👋🏽 I’m thrilled to be hosting a live conversation with the brilliant Sami Tamimi to talk about his beautiful new book, Boustany — a deeply personal project that blends food, memory, and heritage from Palestine.
This will be a casual, live chat where we’ll talk about the inspiration behind the book, favorite dishes, ingredients, and the stories woven through it all.
🗓 When: This Sunday at 12 pm ET 📍 Where:Join via the Substack app (for iOS or Android) or your web browser 📲 Tip: If you have the app, you’ll get a push notification when we go live — but the app isn’t required! I’ll also send you an email.
💬 You can listen in, ask questions, and be part of the conversation. And we’ll be doing a book giveaway!
How to join: Just click here Sunday a few minutes before 12pm ET. If you’re subscribed, you’ll also get a reminder when we go live.
Whether you’ve already devoured Boustany or are just curious about the stories behind it, I hope you’ll stop by!
I’m sure you’ve tried almond milk, but have you tasted pistachio milk?!It’s cold, smooth, creamy and tastes like pistachios. It’s dreamy and delicious, as well as dairy-free and nutritious.
I first encountered pistachio milk in the alternative milk section at Whole Foods, offered by a brand called Three Trees. As a pistachio lover, I had to try it immediately. I loved it, naturally, so I had to try making it myself.
I’m happy to share that pistachio milk is as easy to make as cashew milk and pecan milk, and it’s equally creamy. Unlike almond milk, it produces very little waste, so you won’t feel guilty about wasting any of those precious green nuts.
If you're in the US or UK, it's peak stone fruit season (Aussie and Kiwi friends and family—you’re deep in winter, but your time will come!). And one of my FAVORITE stone fruits is apricots. The velvety golden-orange skin and sweet-tart flavor just bring me peak summer joy, and all my worries fade away. In this paid subscriber newsletter, you will…
Learn why I use underripe apricots for jams (and other science cooking facts)
Get my kitchen hacks to maximize flavor and a culinary use for those apricot pits you might not be aware of!
Make Apricot Lemon Orange Jam and Apricot Coconut Semolina Cake with the two exclusive recipes I’m sharing
But before we get to the good stuff, I need your quick input! I’m planning a series of chats for all subscribers with some of my favorite cookbook authors and want to know who you want to hear from most! Click below, answer 2 quick questions, and THANK YOU!
Let’s hear it for burrata cheese! I always order burrata when I find it on restaurant menus, and we’ve had some stellar combinations this summer. I can’t resist burrata’s contrasting textures—it’s like fresh mozzarella on the outside, but lusciously soft and creamy on the inside.
For this recipe, I designed a quintessential summertime burrata salad with fresh tomatoes. Serve it with crostini or a loaf of crusty bread to make it an appetizer. This burrata dish comes together in 15 minutes, believe it or not, and it’s a real showstopper.
I wanted to keep it simple but make it taste special, so I drew reference from my Easy Tomato Salad and Tomato Basil Bruschetta. I landed on a combination of cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes for depth, plus freshly toasted pine nuts for a savory note. It’s not complete without a drizzle of rich olive oil, tangy balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of fresh basil. I hope it becomes one of your go-to recipes!
It’s Bastille Day—and also Euro Summer week here at Food52—so we’re leaning all the way in with a roundup of our favorite French recipes to help you fête like you're picnicking beneath the Eiffel Tower (or at least pretending to at your dining table).
From classics Julia Child would definitely approve of (hi, beef bourguignon and crème brûlée) to a few breezier, “lazy girl” picks that rely on good butter, flaky pastry, and fresh herbs, this lineup has something for every level of ambition. There’s plenty of cheese, a generous amount of wine, and more than one dish with an egg on top—just as the French intended.
It’s peak grilling season—and peak produce season, and I can’t think of a better way to bring the two together than with tandoori vegetables. Smoky, spiced, deeply charred, and boldly flavored, tandoori-style cooking works surprisingly well with the right vegetables. But the trick? Choosing the ones with the structure to hold up to the heat.
If you’ve ever tried tossing delicate zucchini rounds or thinly sliced eggplant into a hot oven or onto the grill, only to watch them collapse into a mushy mess. In that case, you already know: not all vegetables are built for this kind of intensity. Tandoori cooking requires vegetables with sturdier textures—ones that can absorb a marinade, withstand high heat, and develop a smoky crust without falling apart.
That’s why I’m reaching for crunchy, firm carrots this summer.
