Salt & Spine

Episode 166: James Park This 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 Park If 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… 🎧 What I’m Listening To * Absolutely loving this new mini-series from and Ham El-Waylly in collaboration with The Sporkful team. Episode 1 starts with murder and ends with tamale-inspired soup. Start at the beginning. (Psst, stay tuned for my chat with Sohla soon, too!) 📖 What I’m Reading * Lots of (very, very deserved) love for The Zuni Cafe Cookbook lately in Eater and TASTE. If you write about TZCC, I will read it. * I just finished Less and, whew, adored it. I’m late to the party, and it sat on my shelf for several years. But I picked it up recently and couldn’t put it down. I also just finished the behemoth Wellness by Nathan Hill (who’s both an alum of my university and of my college newspaper!) Loved his first novel, The Nix, and Wellness was just as captivating and satisfying. Episode 165: The State of California Cuisine with Reem Assil, Tanya Holland & Sara Calvosa Olson Alright, we’ve got some fun conversations in store this season, and we’re starting by letting you into one of our recent, incredible live events. A hearty crowd joined us in the fall at the stunning Mill Valley Public Library, nestled in a great forest of California redwoods, for a chat we called “The State of California Cuisine.” A lofty title, I know! But we knew just who could bring the modern, representative views of what’s happening in Cali cuisine today: our friends Sara Calvosa Olson, Tanya Holland, and Reem Assil. * Sara is a Karuk home cook whose first cookbook, Chími Nu’am: Native California Foodways for the Contemporary Kitchen, “reimagines some of the oldest foods in California for home cooks today.” Think: acorn crepes, blackberry braised smoked salmon, wild boar pozole, peppernut mole chicken. Sara bills the book as an “accessible entry for people beginning their journey toward a decolonized diet.” * Tanya is the award-winning chef and restauranteur behind Oakland’s beloved Brown Sugar Kitchen (no current brick & mortar location), and a well-known culinary personality. Today, the “Top Chef” alumna chairs the James Beard Foundation’s Awards Committee (and sits on the foundation’s Board of Trustees). Her third cookbook, Tanya Holland's California Soul: Recipes from a Culinary Journey West, showcases 80 seasonal recipes rooted in the “key ingredients, techniques, and traditions that African Americans brought with them as they left the South for California, creating a beloved version of soul food.” Alongside recipes, Tanya shares stories of Black Californian food-makers, from farmers to coffee roasters. * Reem is a Palestinian-Syrian chef-activist based in Oakland, CA, who spent a decade as a labor and community organizer before turning to restaurants and opening Reem’s California. Reem brings her social justice lens to the restaurant industry, pushing for more just economic and labor practices. The La Cocina alumna’s debut cookbook, Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora, “shares stories of the power of Arab communities to turn hardship into brilliant, nourishing meals and...

