We like big cinnamon buns and we cannot lie. December?s Bake Club is dedicated to the tireless efforts of Shilpa Uskokovic and her creation of a giant, gooey cinnamon roll. Not only is this recipe perfect for any festive gathering, but it also has all the nostalgia of a mall food court in the 90s. Shilpa tells Jesse about her decision to include two specialty ingredients and the importance that they had in shaping the structure of the recipe. And we meet another baker we think you should know: Patrick Shaw-Kitch of Brooklyn Granary & Mill. Patrick not only bakes, but mills his own flour for his creations and tells us why we should think more about where our flour comes from and how to harness it in our bakes.

Meet Wally Amos. He founded the ubiquitous Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies in 1975, turning the brand into an overnight sensation and himself into a pop-culture fixture in the 1970s and 1980s.

But there?s a darker side to Wally?s seemingly sweet story. One filled with five marriages to six women and a string of bad business decisions that led him to lose the empire he had created.

When he passed away in 2024, host Sarah Amos set out to untangle her father?s complicated past and finally face the life and legacy she had been avoiding.

New episodes every Wednesday: swap.fm/l/vf-toughcookie-feed

Finally, Jesse, BA's resident cookie expert, treats the Bake Club to his latest creation: Chocolate Chip Cookies With Olive Oil and Sea Salt. In this episode, Jesse and Shilpa discuss how this accidentally vegan chocolate chip cookie came together. They explore the best methods to ensure the perfect chocolate distribution in the cookie and what Jesse meant by cooking flour to the color of ?desert sand?. Plus, listeners share how they managed with the October Bake Club treat and cookie enthusiast Dorie Greenspan (of xoxoDorie) tells us when to tap and not to tap our cookie sheets on the counter. 

This episode is from our friends at Milk Street Radio. Bon Appétit columnist Maggie Hennessy helps us navigate the new rules of dining out. Is it ever OK to take out your phone? What?s the best way to grab your server?s attention? And how fussy is too fussy? 

Hold onto your piping bags, Bake Club! In September, Jesse set bakers a showstopper-worthy challenge in his Banana Pudding Paris-Brest. In this episode, he and Shilpa break down the many worthwhile steps for making this "drag queen of French desserts." They're also joined by superstar baker Zoë François (of the ZoëBakes newsletter) to answer a listener question about conventional vs convection ovens.

Recipes & Links:

Pictures: Jeannine's choux tire, Elyse's choux ring, Katy's bananas

Zoe's Raspberry Paris-Brest

Join us on Substack!

You can find all the BA Bake Club recipes, including this one, here.

We'll say it: late summer is peak pie season. And August's Bake Club recipe - for Shilpa's cardamom-laced Peach-Blueberry Crumb Pie - provides an excellent reason to turn your oven on and crank up the AC. In this episode, Shilpa and Jesse commiserate about how frustrating pie crust seemed (at least until Shilpa developed her Actually Perfect Pie Crust), and why pre-cooking your fruit is the secret to tender, crispy crust and perfectly-set filling. They'll also answer listener questions and introduce Bake Clubbers to pie expert Erin Jeanne McDowell, author of The Book on Pie.

Join us on Substack!

You can find all the BA Bake Club recipes, including this one, here.

In this bonus episode of BA Bake Club, Jesse and Shilpa take the stage live at the Bell House in Brooklyn, NY to introduce a new audience to the club. They cover the rules of Bake Club and give a sample of the kinds of questions they answer on the podcast - plus share some baking horror stories of their own!

Join us on Substack!

Listen to the other interviews from the show on the This is TASTE podcast.

For July's bake, you all brought out your dutch ovens to make Jesse's crusty-yet-tender Cheddar Jalepeño loaf. On this episode, Shilpa and Jesse break down the process of making this same-day, no-knead bread and answer listener questions about overnight proofing, filling options, and more!

Join our new Substack chat!

Watch Jesse demonstrate the stretch-and-fold process.

June's bake, the delightfully tropical Hummingbird Cake, was the first Bake Club layer cake, and our listeners had questions! Jesse and Shilpa dig in to this iconic Southern cake and explain the differences between our recipe and the classic. Plus, they're joined by Great British Bake Off S1 winner Edd Kimber to answer a listener question and talk all things small batch baking.