Carrots (especially thick ones, halved or quartered lengthwise) are just the kind of vegetable that thrives in this environment. They grab the spiced yogurt mixture beautifully, caramelize in all the right places, and pick up that slightly charred, smoky flavor that makes tandoori cooking so irresistible.
Why Sturdier Vegetables Work Better:
Tandoori-style cooking relies on a high-heat environment (traditionally a clay tandoor, but at home, we use the oven, grill, or even a cast-iron pan). At these temperatures, water evaporates quickly. Vegetables with low water content and higher structural integrity, like carrots, cabbages, beets, sweet potatoes, celeriac, and even cauliflower, don’t collapse or weep as easily. They develop a seared exterior while the insides cook to tender perfection.
Science Corner:
The proteins in yogurt help with browning, thanks to the Maillard reaction. Acids from lemon juice or vinegar will help brighten the flavors. And when you pair that with sturdy produce, the result is a vegetable with flavor that’s both deep and bright—smoky, tangy, and kissed with spice.
In this week’s post, I’m sharing my recipe for Tandoori-Roasted Carrots —a dish that’s as good hot off the grill as it is at room temperature. It’s simple, vibrant, and makes a strong case for why vegetables deserve a spot in your upcoming cookout lineup. Use this tandoori spice mixture to experiment with other vegetables too.
Why I Avoid Calling this Tandoori Spice Blend a Marinade
We often assume that marinades will "tenderize" vegetables in the same way they can with meat. This likely comes from a surface-level association: "marinate = make soft + flavorful." But the science behind how marinades interact with meat and vegetables is fundamentally different.
The Science: Meat vs. Vegetables
Meat
Meat is mainly composed of protein fibers (like collagen and myosin), which are tough when raw.
Marinades that contain acids (such as lemon juice or vinegar), enzymes (like bromelain in pineapple), or salt can denature proteins and break down connective tissue, thereby helping to tenderize meat.
Time matters: the longer the marination (within limits), the more opportunity for these effects to take place.
Vegetables
Vegetables are primarily made of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin—structural carbohydrates that don't respond to acid or salt in the same way proteins do.
Acids do not break down vegetable fibers the same way they do meat proteins.
Acidic marinades can sometimes firm up vegetables (think of how pickling crisps cucumbers).
Additionally, many vegetables have a high water content and absorb flavors more rapidly than meat, so prolonged marination isn't necessary.
Why This Matters in Cooking
Vegetables don’t need to be tenderized by a marinade. What they do need is surface flavor and sometimes a brief soak to allow salt, acid, or aromatics to cling or slightly permeate.
Over-marinating some vegetables (like zucchini or mushrooms) can lead to sogginess, off-textures, or overpowered flavors.
When and Why to Marinate Vegetables
Short marination (15 to 30 minutes) can add flavor without compromising texture.
Use marinades more for seasoning and caramelization (especially before grilling or roasting), rather than for tenderizing.
Vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and cauliflower—those with denser cell structures —can benefit from longer marination, but not for tenderness. It's more about flavor absorption and surface browning.
Happy Grilling,
Nik
Coconut-Lychee Granita: The Summer Dessert I Can’t Stop Making (and Scraping)
We’ve had our moment with hot and spicy—now let’s cool off with something icy, floral, and ridiculously easy.
This Coconut-Lychee Granita is the chilled sweet treat I recently made at America’s Test Kitchen, and it’s giving you a tropical vacation in a bowl (or directly out of the freezer, no shame).
I love a frozen dessert that doesn’t require an ice cream maker, candy thermometer, or seven bowls in the sink. This Coconut-Lychee Granita is just that—and frankly, it’s the dessert I wish I had every time I’ve opened the freezer in July and found nothing but a tragic half-bag of peas.
This one’s got tropical flavor turned up to eleven: I toast the coconut to unlock its nutty, almost buttery aroma, then steep it in coconut milk so it infuses every bite with richness. Lychees bring that floral, perfume-y sweetness that feels nearly too luxurious to be this easy. A splash of lime juice adds a bright, punchy note, rather than a sugary sweetness.
And the texture? This is where the science gets fun. Sugar doesn’t just sweeten; it helps manage ice crystal formation. That means delicate flakes you can scrape with a fork and spoon straight into your mouth (or your guests’ if you’re sharing, but no judgment if you aren’t).
You can make this ahead, forget about it, and then casually serve it after a grilled dinner, as if you’re the kind of person who always has a granita on hand. Which, honestly, you might become.
Recipe’s below—go make it, freeze it, and thank yourself in a few hours.
