied heavily on and were inspired by the produce Peter would find at the Union Square Greenmarket, where he became a fixture. (A typical greeting between farmer & chef at the greenmarket: “What's good?”)As a child growing up in New Jersey, Peter was introduced to an array of diverse foods. Both of his parents were home cooks—his mother more so than his father—and they inspired him to get comfortable in the kitchen. His mom taught him to read and follow recipes with the Joy of Cooking. And his housekeeper, Hortence, taught him the beauty of butter, an ingredient that gets a whole chapter in his new book. Peter got his start working in kitchens at a Vermont resort after his construction job there ended. As he got more and more excited about a path in food, he trained under several renowned cooks, including Richard Olney. He traveled to Japan to learn and, one summer, even ran a small fish market. Peter says that learning from these chefs and experiences taught him the beauty of local geographies and the ingredients they provide.His first book, What's Good: A Memoir in 14 Ingredients, is expressive of this type of thinking. It's part memoir, part cookbook, and features 14 chapters each named after an ingredient that fueled the forward-thinking menus at Savoy. Filled with anecdotes and stories about running a restaurant and his slow-food philosophy, Peter says the book is not just a tribute to the many relationships he formed with farmers, cooks, and the broader community, but it is also a tribute to his journey to discover what seasonality means.Get Cooking: Bookshop | Omnivore Books (signed)!We've got a great episode for you today—Peter shares some stories like those that fill the pages of his book with us, stresses the importance of simplicity and sustainability, and reflects on what the past two years have meant for the restaurant industry. And, as always, we put him to the test in our signature culinary game!Featured Recipes This WeekPaid subscribers to the Salt + Spine Substack get access to two featured recipes from What's Good this week: Susan's Peach Raspberry Pie (that's Peter's wife, Susan), and Peter's Zhoug. Subscribe today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"People ask me, 'What's something that's changed a lot in publishing, or what's the most important or hopeful part about publishing?' And my answer is that authors have more control now than they ever have had, but that also means they also have more work to do than they've ever had before." —Monika Woods, literary agentThis is the final episode in our four-part series, Behind the Spine. Over the last four weeks, we've shifted our focus away from the authors to learn more about some of the other talented folks who work behind the scenes on the cookbooks we all love.You’ve already heard from the recipe testers, the photographers, and the designers—in today’s episode, we’ll talk to the people who make cookbooks possible: the agents and the experts. Today, you’ll hear from food writing coach Dianne Jacob, author of Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction and More, and two literary agents, Rica Allannic and Monika Woods. Each of our guests sat down with our producer, Clea Wurster, for a one-on-one interview to get to the bottom of our question: How exactly does a cookbook get published? From proposal to negotiations over the cover design, these experts break it down for us. We’ll learn about the process of actually writing the book and pitching it to an agent or publisher, and our experts will share with us what they think makes for a successful proposal.Dianne Jacob shared with us the ins and outs of actually sitting down and writing, from breaking up the workload to making the initial decision to writing the cookbook. She says it isn’t for the faint of heart: it’s a lot of work. But, like us, she’s a cookbook lover and has devoted her professional career to helping cookbooks get agents and publishers. Dianne will break down the process of getting published, give advice to authors, and share insights into how the publishing industry has been shifting over the last few years.Monika Woods is a food writing lover and the founder of Triangle House literary magazine who also works as a literary agent. She shared with us how she views herself in relation to the projects she’s working on, how the agent’s role has shifted with the rise of social media, and the role it’s played in diversifying the publishing landscape. Rica Allannic, who has also spent time in professional kitchens, worked as an editor at Clarkson Potter until five years ago when she made the decision to become a literary agent. As an agent, Rica says she has more of an influence on the types of cookbooks that get published. Rica talks with us about the three things a good cookbook pitch needs, advocating for her clients, and the financial realities of publishing deals.We’ve got a wonderful episode for you today packed with information all about publishing a cookbook, so whether you’re a passionate reader and home cook like us or you’d someday like to publish your own cookbook, this episode has something for you. Let’s #TalkCookbooks. Get full access to Salt + Spine at saltandspine.substack.com/subscribe

This is the last episode in our 4-part series, Behind the Spine. Over the last four weeks, we've shifted our focus away from the authors to learn more about the other talented folks who work behind the scenes on the cookbooks we all love. You've already heard from the recipe testers, the photographers, the designers – in today's episode, we'll talk to the people who make cookbooks possible: the agents and the experts. Today, you'll hear from Dianne Jacob, author of Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction and More, and food writing coach. Two literary agents, Rica Allannic (who you may remember from last summer's Equity Series) and Monika Woods. Each of our guests sat down with our producer, Clea Wurster, for a one-on-one interview to get to the bottom of our question: how exactly does a cookbook get published? From proposal to negotiations over the cover design, these experts break it down for us. We'll learn about the process of actually writing the book, pitching it to an agent or publisher, and our experts will share with us what they think makes for a successful proposal.Dianne Jacob shared with us the ins and outs of actually sitting down and writing, from breaking up the workload to making the initial decision to writing the cookbook. She says it isn't for the faint of heart: it's a lot of work. But, like us, she's a cookbook lover and has devoted her professional career to helping cookbooks get agents and publishers. Dianne will break down the process of getting published, give advice to authors, and share insights into how the publishing industry has been shifting over the last few years.Monika Woods is a food writing lover and the founder of Triangle House literary magazine – she also works as a literary agent. She shared with us how she views herself in relation to the projects she's working on, how the agent's role has shifted with the rise of social media, and the role it's played in diversifying the publishing landscape. Rica Allannic, who has spent time in professional kitchens, worked as an editor at Clarkson Potter until 5 years ago when she made the decision to become a literary agent. As an agent, Rica says she has more of an influence on the types of cookbooks that get published. Rica talks with us about the three things a good cookbook pitch needs, advocating for her clients, and the financial realities of publishing deals. We've got a wonderful episode for you today packed with information all about publishing a cookbook, so whether you're a passionate reader and home cook like us or you'd someday like to publish your own cookbook, this episode has something for you. Let's #talkcookbooks. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.