Buy tickets to STAY COOL: A Summer Food Podcast Evening here: https://www.thebellhouseny.com/staycool 

And, send us your baking questions and stories of your worst baking disasters at [email protected] or at this form to be featured on the live show!

In this episode, Chris and Amiel Stanek answer a mix of questions from our inbox, about cooking in an AirBnb, Castelvetrano olives, what to do with a surplus of nuts, and more.

Recipes & Links:
Chris Morocco's Extremely Extra Travel Coffee Kit
Sizzling Turmeric-Dill Fish Tacos
Date-Almond Party Snack
Kale Salad with Pecan Vinaigrette
Aromatic Rice Pilaf
Chicken Tinga Tostadas
Dinner by Meera Sodha

Put on the kettle, grab your finest Earl Grey, and join Jesse & Shilpa to discuss their recipe for Coffee Cake Scones. They'll discuss the recipe development process (and the existential journey it took them on), answer questions from bake clubbers, and introduce listeners to New Orleans-based recipe developer and pastry chef Bronwen Wyatt... who ALSO recently developed a coffee cake scone.

Recipes & Links:
Mary O's Bakery
Bayou Saint Cake (Bronwen's website)
Nicola Lamb's Kitchen Projects Newsletter
Bronwen's Coffee Cake Scones
Apple Hazelnut Rye Cake
Fruitcake in Space Podcast

Shivani LOVES salad. But by Friday, the lettuce she bought on Monday is just... sad. To help Shivani get a fresh, crisp salad on the table every night, Chris calls on Jess Damuck, the cookbook author behind Salad Freak and Health Nut. The key? Rethinking what a salad can be. 

Recipes & Links:
Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Lime, and Mint
Watermelon Salad with Shiso, Plum, and Salt
Crunchy Beans

We get messages in our inbox ALL the time from listeners who have planned dinner parties, picnics, and other gatherings... but want our advice on what to serve. So this week, Chris is joined by hostess-with-the-mostess Kendra Vaculin to tackle a bevy of listener questions and menu-plan for strawberry-picking lunches, murder mystery dinner parties, and more!

Recipes & Links:

Brisket Bourguignon
Preserved Lemon and Tomato Chicken
Poached Cod in Tomato Curry
Lemony Risotto with Fennel and Parmesan
Creamy Rabbit Bolognese
Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart
Lamb Meatballs with Raisin Pesto
Tofu Meatballs in Burst Tomato Sauce
Strawberry Salad with Black Pepper-Feta Croutons
Three-Minute Red Wine Vinaigrette
Pasta al Limone
Party Salmon with Green Romesco
Braised Chicken with Harissa and Olives
Citrus Caramel Sundaes with Toasted Almonds
Harissa-and-Maple Roasted Carrots
Grilled Mushroom Antipasto Salad
Slow-Cooker Peanut Butter Chicken
Cucumber, Tomato and Green Bean Salad
Za'atar Fire Crackers
Marinated Zucchini with Hazelnuts and Ricotta

Natalie and her husband are capable, adventurous cooks, but they can't seem to get leafy greens on the menu outside of a salad. So Chris and Kendra Vaculin team up to sell Natalie on their favorite greens and techniques.

Recipes & Links:

Lemony Tortellini Soup with Spinach and Dill

Salmon Rice Bowl with Green Curry Creamed Spinach

Mostly Chard Tiny Pasta Salad

Charred Kale with Citrus and Green Tahini

Garlic-and-Parmesan Braised Greens

Join Jesse and Shilpa to dive into each layer of Jesse's decadent, pantry-friendly Millionaire's Shortbread and answer questions from bake clubbers. Starting with the key differences that make this shortbread extra-toasty and tender, this episode travels through Jesse's caramel-studded past and obsession with the perfect, aesthetic slice.

Recipes & Links:

Millionaire's Shortbread

Chocolate Chipless Cookies

Caramel Apple Monkey Bread

Balsamic Butterscotch Sauce

Banoffee Pie

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Spring has sprung, but Chris isn?t sure spring produce is actually worth the hype. So noted asparagus enthusiast Shilpa Uskokovic joins him to gush about the joys of the season. They?ll also answer listener questions about ramps, managing the first few weeks of CSA season, and more.

