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Hello there Reader, Thanksgiving doesn't have to leave you cursing like a sailor. (Although, if you ever heard Mama Leite muttering in Portuguese while wrestling a 22-pound turkey into submission, you might think otherwise.) As someone who's hosted more holiday dinners than my youthful countenance would suggest―some of which ended with me hiding in the basement, clutching a bottle of wine, and questioning my life choices―I've learned a thing or two about keeping my sanity intact. The One will back me up on this, especially after That One Year We Shall Never Speak Of Again when I nearly burned down the house. But I digress. What I've learned is mastering Thanksgiving is all about strategy. And, unlike how I usually cook―which The One likens to a tornado in an apron―this requires that dreaded word: planning. Allow me to share with you my hard-won five-day plan that'll keep you from ending up in the fetal position behind the washing machine. (Not that I know anything about that.) My Free Foolproof Five-Day Countdown
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Hi Reader, The best thing about a Monday is that the weekend is already coming back around.Here is the only rule that matters when it does.Whoever wakes up first is forbidden from asking, "So...what's the plan today?"It's a terrible question before coffee.Some mornings should stay entirely unplanned. There is a second pot of coffee. You end up in the kitchen, not because you're hungry yet, but because cooking breakfast is one of the nicest ways to ease into a day.Brunch is unproductive on...
Hi Reader, I have a particular weakness for pork because it is never expected to be fancy. Beef comes with expectations. Lamb needs watching. Pork just needs time and salt.One of my favorite sounds in the kitchen is the first crackle of a pork shoulder hitting a hot Dutch oven. It's the opening act to a meal that won't be rushed. By the time it comes out, the meat collapses under a fork, and everyone who came in "just to say hello" is still standing suspiciously close to the pot.Nobody is...
Hi Reader, I have enormous respect for people who can casually whip up a layer cake on a Tuesday night.I am not one of those people.For me, a layer cake is an event. It begins with clearing the kitchen counters as though I'm preparing for surgery. Every ingredient gets lined up with military precision. Butter softens. Eggs come to room temperature. Cake pans are buttered with a level of devotion normally reserved for newborns.Then comes the part that humbles everyone.Will the layers release...