by Kristen (your friendly, skeptical, trying-not-to-gag blogger) Let’s get something out of the way right now: I don’t like goat cheese. I know, I know. Somewhere a French cheesemonger just fainted into a wheel of camembert. But in the interest of journalistic integrity and pretending I’m the kind of person who can appreciate “complex flavor profiles,” I’ve put my personal taste aside and assembled this thorough, thoughtful guide to the weird little wedge that is goat cheese. Let’s dig in (metaphorically—I’ll be snacking on cheddar). 🐐 Where It All Began: Goat Cheese Origins Goat cheese, also known as chèvre (the
Category: Food Ingredient
Hazelnuts: Rich Girl Energy in a Shell
Because your pantry deserves better than raw almonds and self-loathing Let’s talk about hazelnuts, the trust fund babies of the nut world. They’re small, fancy, expensive, and taste like generational wealth dipped in chocolate. Unlike the culinary deadweights that are plain cashews or the cardio bro energy of almonds, hazelnuts are here to say, “I don’t do CrossFit. I do croissants.” You may know them as the main character of Nutella, the whisper in your bougie latte, or the thing you pick out of a Ferrero Rocher before remembering you’re supposed to savor it, not Hoover it like a Roomba with trauma. But
Pancetta: Or, How to Make Bacon Fancy and Italian
Ah, pancetta. The word alone rolls off the tongue like a delightful Italian serenade, conjuring images of nonnas lovingly stirring pots of pasta while judging you for not eating enough. It’s the kind of ingredient that makes you feel sophisticated just by saying it—Oh, this? Just a little pancetta I tossed in. No big deal. It’s basically bacon, but with an accent and a better wardrobe. What Even Is Pancetta? Pancetta is Italian cured pork belly, which means it is made from the same part of the pig as bacon. But while bacon is smoked like it’s trying to get kicked out
Olive Oil – The Suit and Tie of the Kitchen
Olive oil. You know it, you love it, and if you don’t, you’re either deeply misguided or just wrong. It’s the Jennifer Coolidge of cooking oils: versatile, timeless, and the right kind of extra. Whether you’re roasting vegetables, marinating meats, or trying to pass off store-bought bread as “artisan,” olive oil is the reason you’ll succeed. It elevates, enriches, and makes you feel like you actually know what you’re doing in the kitchen. But olive oil is more than a pantry staple; it’s a lifestyle. It’s the ingredient that tells everyone, “I may not have my life together, but I have
Beets: The Lovechild of Dirt and Candy
By someone who didn’t sign up for this but now has very strong opinions about root vegetables. Let’s talk about beets. You know, those ruby-hued orbs lurking in your CSA box, looking suspiciously like they were dug up by a particularly ambitious raccoon. Beets are the kind of food you either adore with the fiery passion of a thousand suns or regard with the same enthusiasm you’d reserve for jury duty. For the uninitiated (or beet-haters seeking enlightenment), here’s everything you need to know about these earthy nuggets of joy and/or regret. What Even Are Beets? Beets are root vegetables, which means they grow
Food Ingredient: Russet Potato
I recently sent in a vial full of saliva to the 23andMe company and found out I’m pretty much just your average Irish girl whose family immigrated to America decades before I was born. Learning this, I also realized I’m probably made of potatoes and beer which explains my impeccable taste in food (i.e. I love French fries and other things cooked in a deep fryer). Seemed only sensible to dedicate a whole post to the russet potato, which is so diverse that it just begs to be used for every single course of the day. Really. The russet is
Food Ingredient: Sugar Snap Peas
Sugar snap peas, are by nature, deceptive. They say “sugar” right in the title like its going to be full of yum-tastic confectionary flavor and its Not. Even. Close. Let’s look past my disappointment though and focus on what it is. Sugar snap peas (or if you so choose, saying regular ol’ snap peas is fine) is a cross between garden peas and snow peas. This means that we get a nice thick and edible pod to crunch into! (By the way, am I the only one that appreciates a good crunch the rare times I eat vegetables? It’s very