Recipes & Links:

Crispy Miso-Butter Fish With Asparagus

Grilled Asparagus with Tahini Super Sauce

Cheesy Green Pea Fritters

Asparagus and Endive Salad with Comté Cream

Cashew Chicken and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Strawberry-Rhubarb Galette with Buckwheat Crust

BA?s Best Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Our Favorite Recipes for Ramps

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Harissa

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan and Herbs

Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme

Rice Cooker Risotto

Gillian has found herself working from home permanently and finds getting to the grocery store just isn't what it used to be. So, she's turned to Chris and Shilpa to help her stock her pantry and get her out of her weeknight rut.

Recipes featured in the episode:

Jammy Onion and Miso Pasta

Creamy Tahini and Harissa Beef

Hummus Bowls with Merguez-Spiced Tempeh

Janae has been struggling to make the perfect matzo balls for 6 Passovers now. What's worse, even though everything else on Janae's seder table is delicious, her mother-in-law won't let her forget her matzo ball fails. So Janae turns to Chris & Kate Kassin for help making tender, fluffy dumplings that won't fall apart in her soup.

Recipes & Links:
No-Nonsense Matzo Balls
Matzo Ball Soup
An Ode to Matzo Ball Mix
Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix
Streit's Matzo Ball Mix

Pistachios are Having A Moment. And Shilpa LOVES cake. Enter: the tender, flavorful Pistachio Bundt Cake. Jesse and Shilpa break down why this blender cake (and other nut-based cakes) work and address listener questions, including the one on everyone's mind this month: how to properly grease a bundt pan so your cake comes out in one piece, every time.

Plus! Shilpa and Jesse introduce listeners to Rose Levy Berenbaum, author of the iconic Cake Bible. Rose joins the fearless Bake Club leaders to answer a listener question about egg substitutes?and explain what eggs are actually doing in your favorite baked goods.

Recipes & Links:
Pistachio Bundt Cake
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Baker's Joy Spray
Cake Goop
Fran Costigan
The Loopy Whisk
Egg Replacements 

Cait often devotes her weekends to involved kitchen projects that yield restaurant-quality results. But she's looking to bring that feeling into her weeknights, when time is harder to come by. Chris enlists Kendra Vaculin's help to give Cait's weeknight cooking that chefy quality she's been missing.

Recipes & Links:
Meatball Soup with Beef Stew Vibes
Gorgeous Green Shrimp
Everything-Spice Fish with Tomato Salad
Creamy Spinach and Chickpeas

George has heard that quinoa is a high-protein superfood, but he's never been able to cook it right. Chris and Shilpa step up to help answer the question behind his SOS. See, while quinoa is higher-protein than other grains, there are better options when it comes to plant-based protein. So Chris and Shilpa try to get George on board with lentils and tofu?two plant-based protein sources that pack more of a punch.

Recipes & Links:
Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Lentils
Just-Keeps-Getting-Better Lentil Salad
Soy and Scallion Tofu Bowl

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook.

In this final installment, Chris and Shilpa talk about the intangibles of cooking? how to get into the right mindset, manage your time efficiently, and course correct when something goes wrong. They also answer a grab bag of sliiightly more advanced questions to help listeners with everything from salt to the perfect batch of pancakes.

Recipes & Links:
BA's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lazy Day Pancakes

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook.

Today, Chris and sauce king Jesse Szewczyk stir up a discussion on the wide world of sauces, dressings, glazes, and more. They dive in to aromatics, making the case for the humble shallot, and discuss the art of making pan sauces and delicious finishers with pantry staples. 

Recipes & Links:
The Five Mother Sauces
Make 'Em Sweat (Veggies, That Is)
It's Time to Stop Making These Garlic Common Mistakes and Start Living
How to Make a Pan Sauce
Orange-Wine-Braised Chicken Thighs
Dark and Stormy?Braised Pot Roast
How to Make a Roux for Mac and Cheese, Gumbo, Gravy, and More

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook.

Why is making stovetop rice so dang hard?! Today, Chris and Kendra Vaculin address the world of grains, including how to make the perfect pot of rice and why the package directions might be the reason behind a bad batch. Plus, Kendra makes the case for her favorite quick grain and dissects when it's time to pull out the colander and just cook your grains like pasta.