Note: This recipe resides on ATK and is free. I love seeing you share your excitement! ATK makes several recipes from the residency available for free. You may need to enter your email address so they can send you more great content, but you can always opt out at any time. I’ve been a longtime subscriber to their newsletters and have found them super valuable. I hope that helps clarify how to access these co-created recipes—we put a lot of love into them, and I’d love for you to give them a try! I appreciate your support!
I didn’t mean to get so carried away making focaccia over the last few months, but don’t I always say that? As if I forget how easily I get consumed with a very specific idea for what a recipe should be and cannot let it go, even when it’s past time to move on. As if it was someone else who made blueberry muffins 25 times one summer until she found what she was looking for. Thus, perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised but I still am: I’ve made an obscene amount of focaccia this spring and summer trying to find the recipe I’ll want to use forever. Here are five things I learned along the way:
We’ve all been there: sitting on the floor at your gate, clutching a sad airport meal, wondering how your relaxing vacation turned into a stress spiral. With fewer air traffic controllers and a jam-packed summer travel season, canceled and delayed flights are basically a guarantee. I’m curious if you’ve noticed similar stuff and how you’re beating the travel woes—let me know.
But one brand wants to turn that chaos into happy hour. For two days only—July 17 and 18—Cayman Jack (yes, the margarita in a bottle brand) is opening The Cayman Club: A Missed Flight Lounge at JFK’s TWA Hotel. And the only way to get in? Show proof of a delayed, canceled, or missed flight.
It’s Euro Summer Week! Stay tuned for more stories, recipes, and travel tips—and tell us how you’re having your own.
Around this time every year, it feels like everyone you know is either in Europe, just got back from Europe, or plotting how to get there. (And yes, we’ve all Googled how much a last-minute flight would be. Spoiler: too much.)
It's Euro Summer Week! Stay tuned for more great recipes, stories, and travel tips.
I was only eight years old the first time I stepped foot on the Amalfi Coast, and many of my memories of the place are striking and vivid—as if I had just come back from a trip. But because I was so young, others are fleeting and imperfect.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who order the fries for the table, and those who steal them off someone else’s plate. Within that, there's a very special subgroup—the ones who order the fries, don’t Venmo request anyone, and just silently let the group benefit. Bless those people. There’s a special place in heaven for them (probably with a trio of unlimited aiolis and fountain Diet Coke).
Fries are technically a side dish, but let’s be real: they’re doing main character work. Whether they’re saving a sad dinner, showing up as girl dinner (see: Caesar salad, fries, and a Diet Coke), or loaded with toppings and eaten straight from the sheet pan, fries are the one food that almost no one can resist.
One of the trickiest parts of any home renovation project is the seemingly endless list of decisions. As my family embarked on our long-awaited kitchen renovation, one choice I kept getting hung up on was our sink. Should we stick with a functional and traditional double-basin, or spring for a single-basin with space to wash larger dishes and more under-sink storage? It turns out the solution to my sink dilemma was shockingly simple: a $3 dishpan that's revolutionized our kitchen workflow.
The Surprisingly Brilliant Hack
Before the renovation, I spent years with an outdated but extremely functional double-basin sink. Our family system was clear: stack and soak dishes on one side, keep the other side free for washing. When I looked at friends' single-basin sinks, I noticed they inevitably wound up washing dishes on top of a pile of dirty ones—a workflow nightmare I wanted to avoid.
If you’ve been around literally anyone in the past month, you’ve probably heard chatter about Love Island—whether it’s the UK version or the ever-iconic USA one. Maybe you’re all in. Maybe you’ve only absorbed it passively, against your will. Either way, it’s hard to escape.
As someone who’d never tuned in before, I was surprised by the sudden cultural takeover. In the past few weeks alone, I’ve sat through full dinners where people debated their favorite couples, predicted drama, and ranked bombshells with passionate conviction. I finally had to get up to speed—if only to participate in what feels like a nationwide group project (slash networking event).
I have a 4-year-old, which means even though I love a good sandwich, I rarely get to eat one without a little negotiation. Unless it’s a burger (she’s all in for burgers), meals between two slices of bread often fall flat. That’s why this week’s plan is all about flexible sandwiches: DIY-style builds, deconstructed options, and satisfying meatless takes that appeal to both kids and grown-ups.
Also included: a nostalgic breakfast sandwich inspired by my early 20s, when I helped open a cafe on the North Shore of O‘ahu. It was hearty, rich, and packed with meat-free protein—just how I like to start the day. As always, while the groceries are listed based on what you need, they’re flexible enough to swap based on what you’ve got—especially for things like mayo, hot sauce, or bread.