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. 🍪 COOKIE SWAP! Speaking of events… our annual Cookie Swap is just around the corner! For those of you in the Bay Area, I look forward to seeing you on December 10 for cookie demos, cookie sampling, glasses of bubbles, and of course swapping your baked goods with others! It’s always a blast. As in prior years, this event supports our friends at La Cocina and tickets are available here. 🎧 What I’m Listening To * It’s that time of year and I’m thrilled to for the fifth year to join my friends Stacie & Meghan at Didn’t I Just Feed You to share some of my favorite cookbooks of the year. Give it a listen here! 📖 What I’m Reading * Mayukh Sen’s wonderful profile of Madhur Jaffrey, 50 years after An Invitation to Indian Cooking was published. Knopf reissued the book, one of 20 she’s written, this year. “You’d be mistaken if you were to perceive Jaffrey, now 90, primarily as a cookbook author. ‘I’m an actress,’ she stated matter-of-factly. ‘And I do parts. One of the parts is playing a food writer.’” Read more in The Washington Post. * I love a Cuban sandwich. The New York Times offers an illustrated history looking at the sandwich’s origins. 🍳 What I’m Cooking * Nothing to report this week! Finally wrapping up on Thanksgiving leftovers and lots of meals out. A deserved break from cooking after last week. 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 164: Dan Pelosi In this week’s episode, Dan Pelosi and I discuss: * His path to “Grossy Pelosi,” from cooking alongside his family as a kid (yuck cakes!) to how his background in design and marketing set the stage for his pivot to working in food full time, * How his viral recipes—vodka sawce—take off and whether he’s tired of making them, * Why he declines potluck dinner party invites and what he asks guests to bring when he’s in control of the menu. Plus, as always, we put Dan to the test in our signature culinary game. Let's Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home by Dan Pelosi GrossyPelosi is your best friend in the kitchen--actually, he's family. In his debut cookbook, larger-than-life personality Dan Pelosi offers up a warm hug of home cooking, sharing both comfort food and connection with 101 of his nearest and dearest Italian American recipes. Some have been passed down through his family, and others have been cooked up from scratch--but all are made with love and accompanied by fun, meaningful stories to warm your heart while filling your belly. Read how Bimpy (the 100-year-old grandpa the internet loves to love!) smuggled homemade subs into Yankee Stadium, then craft your ultimate Big Italian Sandwich. Relive the memory of Dan learning how to make his friend's mom's stuffed chicken cutlets in their Jersey Shore house (and getting himself adopted into their family), then level up with Prosciutto & Mozzarella-Stuffed Chicken Parm. Learn how Dan's mom would spring him out of school before the final bell (just to preheat the oven), then make your own Early Dismissal Pot Roast. And rewind to the beginning of Dan's relationship with his boyfriend, Gus, then recreate the Zabaglione (and the romantic Cheesecake Factory ambiance) that inspired their first "I love you." We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Let’s Eat here: This week, paid subscribers will receive two featured recipes from Dan’s Let’s Eat—the classic Italian Holiday Cookies with “an elusive and unique flavor profile that’s somewhat hard to nail down,” and a crowd-pleasing Baked Brie...

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. 📖 What I’m Reading * Julia Moskin spent over a year working to lock in an interview with Half Baked Harvest’s Tieghan Gerard, who has become a polarizing figure in the cookbook industry—so much so that Moskin notes most of the sources she contacted wouldn’t go on the record. Gerard’s early viral success built her a massive online following, and her books sell quite well—but, as Moskin writes, she has “also become an unwilling lightning rod for controversy, entangled in issues that have galvanized the food world in the last decade: cultural appropriation, intellectual property, body shaming, privilege and racism.” A fascinating piece that prompts many discussion questions. Read more in the New York Times here. 🎧 What I’m Listening To * 🎙 This week, I adored this conversation with and her mother, Clara, who makes her podcast debut on . Have a listen: 🍳 What I’m Cooking * 🦃 It’s almost T-Day! This year, I’m hosting a small pre-Thanksgiving dinner party that’s “Thanksgiving-inspired” and built around cookbooks. A new twist and I’m excited to share the menu with y’all soon! Episode 163: John Finger + John Ash This week’s episode was recorded *live* at Hog Island Oyster Co. on the shores of Tomales Bay in Northern California. I’m joined by Hog Island co-founder John Finger and revered chef John Ash for this conversation, which took place while our audience enjoyed a spread of dishes from the new Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood. In the show, we discuss: * The history of Hog Island Oyster Co. and oyster farming in America, and the introduction of Hog Island’s Sweetwater oysters; * How sustainable aquaculture practices have evolved over time—and what’s on the horizon; * And the wide-ranging new Hog Island cookbook, in which John Ash pulls in recipes and techniques from around the globe. Plus, as always, we put our guests to the test in our signature culinary game! The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood: Culinary Treasures from Our Waters by Chef John Ash, with a Foreword by Stuart Brioza Featuring favorites from the kitchens of Hog Island Oyster Bars and other talented chefs who have embraced the company's sustainability ethos, this authoritative compendium showcases over 250 dishes from cuisines around the world, including regional favorites like San Francisco cioppino, Southern crayfish étouffée, and New England clam chowder. Presenting a wide variety of cooking methods--such as steaming, roasting, grilling, pan-frying, and curing--along with illustrations for techniques like shucking oysters, opening clams, and filleting fish, this comprehensive cookbook will guide you through the basics of seafood preparation. And the extensive list of sauces, butters, and seasonings will help you turn your choice of seafood into a stellar dish. The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood is a master class from a chef who shows home and professional cooks how to bring culinary gifts from the water to the table at their peak of perfection. We 💚 local bookstores!...