Recipes & Links:
The Perfect Pot of Rice
There are 40,000 Types of Rice in the World?Here's How to Pick the One You Need
Do You Need to Rinse Your Rice?
Kokuho Rose Rice
21 Typles of Whole Grains and Pseudo Grains and How to Cook Each One
Bulgur is the Whole Grain for Busy People
One-Pot Salmon and Shiitake Rice
Kendra's Crispy Rice Method

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook.

Animal proteins can be the most expensive part of your dish, and that's a lot of pressure. So today, Chris and Amiel Stanek are here to make perfection attainable, from juicy chicken breast to tender steaks and delicate seafood. Grab your meat thermometer and kosher salt; we're diving in!

15 Ways to Make Your Fresh-Off-the-Grill Steak Even Better
How to Roast a Chicken: The Ultimate Recipe, Tips, and More
The Optimal Temperature for Every Part of a Chicken
Thermoworks Thermapop Thermometer
What Is Salsa Verde? 4 Types to Memorize
How to Make Beurre Blanc (Because Everything Tastes Better with Butter)
Chicken Piccata
Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp and Basil Stir-Fry

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook.

Today, Chris and Shilpa Uskokovic break down how to really read a recipe ? and what some common recipe language means. Then, they'll talk about the basic equipment that your kitchen needs... and what to skip!

Recipes & Links:
Samosa-dillas with Cucumber Salad
BA 56 Recipes
S&B Curry Powder (Shilpa's favorite!)

Chef's Knives
Paring Knives
Bread Knives
Kitchen Shears
Nonstick Pans
Stainless-Steel Pans
Dutch Ovens
Carbon Steel Pans
Silicone Spatulas
Sheet Pans
Cutting Boards
Blenders
Kitchen Scales

Join Shilpa and Jesse as they dig into Shilpa's Tiramisu Basque Cheesecake?a delicious, shockingly easy, and decadent bake. They'll discuss the ins and outs of ingredient choices and the recipe development process, plus end with an Ask a Baker segment all about the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

You can find instructions for joining the Club at bonappetit.com/bakeclub - and of course, you can always send your questions to [email protected].

Joy of Baking Pan Conversions
Recipe Walkthrough Video
Jesse's Cookie Book, Cookies: The New Classics
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This episode is from our friends at This Is TASTE. Abi Balingit is the author of Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed, a delightful cookbook full of maximalist personality and transfixing sweets, like the adobo chocolate chip cookie. She?s a singular force in the NYC baking scene, and it?s so fun to have her on the show today to talk about what she?s been up to since publishing her first book, her love of kitsch, and more. This Is TASTE is co-hosted by Aliza Abarbanel and Matt Rodbard. You can subscribe to This Is TASTE at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Karen's plan to stay on budget while she's in grad school depends on cooking for herself, especially for lunch ? but her dorm kitchen's fire alarm is VERY easy to set off. So Chris & Jesse help her with strategies for no-cook lunches... including leveraging her rice cooker.

Recipes Mentioned:
One-Pot Salmon and Shiitake Rice
Rice Cooker Risotto
Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

It may be Valentine's Day, but this year, Chris, Jesse, and Kendra are turning their attention to the gentle art of cooking for yourself and only yourself. They'll tackle listener questions about stocking your fridge for one and gathering up the motivation to feed yourself day after day - and share how they eat when their partners or kids are out of town.

Recipes Mentioned:
Chocolate Chipless Cookies
Winter Squash and Kale Pasta with Pecan Breadcrumbs
Minestrone Soup with Acorn Squash
Roasted Squash Vampiro Tacos with Cucumber Salsa
Larb with Cabbage Cups
Napa Cabbage and Cucumber Slaw
Cheesy Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Grilled Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce
Meal Prep Dinner Party Recipes
All-the-Seeds Hamantaschen
Grilled Swordfish with Tomatoes

Shilpa and Jesse are hosting a pizza party ? an Incredibly Good Cheese Pizza party, that is. Join the Bake Club co-hosts as they nerd out about breadmaking, reveal Jesse's secret pizzaiolo past, and gab with BA Deputy Food Editor Hana Asbrink, this recipe's #1 fan.