Welcome to Like a Local, our series where writers share how to spend an ideal long weekend in their favorite towns. This time, Kim gives us an insider’s guide to Palm Beach, FL.
What started as yearly visits to Palm Beach turned into biannual trips, and no matter how often I went, I always had a great time. It wasn’t until I was lucky enough to get “stuck” in Palm Beach for months during the pandemic that I began to appreciate all this destination has to offer. Sure, it’s gorgeous ( like stepping into a Slim Aarons imagery time capsule), easy to get to (landing at PBI airport feels intimate, not intimidating) and its food rivals that of NYC and Rome. But living like a local made me appreciate all the nooks and crannies of this island. Here are my best bets for a perfect long weekend in Palm Beach.
If you’ve felt like smoothies have gotten suspiciously expensive, you’re not wrong. We now live in a world where $17 blends with spirulina and collagen are a bit too normal—especially if you’re shopping somewhere like Erewhon. These LA luxury grocery stores aren’t just health havens; they’ve become known for their celebrity-backed smoothies, like Hailey Bieber’s now-famous Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie loaded with sea moss, peptides, and hyaluronic acid. I’ve even heard of hotels licensing the rights to serve these viral drinks in their lounges. This is not your average fruit smoothie.
While I don’t splurge often, I’ve definitely noticed the growing hype. Back in college, there was always a long line at the açai bowl truck that parked near the far quad (sometimes rivaling the line when Raising Cane’s opened). I never totally got the appeal or the price, but it was clearly a thing. And this wasn’t even in LA or New York—it was in east central Illinois, where smoothie prices still capped around $12 back then.
I love my kitchen, I really do. But lately, I’ve been searching for every excuse under the sun to get outside. Whether it’s taking a long walk home from work, bringing my weekend reading to the park, or slipping outside for lunch, I’m making the most of our very warm, sunny weather. But some days are just too hot to think, too hot to move, and certainly too hot to cook. For those sticky, sweaty, sweltering days, make one of these no-cook summer dishes. That means that you don’t have to turn on the stove or oven to enjoy a seasonally inspired meal for lunch or dinner. I want dishes I can toss together sans stove or oven, like crispy salads, cool soups, and crunchy sandwiches. And, thankfully, summer’s bounty is ready to provide. After dinner, cool off with a frozen treat like our no-churn ice creams or dairy-free sorbets. We're in the dog days of summer, when all you want to do is sit by the A/C with a pint of ice cream. Here, I’ve gathered 30 of our freshest no-cook dishes. Now, go outside and enjoy the day!
When you’re sick of the heat and don’t feel like cooking, this no-cook salad will save the day. Pro tip: Purchase fresh, precooked shrimp so that you don’t have to turn on the stove.
When temps are pushing 90 and the air feels thick enough to drink, the only acceptable beverage is one that’s borderline slushy. I’m talking blender cocktails, boozy lemonades, fruit-forward frosés—the kind of drink you almost need a spoon for. Whether you’re craving something tart and citrusy or leaning tropical with coconut and rum, these frozen drink recipes are the move. They’re chill, refreshing, and just a little bit dramatic—in the best way possible.
Summertime produce is in full swing, and I couldn’t be happier about it!Salads are my specialty, so I’ve created a collection of my best summer salad recipes. They’re perfect for parties, barbecues and summer evenings at home. These recipes have hundreds of five-star reviews, so they’re sure to be a hit on your table.
You’ll find classic potluck salads, such as potato salad and cowboy caviar, international favorites like tabbouleh and caprese salad, along with a variety of fresh green salads, of course. These seasonal salads feature an abundance of fresh greens, tender herbs, and summer vegetables, including tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, as well as fruits like berries, peaches, and watermelon.
These refreshing salads are perfect for the hottest summer days. Many feature raw produce and require minimal to no cooking. Whether you’ve gone overboard at the farmers’ market or have a garden surplus, you’ll find the solution here.
Bookmark this page and make the most of the season! Which salad will you make first?
“Mission-led” isn’t a phrase you typically associate with national retailers. But at our special June Nobody Cares event—renamed Seat at the Table: A Conversation on Food Access & Community for the occasion—Dollar General’s VP of Food & Fresh, Allen Warch, made it clear that purpose drives everything they do.
“Our mission is to serve others,” Allen began. “It’s in pretty much every aspect of our company, and it has to be in order to make real, sustainable change.”
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