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! 📖 What I’m Reading * writes about the publication of Butter Boy, the new cookbook from Paul Flynn, “the beloved chef at the Tannery in Waterford and the Irish Times food writer,” wondering: Is a cookbook without photos so retro it's radical? 🎧 What I’m Listening To * Self-promo: I was so honored to share the origin story of Salt + Spine on the Everything Cookbooks podcast with friends of the show Kate Leahy, Molly Stevens, and Kristin Donnelly. This trio (plus fourth co-host Andrea Nguyen) really ask great questions and it made for a fun and engaging chat. Listen here or wherever you podcast! 🍳 What I’m Cooking * You already know the Halloween menu: Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese by Eric Kim [New York Times] Episode 162: Hetty Lui McKinnon In this week’s episode, and I discuss: * The loss of her father when she was a teenager, and the impact his passing had on her relationship with her family and with food. “As a child,” Hetty writes in Tenderheart, “I didn’t see living among cartons of fresh produce as anything but normal. … My memories of my father are suspended in time, a disrupted dream without an ending. Every memory I have of him is through the lens of a child. He was tenderhearted—generous, caring, affectionate, kind, and playful.” * Her path to writing Tenderheart, her fourth and most personal book to date. Hetty first wrote about her father’s passing in an essay for Peddler, her self-published journal on food and culture. * How Hetty approaches recipe development and her “deep obsession” with vegetables, which leads to recipes in Tenderheart like Cabbage Carbonara-ish, Chocolate-Eggplant Brownies, Tingly ‘Cacio e Pepe’ Snow Peas with Rice Noodles, Lazy Butternut Squash Tiramisu, and—on of my new favorite lunches—an egg salad in which Hetty swaps out the egg for roasted Brussel sprouts. Genius! (By the way, in addition to Hetty’s cookbooks, she publishes recipes regularly with The New York Times and on her Substack, .) * Plus, as always, we put Hetty to the test in our signature culinary game! For more great listening, our 2021 episode with Hetty is here: Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds by Hetty Lui McKinnon Heritage and food have always been linked for Hetty Lui McKinnon. Tenderheart is a loving homage to her father, a Chinese immigrant in Australia, told in flavorful, vegetarian recipes. Growing up as part of a Chinese family in Australia, McKinnon formed a deep appreciation for her bicultural identity, and for her father, who moved to Sydney as a teenager and learned English while selling bananas at a local market. As he brought home crates...

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 Perelman In 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 Perelman In 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 years These are the fail-safe, satisfying recipes you'll rely on for years to come--from Perelman's forever files to yours. We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Smitten Kitchen Keepers here: This week, paid subscribers will receive a recipe for Ginger Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup, the first recipe she worked on for this book and “the definition of a keeper.” Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipe—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today. New Cookbook Releases* *from this week and last week, as we’re behind! 😊 * The Ranch Table: Recipes from a Year of Harvests, Celebrations, and Family Dinners on a Historic California Ranch by Elizabeth Poett * Here We Go Again: Recipes and Inspiration to Level Up Your Leftovers by Tiffani Thiessen * The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp: Spicy Recipes and Stories from Fly By Jing's Kitchen by Jing Gao * Always Hungry! by Laurent Degenais * Sohn-mat: Recipes and Flavors of Korean Home Cooking by Monica Lee and Tien Nguyen * Jacques Pépin Cooking My Way: Recipes and Techniques for Economical Cooking by Jacques Pépin * The Secret of Cooking: Recipes for an Easier Life in the Kitchen by Bee Wilson * Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert * Lidia's From Our Family Table to Yours: More Than 100 Recipes Made with Love for All Occasions by Lidia Bastianich * The Korean Cookbook by Junghyun Park and Jungyoon Choi * Scandinavian from Scratch: A Love Letter to the Baking of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden by Nichole Accettola * Unwind: A Devotional Cookbook for the Harried and Hungry by Aarti Sequeira * The Lula Cafe Cookbook: Collected Recipes and Stories by Jason Hammel * Zingerman's Bakehouse Celebrate Every Day: A Year's Worth of Favorite Recipes for Festive Occasions, Big and Small by Amy Emberling, Lindsay-Jean Hard, Lee Vedder, Corynn Coscia * A Man & His Kitchen: Classic Home Cooking and Entertaining with Style at the Wm Brown Farm by * Slow Drinks by Danny Childs * Signature Cocktails by Amanda Schuster * The Chocolate Chip Cookie Book: Classic, Creative, and Must-Try Recipes for Every Kitchen by Katie Jacobs * Now & Then: A Collection of Recipes for Always by Tessa Kiros * Natasha's Kitchen: 100+ Easy Family-Favorite Recipes You'll Make Again and Again by Natasha Kravchuk * Latinísimo: Home Recipes from the...