You can find instructions for joining the club at bonappetit.com/bakeclub - and of course, you can always send your questions to [email protected].

Like many of us, Jenn is experiencing leftover fatigue. So Kendra and Chris introduce her to the lifechanging art of nextovers.

Recipes Featured:
Beer-Braised Carnitas
Buttery Tomato and Cinnamon-Spiced Rice
Chicken Tinga Tostadas with Bacony Black Beans

The weather is cold and the produce selection in the grocery store is smaller, but that's no reason to despair! Chris, Jesse, and Shilpa have the recipe for winter cooking optimism?and the answers to listener questions about homemade broth, frozen veggies, and more.

Recipes Featured:
Incredibly Good Cheese Pizza
Rice Cooker Risotto
Chicken Thighs with Spiced Couscous and Carrots
Ruffled Mushroom Pot Pie
Sheet-Pan Salmon with Rice Cakes and Kimchi
Shortcut Baked Rigatoni with Spicy Italian Sausage
Spiced Chickpea and Spinach Pockets
Pork and Tomatillo Udon
Spanish Shrimp and Rice with Saffron Mayo
Spicy Salmon Hand Rolls
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Soup
Paneer and Green Bean Stir-Fry
Halloumi No-Meat Balls
Cabbage and Burrata Salad with Spicy Tahini
Herby Cauliflower Fritters
Cheesy Green Pea Fritters
One-Pot Broccoli Mac and Cheese

Mara is expecting her first child, and she wants to plan ahead, stocking her freezer with nourishing, delicious meals that she and her partner can enjoy in the first few weeks of life with their little one. So Chris taps Hana Asbrink, one of the brains behind Bon Appetit's column The Fourth Trimester, to help Mara fill the freezer before the baby arrives.

Recipes Featured:
Spinach Lasagna with Ricotta
Baked Mushroom Rice Porridge
Cozy & Quick White Chicken Chili

Do you want to level up your baking skills? Then join expert Test Kitchen editors Shilpa Uskokovic and Jesse Szewczyk in the BA Bake Club - a community of confident, curious bakers who find just as much joy in the process of baking as the final results.

Every month, Shilpa and Jesse will be walking through the Bake Club recipe, answering listener questions, and admiring bake clubbers' results. And this month, we're tackling Jesse's Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, which has a tender crumb and the most swoosh-able chocolate ganache frosting around.

You can find instructions for joining the Instagram Close Friends group at bonappetit.com/bakeclub - and of course, you can always send your questions to [email protected].

Kathryn is a mom of four hoping to start a delicious new Christmas morning tradition. So Chris and Shilpa Uskokovic team up to help Kathryn with the makeahead breakfast of her family's dreams.

Recipes:

Plus: Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Brad has a vision of a Christmas morning with kids opening presents and adults sipping coffee and enjoying a delicious panettone, the Italian holiday sweet bread. But as he's learned over 3 years of fallen loaves, panettone is not an easy product to bake. So Chris calls on Roy Shvartzapel, who's dedicated the better part of the last 20 years to learning about and producing the loaves, to help Brad improve his process and embrace the wild panettone journey.

The recipe Brad used for his panettone comes from the cookbook A Good Bake.

Chris, Kendra, and Jesse gather round to answer questions about all things holiday dining, "Crimbo Limbo," and whether this is the year that cookies will finally break Jesse.

Recipes featured:
Apple-Cranberry Tarte Tatin
Actually Perfect Pie Crust
Chocolate Mousse for a Party
Peppermint Bark Cookies
Pomegranate-Glazed Shortbread Wedges
Pistacharoos
Chocolate-Tahini Slice-and-Bake Cookies
Five-Spice Crackle Cookies
Golden Hour Cocktail
Lipstick Memory
Cranberry-Maple Mule
Brisket Bourguignon
Boozy Braising
Dark and Stormy Braised Pot Roast
Orange-Wine-Braised Chicken Thighs
Tiramisu Snowball Cookies
Baklava Sugar Cookies
Orange-Glazed Roast Pork
Roast Beef Tenderloin with Garlic and Rosemary
Spice-Crusted Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze
Roast Chestnuts

Do you want to level up your baking skills? Then join expert Test Kitchen editors Shilpa Uskokovic and Jesse Szewczyk in the BA Bake Club - a community of confident, curious bakers who find just as much joy in the process of baking as the final results.

