I'd love a cookie countdown, great baked goods and the Trader Joe's idea. To be perfectly honest, though, I love this Substack so I'm good with whatever you come up with. I would, however, like suggestions on how to cook your baked goods for fewer people, i.e., just me. Should I just cut everything in half or do you have other suggestions?
Sorry, I should have written all of this in just the one post. I'd love some grocery product reviews and of course the kitchen gadget stuff. Videos would be helpful for more complicated recipes. I'm not going to recommend carpet but I will recommend putting a little extra into the padding under the carpet. It makes a world of difference.
Make the whole batch! If you love what you make, then keep some on hand by freezing portions to suit. Take out a portion to thaw in the fridge overnight for yeast biscuits, or at least 24 hours for a 1/2 loaf of bread. Let rise on the counter. This two-person household bakes 8 cookies at a time after thawing for an hour-ish on the counter.
Anything really. I do like food history - and here’s a tidbit I learned today. I follow Great British Tea Party on Facebook. It’s a good page with good texts & pics but today I learned something that made a lot of sense.
The UK had food rationing well into the 1950s. We had that here too, but it ended shortly after WWII. Not so in the UK. The war had so devastated their resources and food supply chains it took that long after the war to end rationing. And I surmise that’s why they had the reputation of having terrible food for so long.
Also, there was comment on that post from a New Zealander where food rationing didn’t end until the late 1950s. NZ had to export much of what they had to support England’s recovery.
We never really think of all the costs of war, do we.
Great baked goods to give as gifts? A whole month of cheese-related treats? Air-fryer recipes? Dinners in 20 minutes or less? Things to buy from Trader Joe’s that you can transform into something better? Cookies, cookies, cookies?
Musings on what you make when you’re standing in front of the fridge without a thought of what’s for dinner? All your possibilities sound great, except maybe the World War I idea, sorry to nix that one!
How about some recipes for things that will travel well when shipping somewhere that will take about 8 days? And advice on wrapping baked goods for shipping. Savory appetizers sound good, too.
You definitely don’t want me helping to pick out a carpet! I would love to see more recipes (from all food journalists) that omit the top 8 or so allergens. My daughter learned 2 years ago that she can’t have eggs or dairy (not bc of lactose but bc of the proteins, casein and whey) and needs to minimize gluten, so we have been revising our family diet but she often feels excluded other places. I also serve as chair of a board with members who cannot eat gluten and who have food allergies; the same for my office. I would really love to show up at a holiday party with a treat that everyone can eat.
First, very happy w what you are doing including political and world events commentary as well as great restaurants & bakeries in NJ. You promised me a Black Forest cake that keeps me anticipating every new post. I know you’ll get around to it b/c it’s a real classic. Alway a treat to see a new post. Substitute cork floor for carpet wh I think is disgusting for so many reasons - esp w animals around. Plush, plush custom runners if you must that can be tossed or genuinely cleaned. Fabulous things to bring to a pot luck. Menus for make-ahead, at least mostly, dinner parties. A crock pot beef bougnion. TJs. Pies. Salads and veggies. Chocolate. Easy fab NYE party and or NY day party. A journalist friend made an inaugural day champagne punch supposedly drank by the likes of George Washington and his revolutionary friends w lots of champagne and lemons and ???? What they really ate at Thanksgiving- turkey and deer but also loads of fish: mussels, lobsters, striper. What can we do w .99 cent cans of TJ organic pumpkin (super food) besides dumping pounds of sugar & dairy in? That’s enough to digest for now. Thank you for asking for input. If you find a recipe for peace and happiness- do share - before it’s too late - for me to live in a world I’ve dreamed of all my life.
And I guess to answer another of your questions: I don’t have the patience to watch videos (I can never cook as fast as they play) so that’s not something I care about, personally. As another commenter said, I’d be ok with a short video--for me maybe on a shortcut that can be used for everyday cooking (like how to cut up cabbage--I know the theory here but it’s hard in practice).
