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Tis the season for our season to come to a close, so we are wrapping things up (like a gift) with our friends Josey Baker<\/a>, to help us level up our bread game; and Helen Zaltzman<\/a>, to help us level up our word game.<\/p>\n Food ideas discussed in this episode:<\/strong><\/p>\n Eaten lately:<\/strong><\/p>\n At Kusaki<\/span><\/a> in LA, Hrishi had a shishito burger with cashew cheese, yuzu kosho aioli, shishito peppers, shiso leaves, and maitake mushrooms. It was reminiscent of a sausage McMuffin from McDonald\u2019s, in the very best way. They are sadly closing \ud83d\ude41<\/p>\n For Samin\u2019s birthday Monday dinner she wanted Zuni<\/span><\/a> roast chicken bread salad & carrot cake. Cara used Dorie Greenspan\u2019s carrot cake recipe<\/span><\/a> and the kids decorated it.<\/p>\n Vanilla<\/strong><\/p>\n If you would like to deep dive on vanilla bean, start with the chapter in Kate Lebo\u2019s The Book of Difficult Fruit.<\/span><\/a> There is much to learn about the magical vanilla bean!<\/p>\n \u00a0If you would like to support vanilla bean farmers, consider the Vanilla Bean Project <\/span><\/a>for your sourcing.<\/p>\n If you would like to support pollinators of vanilla beans, consider the Melipona bee<\/span><\/a>\u2013Samin spent some time with them when she filmed Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Saffron<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have not yet had the pleasure in your life of tasting saffron, it\u2019s time to treat yourself! Yes, it\u2019s expensive, but you only need a tiny amount of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n Buddy Born runs Bacstrom Imports<\/span><\/a>. He\u2019s a very knowledgeable spice importer specializing in saffron (and vanilla!). You can\u2019t purchase from Buddy directly, but he does supply Oaktown Spice Shop<\/span><\/a>. His website is an amazing source of information.<\/p>\n Other great places to buy your saffron:<\/p>\n Diaspora Spice Co.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Burlap & Barrel<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Saffron desserts: Sholeh Zard<\/span><\/a> (Persian) and Kheer<\/span><\/a> (Indian), Saffron Buns <\/span><\/a>(Swedish) for Saint Lucia\u2019s day.\u00a0<\/p>\n Caramel<\/strong><\/p>\n Helen Zaltzman, our friend and host of The Allusionist podcast,<\/span><\/a> helped us try to solve the age-old mystery of how to pronounce this word.<\/p>\n Care-mel?\u00a0<\/p>\n carA-mel?\u00a0<\/p>\n Car-mel?\u00a0<\/p>\n Our conclusion: No one is wrong and everyone is wrong. Please continue to make fun of your husband.<\/p>\n Flour<\/strong><\/p>\n Josey Baker<\/span><\/a> is the owner of The Mill<\/span><\/a> and Samin\u2019s phone-a-friend for all things flour related. He also thinks that Hrishi is a very handsome AI generated studmuffin. (No one made a muffin\/Josie Baker\/flour joke) \ud83d\ude2f<\/p>\n If you have accidentally drunk-ordered 100 pounds of flour, and 50 of those pounds are the mysterious T-70 kind, never fear, you have on your hands a lot of the most versatile flour you could hope for. It\u2019s PERFECT for so many holiday things!! It will add a little character and flavor to whatever you put it in.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lina (Hrishi\u2019s wife) is also trying to work her way through 50 pounds of flour and wants to know what rancid flour tastes or smells like. She\u2019s also had some rising issues that Josey weighed in on.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whole wheat flour is thirstier than more refined flour, and also yeast loooove it. So you need extra moisture and to reduce the yeast amount because the rise will happen faster. The little yeast gets so excited!<\/p>\n Store your flour in an airtight container to protect it from moisture, pests, and direct sunlight. Refrigerate it or put it in your freezer for the longest life.<\/p>\n You can smell when it\u2019s rancid. If you muck around in the container and sniff it, it should smell good, fresh, nutty. If it smells like wax, cardboard, or tires then it\u2019s rancid.\u00a0<\/p>\n Good News: It won\u2019t make you sick if you use rancid flour. Also, you might not notice if you are making something with many other ingredients.\u00a0<\/p>\n Also, don\u2019t mess around with those super annoying flour bags. As soon as you open the bag, decant the flour into an airtight container and go right ahead living your best life.<\/p>\n BURNT HONEY!! We love it!!<\/strong><\/p>\n Since our caller has lots of honey to use up, Samin took a detour to whipped honey which is very, very special!<\/p>\n You can get you some from Hapa Honey Farm<\/span><\/a>\u2013they even have flavors!!!<\/p>\n SQRIL is also doing some fun spun honey things.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n On to burnt honey things: In Good Things<\/span><\/a>:<\/p>\n Burnt honey ice box cake<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Burnt honey hot fudge<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Not in Good Things:<\/p>\n Russian Honey Cake<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Keep a jar of it around, for like, whatever!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Add into vinaigrette<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Burnt honey and harissa marinade for chicken\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Cocktails<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Any sauce (like chocolate sauce). Btw, Deb from Smitten Kitchen\u2019s recipe<\/span><\/a> was the beginning of the hot honey fudge but it went through many interactions before landing in Good Things.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Latkes for a large group without being at the stove all night:<\/strong><\/p>\n Make them the day before, and reheat.\u00a0<\/p>\n Please check out Josh Malina\u2019s Latke 101 from Episode 1<\/span><\/a> of Home Cooking.\u00a0<\/p>\n And refer to Melissa Clark\u2019s many NYT Cooking latke recipes, like this one<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n Toppings adventure bar:<\/strong><\/p>\n Chana Masala (masalaka)\u00a0<\/p>\n Yogurt + mango chutney or the tamarind date chutney from Niloufer\u2019s book<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Jalape\u00f1o ketchup (as suggested only <\/em>by Hrishi)\u00a0<\/p>\n Guac and whole beans (not refried)<\/p>\n Rajas<\/p>\n Lingonberry jam<\/p>\n Base for fritatta or for brisket\u00a0<\/p>\n Pickled red onions – good with any of these cultures<\/p>\n Smoked salmon, creme fraiche, dill, capers<\/p>\n Moroccan condiment direction: harissa, chermoula (or green sauce from Good Things), yogurt, pickled onion<\/p>\n SUBSTACKS<\/strong><\/p>\n A Grain of Salt<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Accept Cookies<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n INSTAGRAMS<\/p>\n\n
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