Every month on the podcast, Shilpa and Jesse will be walking through the Bake Club recipe, answering listener questions, and admiring bake clubbers' results. And we're kicking things off with the first Bake Club recipe: Caramel Apple Monkey Bread, a steppy-but-worth-it bake with a tender crumb, sweet-tart apple cider caramel, and perfectly stewed apples. 

You can find instructions for joining the Instagram Close Friends group at bonappetit.com/bakeclub - and of course, you can always send your questions to [email protected].

Chris, Kendra and Shilpa open the Thanksgiving SOS hotline once more to take listener calls on Thanksgiving abroad, incorporating cheese into every part of the meal, baking in someone else's kitchen, and the wildest take on a Thanksgiving dinner we've ever heard.

Recipes Featured:

Loaded Scalloped Potatoes

Green Beans with Mushrooms and Crispy Shallots

The Gooiest Baked Mac and Cheese

Stuffing Biscuits

Garlic Bread Biscuits

Cranberry-Maple Mule

Simple is Best Dressing

The Creamiest Turkey Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

Hazelnut Green Beans with Proscuitto and Dates

Brussels Sprout Stir-Fry with Cheddar and Golden Raisins

Miso-Butter Roast Chicken with Acorn Squash Panzanella

Lemon Meringue Pie

Confit Turkey with Chiles and Garlic

Honeynut Squash with Radicchio and Miso

Festive Red Cabbage and Radicchio Salad

Pomegranate and Honey Glazed Duck

Seared Duck Breast

It's time for a Dinner SOS annual tradition: the Thanksgiving SOS hotline! Chris, Kendra and Shilpa hop on the line to take listener calls on vegan mains, the perfect pie crust, how to pare back a traditional feast, and more!

Recipes Featured:

Garlic Bread Biscuits

Miso-Glazed Carrots with Scallion Gremolata

Make-Ahead Gravy

Actually Perfect Pie Crust

Vegan Meatloaf

Sticky and Spicy Cauliflower

Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart

Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake

Cheesy Green Curry Palmiers

Fallen Chocolate Cake

Za'atar Fire Crackers

Expertly Spiced and Glazed Roast Turkey

Maple-Butter-Glazed Turkey

Festive Red Cabbage and Radicchio Salad

Maple and Bacon Fall Chopped Salad

Three-Minute Red Wine Vinaigrette

John had a lot at stake last Thanksgiving. After years of not-too-subtly hinting that he wanted the hosting job, John got permission from his mother-in-law to host the holiday in 2022?and he hit it out of the park. But anxious to keep his standing as the family's Thanksgiving host, John turned to Dinner SOS for some help perfecting his already perfect meal. And this year, Chris caught up with him to find out how everything went ? and whether he's permanently secured the hosting position.

Recipes Featured:

Today, we?re sharing an episode from our friends at Foods That Matter.

Mark Jacobs, Chairman of Watkins, divulges the delicate (and sometimes dangerous) process of sourcing the finest vanilla beans in Madagascar and explains why vanilla can be so darn expensive, only sometimes. But vanilla's not all they offer! Mark shares surprising health benefits of spices, and spills the tea on how Watkins keeps their huge variety of spices bursting with flavor - including a tip to properly storing your spices at home. Mark even reveals the one spice that mysteriously eludes Watkins (and why), and shares exactly what to look for when you're on the hunt for the perfect spices. Whether you're a spice connoisseur, a curious cook, or a foodie, this episode is packed with flavor-boosting tips and fascinating facts about food and the brand leading the way for delicious flavors. 

Jen is a confident cook in a household of self-described food people. But she's never been able to successfully make tender, shreddy pork at home, so she called us looking for some rules she can follow to achieve her dream pork in her own kitchen. Chris calls on Inés Anguiano, Certified Pork Stan (tm), to help Jen embrace pork's versatility... and the fact that the only rule with pork cookery is "there are no rules."

