What the funk is ‘nduja?

A couple months ago, when I tried Calabrian chiles for the first time, I was inspired by the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen staff’s obsession with these particular flavor bombs. So when Bon Appetit’s Facebook account reposted an old article about Molly Baz’s love for ‘nduja (not to mention an even older article written by ChrisContinue reading “What the funk is ‘nduja?”

My anticlimactic experience with green tea

Some of you may remember my first experience drinking tea. It was a roaring success that has sparked many an afternoon tea since. But as much as I have come to love a warm cup of tea, in the last six years, I’ve still only had breakfast and chai. Most of my hesitance for tryingContinue reading “My anticlimactic experience with green tea”

This cheese is not the GOAT

Around the corner from my apartment is a lovely little shop called The Wine and Cheese Cask. Stocked with wine I don’t drink and cheese I don’t eat, I appreciate its diverse offerings while limiting my purchases to Sam Adams and prosecco. Like any non-psychopath out there, I love mozzarella, parmesan, and mild cheddar cheese.Continue reading “This cheese is not the GOAT”

Dumplings: From wishful thinking to weeknight dinner

Each week, I scroll through my many recipe repositories to figure out the following week’s dinner plans: Pinterest, NYT Cooking, Food52, cookbooks, and Instagram. It’s my way of coping with the Sunday scaries. This blog has meant that in addition to finding dinner recipes that don’t leave us in a food rut, I also needContinue reading “Dumplings: From wishful thinking to weeknight dinner”

Butternut be butternut squash

Last weekend, my dear mama came to visit me in Massachusetts. Given the ongoing pandemic and the grim weather forecast, we decided spending the day redecorating my apartment and trying new recipes was the best game plan. Outfitted with a new area rug, a delightful wooden whale for my bedroom wall (his name TBD), andContinue reading “Butternut be butternut squash”

Jerk chicken puns are too tasteless for this blog post

If you’ve perused the original Picky Eater files, you know that bland food is my jam. Roasted potatoes, fried chicken tenders, buttered toast. The browner the food, the better, and Heaven forbid a flavor be too assertive. But wanting to be a better cook means that I’m (slowly) learning to appreciate bolder flavors and howContinue reading “Jerk chicken puns are too tasteless for this blog post”

My epic tahdig failure (and chicken success)

After watching Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat on Netflix a couple years ago, besides being infatuated with how she spoke about food, I was envious of her and her mom’s mouth-watering tahdig (a new term for me at the time). Given how technical it seemed (especially for a side dish), I resigned myself toContinue reading “My epic tahdig failure (and chicken success)”

Polenta: When potatoes and rice are so passé

As a picky eater, I love a good side of roasted potatoes, brown rice, or crusty bread. But COVID-19 has meant that I’ve been cooking more meals than usual, and I’m tired of the same sides over and over again! In search of a new accompaniment for steak bites and roasted red peppers, I decidedContinue reading “Polenta: When potatoes and rice are so passé”

Spicing things up with Calabrian chiles

Back before the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen’s YouTube channel came to an abrupt halt (RIP BA Test Kitchen videos), I used to spend an unhealthy amount of time watching fan favorites like Brad, Carla, and Chris cook. When you binge hours’ worth of YouTube videos at once, you start to notice a theme among theContinue reading “Spicing things up with Calabrian chiles”

Haddock: The potato of the sea

Give me a bowl of soft, stewed potatoes, and I’ll eagerly dig in. Add diced bacon to that bowl, and I might not even use silverware. Throw some haddock in there as well, and my enthusiasm will unceremoniously disappear. This was the sad song and dance I did with myself (the bacon actually got addedContinue reading “Haddock: The potato of the sea”