I would like a cookie countdown with maybe some holiday quick/sweetbreads thrown in (my aunt made a holiday orange bread that I loved, for example). I’d also enjoy you updating holiday classics (like, say, green bean casserole) with a special but not too crazy twist (just to have it be a bit different). My special holiday request would be a mulled apple cider recipe using household spices. I know I can google this but there are too many to choose from!
My hubby is a Chef! HOWEVER (she said in Caps!!) He does not BAKE often enough. As a Japanese man who learned from his Japanese Mother originally and trained with an Italian chef more than others, I am fed quite well. But I have a Sweet Tooth to beat all sweet teeth? Tooth’s? I will most likely use recipes myself so some delish dessert (not a lot of chocolate- WHAAAAS! Heresy!!!) that is not extremely difficult!! 😂
Seriously- I share them with Mr Chef & he has made a couple or something similar!! I am happy that I may get a PIE!!!! Peach? Apple? Cherry / PEACH definitely PEACH!! ✌🏻💖
I love a good needs assessment, and yours offers lots of great possibilities. Give me a Trader Joe's related newsletter any time, and veggies, veggies, veggies so I eat a balanced diet after baking all your cookies. ;-)
I'd be interested in reading whatever strikes your fancy to write about. Everything you list in this question intrigues me. I'd love to read your thoughts on AppleTV's Lessons in Chemistry. It's hitting on a lot of important subjects.
Festive vegetables? I try to eat a vegetable, or something with vegetables in it, at every meal. It would be great to have some appealing vegetable-forward dishes to add to the holiday repetoire.
I'd love a cookie countdown, great baked goods and the Trader Joe's idea. To be perfectly honest, though, I love this Substack so I'm good with whatever you come up with. I would, however, like suggestions on how to cook your baked goods for fewer people, i.e., just me. Should I just cut everything in half or do you have other suggestions?
Sorry, I should have written all of this in just the one post. I'd love some grocery product reviews and of course the kitchen gadget stuff. Videos would be helpful for more complicated recipes. I'm not going to recommend carpet but I will recommend putting a little extra into the padding under the carpet. It makes a world of difference.
Make the whole batch! If you love what you make, then keep some on hand by freezing portions to suit. Take out a portion to thaw in the fridge overnight for yeast biscuits, or at least 24 hours for a 1/2 loaf of bread. Let rise on the counter. This two-person household bakes 8 cookies at a time after thawing for an hour-ish on the counter.
Anything really. I do like food history - and here’s a tidbit I learned today. I follow Great British Tea Party on Facebook. It’s a good page with good texts & pics but today I learned something that made a lot of sense.
The UK had food rationing well into the 1950s. We had that here too, but it ended shortly after WWII. Not so in the UK. The war had so devastated their resources and food supply chains it took that long after the war to end rationing. And I surmise that’s why they had the reputation of having terrible food for so long.
Also, there was comment on that post from a New Zealander where food rationing didn’t end until the late 1950s. NZ had to export much of what they had to support England’s recovery.
We never really think of all the costs of war, do we.
Thx for sharing 🙏🌻
Always cookies. And other good edible holiday gifts. Dinners in 20 min or less would be great.
Also, any hacks you can share, too. I'm terribly dependent on readers' recipe notes in NYT Cooking!
Great baked goods to give as gifts? A whole month of cheese-related treats? Air-fryer recipes? Dinners in 20 minutes or less? Things to buy from Trader Joe’s that you can transform into something better? Cookies, cookies, cookies?
ANY OF THIS
Musings on what you make when you’re standing in front of the fridge without a thought of what’s for dinner? All your possibilities sound great, except maybe the World War I idea, sorry to nix that one!
How about some recipes for things that will travel well when shipping somewhere that will take about 8 days? And advice on wrapping baked goods for shipping. Savory appetizers sound good, too.
WHAT DO I WANT??
I want you to write a book, Marissa!!
