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What is something considered weird that you enjoy doing?
I’ll go first. I love eating in the shower and bath. This week I got a scoop of green tea ice cream from Betty Rae’s. I gave it 6.5/10 because the tea was over-steeped making the ice cream incredibly bitter but that’s not the point of this story. We were racing home to make it in time to watch Below Deck and when we pulled in the driveway I had nine minutes and half a cone left. I was post grilling on the Egg and a 30-minute Peloton making a shower very necessary. I hopped in the shower with my cone and finished it. It was very serendipitous because right as I was getting in, the cone started to drip from the bottom but it didn’t matter. I just let it drip and get washed away.
Eating in the bath is something I actually do frequently. I bring my phone, prop it up, and watch short youtube videos. A little snack makes everything more enjoyable. Nine times out of ten it is dessert but a dip and dipping vessel is always great. Radishes and butter, chips and salsa, pita and hummus…on days when I am feeling extra wild, I bring in bowls of chili or spaghetti. It feels exciting and relaxing at the same time. Give it a try.
The Silver Palate Cookbook
Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins
The Silver Palate Cookbook falls in the category of staple cookbooks that everyone needs. Back in the 80s, it introduced Asian and Mediterranean flavors to home kitchens and made recipes, like pesto, an accessible option for home cooks. I grabbed a copy a few years ago when I saw rave reviews online about the Chicken Marbella and Sour Cream Coffee Cake. This book has so much more to offer than just recipes. The pages are lined with quotes, tips, and guides to help you navigate cooking. The recipes I made this month were:
Carrot and Orange Soup
Summer Pasta
Chicken Marbella
Beets and Roquefort Salad with Walnuts
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake + Orange Glaze
Carrot Cake + Cream Cheese Frosting
Lemon Ice
*I added the Sour Cream Coffee Cake and Zucchini Bread recipes too.
The recipes in The Silver Palate Cookbook hold up today, especially the baking recipes. I have made the Sour Cream Coffee Cake many times before. The carrot cake was beyond amazing and the Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake was solid. They are not “fancy” baking recipes but simple calculations for successful sweets. The chocolate chips cookies were not my favorite but they still got consumed.
The savory recipes range from simple to elaborate dishes to impress guests at a dinner party. I made simple options for easy weeknight meals and enjoyed them all. Everyone needs to make Summer Pasta this week!
We have come a long way since the ’80s and some of the recipes could use a little extra zhuzh to make them even better. I don’t love the way the Chicken Marbella recipe is written in the book and wished it had crispy skin. Bon Apetit adapted the recipe into a Pork Marbella and I enjoyed that version more. Every cook should own this book. It can help you learn the basics and provide you with a great foundation to build on.
Marco’s Favorite:
A tie between the Summer Pasta and Carrot Orange Soup.
Marcella’s Favorite:
Sweet recipe Carrot Cake, savory recipe Summer Pasta.
People To Follow
Back in April Little Butter Bakery popped up on Instagram. A little bakery here in KC with weekly boxes for pickup, cool I’ll follow. Over the last few months, Kelsey has been killing it. She has weekly boxes for pick up that highlight local and seasonal ingredients and she’s been doing regular pop-ups. I’m constantly inspired by her creations and flavor combinations. If you are local in KC grab a box ASAP, if not give her a follow!
Hi! My name is Kelsey Earl, and I am the face behind Little Butter Bakery. Little Butter is a cottage bakery located inside of our Brookside home. I started Little Butter as a passion project after years of working in the hospitality industry. I'm a self-taught baker with a big passion for locally sourced food, community, and connection. I like to focus on seasonal produce, highlighting as many farmers and artisan millers as possible. When you support Little Butter, you aren't only supporting me but all producers who help this little bakery run. I am currently offering assorted pastry boxes every Sunday. The menu changes weekly and is posted the Friday prior at noon. In addition to pastry boxes, you may find some Little Butter staples and seasonal offerings on my website. Stay tuned for upcoming pop-ups, collaborations, and additional offerings by following me on Instagram @littlebutterbakery. I look forward to feeding your sweet tooth!
Stuff to Read
Recipe Inspo
Thing Everybody Needs
RUN don’t walk to order Tomato Powder from Burlap and Barrel. Sarah Jampel wrote an article about tomato powder back in April and I immediately ran to buy some.
Tomato powder does everything tomato paste does but because it is a powder it can be sprinkled into dishes. I used it in a spice rub for ribs and they were some of the best ribs I have ever made! A little bottle packs a punch and has been my secret ingredient in tons of dishes recently.
Animal Cuteness
She looks happy but she secretly hates the pool.
Last week I had two oat cookie recipes and was stuck on which version to send out. Well, I sent out neither. I worked on them more and changed the recipe again. It’s pretty great and you can find it here!
See you next week, M.