Recipes featured:  

Soy-Basted Pork Chops with Herbs and Jalapenos

Crispy Pork Cutlets with Kimchi Slaw

Citrus-Braised Pork with Crispy Shallots

And the bonus "middle lane" pork recipes:

Mustardy Cider-Braised Pork Chops

Sweet-and-Saucy Pork Chops

Pork Shoulder Steaks with Grilled Mustard Greens

We get a lot of questions in our inbox from listeners with dietary restrictions. And sometimes, we can absolutely handle them using the expertise right in our test kitchen ? no dairy? No meat? No nightshades? No problem. But not all restrictions are that simple. So we tapped registered dietician Desiree Nielsen to answer questions about cooking low-FODMAP, diabetes-friendly, and more. If you're experiencing changes in your health, make sure you contact your doctor and/or a Registered Dietician to make a plan that's right for you.

Recipes featured:

Super-Seedy Gluten Free Bread

Blueberry Chia Seed Jam

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Vegan Cacio e Pepe

Black Vinegar Chicken with Radishes

Kate's Feel Good Food Plan

30 Minute Green Pasta with Kale

Velvety Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Vegan Sausage Stuffed Acorn 

Squash

Cashew Alfredo

Rachel's the kind of cook who free-forms it ? no two dinners turn out the same, and she likes it that way. But she?s setting up a dinner for her parents and her partner?s parents to meet each other for the first time, and she wants everything to be perfect. The only issue? Every one of her guests has a different dietary restriction, and none of them seem to work together. So Chris taps Kendra Vaculin to help keep Rachel's eyes on the ultimate prize: making this gathering an excellent time for all involved.

Recipes featured:

Squash and Broccoli Rabe Lasagna

Three-Minute Red Wine Vinaigrette

Raspberry Cake with Whipped Cream Filling

Cheesy Mushroom Galette

Leah loves the Union Square Farmer's Market, but there's one tent she's too intimidated to stop at: the "mushroom guys" (aka Mushroom Queens).  So to help demystify the alien-looking fungi that Leah's seen at their stall ? and prove to her that she can achieve a crispy, umami-rich 'shroom in her own kitchen ? Chris takes Leah to Mushroom Queens in Ozone Park, and they get a tour of an urban mushroom farm.

Recipes featured:  

Pasta with Creamy Mushroom Ragu

Seared Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme

Today, we?re sharing an episode from our friends at The Financial Times. 

If you?ve been to the wine shop lately you may have noticed a trend: wines marketed specifically toward younger drinkers. Many are natural, organic, or biodynamic. Others are made without special certification but boast backstories that focus on the producers, not just the region or grapes. Wine writer Hannah Crosbie joins host Lilah Raptopoulos to give us a primer on what young wine drinkers want. Why are pét nats, skin-contact wines, and chilled reds suddenly everywhere?

Check out Life and Art from FT Weekend wherever you get your podcasts.

Nelson's partner, Cate, is an incredible cook. But she's chronically ill, and not always feeling well enough to cook. So Nelson wants to step up and make her delicious, nourishing meals when she's not feeling her best. The only issue? He's not so confident in the kitchen - especially when it comes to taking on a new recipe or technique. So Chris & Shilpa step in to provide him with a cornucopia of straightforward, unfussy recipes to build his confidence and help him make dinner for Cate. 

Recipes Featured:

Very Good Vegan Tacos

Herby Cauliflower Fritters

Samosa-Dillas with Cucumber Salad

Cold Soy Milk Noodles with Chili Crisp

Cold Noodles with Tomatoes and Peanut Sauce

Tofu Meatballs in Burst Tomato Sauce

Everyone?s Favorite Gado Gado

Caller Teddy has been vegan for a few years. But while she?s confident in her chickpea and lentil skills, bean mastery has eluded her. And, to be fair, the questions are big: canned or dried? What type of bean works best for which application? Is a big pot of brothy beans enough for a meal, or does it need to be doctored? Chris taps Justine Doiron (aka @Justine_Snacks), bean enthusiast, to help Teddy get hip to the humble bean.

Recipes mentioned:

Brothy Pasta with Chickpeas

Gochujang Brothy Beans

Breaded Beans

Brothy Beans

Pasta e Fagioli with Escarole

Learn more about how beans can help the planet and your health at BeansIsHow.com.

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