I wholeheartedly second Ms. Carroll's suggestion! 💙
You definitely don’t want me helping to pick out a carpet! I would love to see more recipes (from all food journalists) that omit the top 8 or so allergens. My daughter learned 2 years ago that she can’t have eggs or dairy (not bc of lactose but bc of the proteins, casein and whey) and needs to minimize gluten, so we have been revising our family diet but she often feels excluded other places. I also serve as chair of a board with members who cannot eat gluten and who have food allergies; the same for my office. I would really love to show up at a holiday party with a treat that everyone can eat.
First, very happy w what you are doing including political and world events commentary as well as great restaurants & bakeries in NJ. You promised me a Black Forest cake that keeps me anticipating every new post. I know you’ll get around to it b/c it’s a real classic. Alway a treat to see a new post. Substitute cork floor for carpet wh I think is disgusting for so many reasons - esp w animals around. Plush, plush custom runners if you must that can be tossed or genuinely cleaned. Fabulous things to bring to a pot luck. Menus for make-ahead, at least mostly, dinner parties. A crock pot beef bougnion. TJs. Pies. Salads and veggies. Chocolate. Easy fab NYE party and or NY day party. A journalist friend made an inaugural day champagne punch supposedly drank by the likes of George Washington and his revolutionary friends w lots of champagne and lemons and ???? What they really ate at Thanksgiving- turkey and deer but also loads of fish: mussels, lobsters, striper. What can we do w .99 cent cans of TJ organic pumpkin (super food) besides dumping pounds of sugar & dairy in? That’s enough to digest for now. Thank you for asking for input. If you find a recipe for peace and happiness- do share - before it’s too late - for me to live in a world I’ve dreamed of all my life.
And I guess to answer another of your questions: I don’t have the patience to watch videos (I can never cook as fast as they play) so that’s not something I care about, personally. As another commenter said, I’d be ok with a short video--for me maybe on a shortcut that can be used for everyday cooking (like how to cut up cabbage--I know the theory here but it’s hard in practice).
I would like a cookie countdown with maybe some holiday quick/sweetbreads thrown in (my aunt made a holiday orange bread that I loved, for example). I’d also enjoy you updating holiday classics (like, say, green bean casserole) with a special but not too crazy twist (just to have it be a bit different). My special holiday request would be a mulled apple cider recipe using household spices. I know I can google this but there are too many to choose from!
My hubby is a Chef! HOWEVER (she said in Caps!!) He does not BAKE often enough. As a Japanese man who learned from his Japanese Mother originally and trained with an Italian chef more than others, I am fed quite well. But I have a Sweet Tooth to beat all sweet teeth? Tooth’s? I will most likely use recipes myself so some delish dessert (not a lot of chocolate- WHAAAAS! Heresy!!!) that is not extremely difficult!! 😂
Seriously- I share them with Mr Chef & he has made a couple or something similar!! I am happy that I may get a PIE!!!! Peach? Apple? Cherry / PEACH definitely PEACH!! ✌🏻💖
I love a good needs assessment, and yours offers lots of great possibilities. Give me a Trader Joe's related newsletter any time, and veggies, veggies, veggies so I eat a balanced diet after baking all your cookies. ;-)
I'd be interested in reading whatever strikes your fancy to write about. Everything you list in this question intrigues me. I'd love to read your thoughts on AppleTV's Lessons in Chemistry. It's hitting on a lot of important subjects.
Always up for a good cookie recipe.
Historical recipes are fascinating- giving history and translating them into the modern vernacular and how to find those ingredients.
Quick dinners are interesting- what about working around common and novel allergies?
Festive vegetables? I try to eat a vegetable, or something with vegetables in it, at every meal. It would be great to have some appealing vegetable-forward dishes to add to the holiday repetoire.
Alternative Turkey Day desserts, check- Savory Apps & sides, check. Trader Joe foods gussied up, Yes. 20 minute meals, Oh yeah 😀