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 Parla In 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 Parla A 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 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Katie’s latest book here: This week, paid subscribers will receive a recipe for Pesto Pantesco, the regional recipe from the island of Pantelleria, a speck south of Sicily, which employs tomatoes and the “wonderful, savory flavor of Pantelleria’s most famous export, salted capers.” Yum! Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipe—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today. This Week’s New Cookbook Releases * Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation by * Simply West African: Easy, Joyful Recipes for Every Kitchen by Pierre Thiam with Lisa Katayama * Eater: 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes from the Authority on Where to Eat and Why It Matters by * A New Way to Bake: Re-imagined Recipes for Plant-based Cakes, Bakes and Desserts by * Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds by Karen Akunowicz * Les Dames d'Escoffier New York Cookbook: Stirring the Pot by Silvia Baldini and Sharon Franke * Gatherings: Casual-Fancy Meals to Share by America’s Test Kitchen * Every Season Is Soup Season: 85+ Souper-Adaptable Recipes to Batch, Share, Reinvent, and Enjoy by Shelly Westerhausen Worcel * Skinnytaste Simple: Easy, Healthy Recipes with 7 Ingredients...

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 Gaw In 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 Gaw In 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 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Frankie’s First Generation here: This week, paid subscribers will receive two recipes from Frankie’s First Generation: First up, his Lap Cheong Corn Dogs, “a dream pairing of cornbread batter and Chinese sausage—destined to be together in the mind of a young Asian American kid from suburban Ohio.” Plus, Frankie’s Stir-Fried Rice Cake Bolognese. “I can trace my love of Bolognese all the way back to third grade,” Frankie writes, “when my best friend, who lived across the street, introduced me to what would become one of my favorite meals: SpaghettiOs with Meatballs.” These recipes will drop into paid subscribers’ inboxes in...

Episode 158: Vicky Bennison In 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 Tucci Who 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 💚 to support local bookstores! This week, paid subscribers will receive two recipes from Vicky’s latest cookbook: Anna Maria's Ziti alla Genovese (Pasta with Stewed Beef from Naples) and Nini's Arancini (Sicilian Deep-Fried Rice Balls) Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipes—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today. 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 157: Noah Galuten In 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 Galuten As 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 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Noah’s The Don’t Panic Pantry Cookbook here. This week, paid subscribers will receive a recipe for Noah’s Vegan Minestrone with Miso Pesto, his riff on Soupe au Pistou, the “French classic in which a usually mild broth gets livened up at the very end with a dollop of pistou (French pesto) placed onto each bowl.” Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipe—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today. 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 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 💚 local bookstores. Find your copy of Maren’s Fresh Midwest at Bookshop or from Omnivore Books. This week, paid subscribers will get two featured recipes from Maren’s Fresh Midwest—Wild Rice Salad with Butternut Squash & Pomegranates and Maren’s Apple Cake. Get both with a paid subscription or a free 7-day trial. Get these recipes this week by becoming a paid subscriber! Salt + Spine is a reader-supported publication. Paid subscribers get bonus content like featured recipes and more for just a few dollars per month. 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

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 💚 local bookstores. Find your copy of Claire’s What’s for Dessert at Bookshop or a signed copy (!) from Omnivore Books. P.S. Find Claire’s first book, Dessert Person, on Bookshop and Omnivore. The Recipes! This week, paid subscribers will get two featured recipes from Claire’s What’s for Dessert—these vibrant No Bake Grapefruit Bars and an utlra-swirly Flourless Chocolate Meringue Cake. Get these recipes this week by becoming a paid subscriber! Salt + Spine is a reader-supported publication. Paid subscribers get bonus content like featured recipes and more for just a few dollars per month. 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 153: Uliks Fehmiu Uliks 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 Broussard Maya-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 Pies This 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 Noyes Next 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 Week This 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 Pie More 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 Week This 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 Pies More 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 McDowell Next 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 Week Paid 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 Biscuits More 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 Levy Next 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 Week This 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 Scone More 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 Pavlova And 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