NYTCB Project February – June(!) 2023: So much for monthly posts

Not only have I failed to live up to my goal of posting monthly, but to make matters even worse, I did not take a single photograph of any of these dishes, many of which were truly a feast for they eyes! I know that I will be revisiting many of them, so I will try to remember to take a shot and edit this post accordingly. Until then, happy summer and happy cooking!!

#132 Junior’s Cheesecake, 1996 (p. 822) I love this recipe for several reasons. It’s just long enough to be clear without getting too complicated. It yields a simple, flavorful cheesecake with an excellent smooth texture and a nice compact size. I don’t make cheesecake very often, because my daughter, Sophie, makes the best cheesecake in all the world, but if I need to, I will use this recipe. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#133 Sophie Grigson’s Parmesan Cake, 1989 (p. 70) This was a lovely surprise – salty, soft, and comforting. It was delicious served warm with soup for dinner on a chilly February night. I am eager to try the other applications described in the headnote. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 (2/6)

#134 Creamy Salad Dressing, 1978 (p. 634) Creamy indeed – and tangy! I would like to experiment with this as a dressing for cabbage slaw. We used it on everyday green salads where it performed admirably. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#135 Bloody Mary, 1958 (p. 21) I am not a Bloody Mary fan, which is one reason why we foisted this on our dinner group. Full disclosure: the conditions were less than scientific with much DIY-ing and freestyling involved. Still, the consensus was that this was not the best recipe for this classic cocktail. We also learned that there are lots of opinions about what makes a good one. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5

#136 Fresh and Smoked Salmon Spread, 1998 (p. 72) Tasty and plentiful. We had a 14 people for a pot luck dinner with 2 other appetizers and we had a lot left over despite the fact that people really liked this. We were not sorry. It might be tasty with capers added. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#137 Coconut Oat Pilaf, 2009 (p. 681) This is a weird one. It’s in the Breakfast and Bruch chapter. I served it at a breakfast-for-dinner gathering. Reactions were all over the place. Some thought it was great, others were not so sure (My friends are very kind). Some declared it bitter, others experienced it as sweet. Some added fruit and reported it improved the taste. I am at a loss for when, where or why I would serve this again. Overall rating: ?/5

#138 Chopped Salad of Romaine, Arugula, Dill and Lemon, 2001 (p. 192) I am a big fan of chopped salads. This one did not disappoint. It was flavorful, satisfying, and made a great make-and-take dish. Next time I will use a bit less olive oil. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#139 Spiced Pecans, 2003 (p. 81) This is the complex, spicy cousin of the spiced nuts I have made for years. If you actually know me you know the nuts I mean. This version is wonderfully interesting without being weird. It’s super easy to make and has gotten raves each time I have served it. It is already in semi-regular rotation. It’s a keeper! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 (2-26)

#140 Ruth’s Oatmeal Crisps, 1992 (p. 740) A big winner! Crispy and not too sweet. This is my favorite cookie recipe from the book so far. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#141 Cremini Mushroom Pasta with Wilted Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1999 (p. 343) Very creamy and delicious with ALOT of mushrooms. This makes more than 4 servings. Next time we will try adding anchovies. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#142 Feta Spread, 1994 (p. 70) This is a delicious dip, but too runny to work as a spread . Next time I will chop the peppers more finely and serve it as a dip with endive, celery, hefty cucumber slices, pita chips and/or Tostitos scoops. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 (2/27)

#143 Brie Butter with Fresh Bread, 1983 (p. 535) This was lovely and the recipe makes a lot! I served it for a mahjong night, so it sat out for a while. Toward the end it began to separate, so next time I would not leave it out as long. Also, removing the rind from the brie – which seemed simlple on paper – proved to be an ordeal. Next time I will try this method. If you have any other suggestions, please share them in the comments. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#144 Lemon Cake, 2003 (p. 832) There are a lot of steps to this one, but it’s worth it! The first time I made it, I did steps 1 – 5 a day ahead. I was rewarded with a moist, oh-so-lemony cake. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#145 Fern Berman’s Ginger and Lentil Soup, 1996 (p. 137) This made for a sweet and comfy weeknight dinner. While it probably won’t become my go-to lentil soup recipe, I will return it it for a change of pace. As promised, it freezes well. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 (2-28)

#146 Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber, 2001 (p. 147) If you roast the beets ahead of time, this comes together very easily, if somewhat messily. It is a terrific soup, refreshing and light with lots of flavor. Hesser relates how she created it as an “antidote to all the rich restaurant food [she]h had to eat…” In that vein, it would be great to make after Thanksgiving or a similar string of rich holiday meals. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#147 Crostini with Eggplant and Pine Nut Puree, 2002 (p. 77) This was excellent and very popular at a potluck dinner with lots of other choices. I used toasted baguette slices as the base. Make extra! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#148 Caramelized Bacon, 2008 (p. 91) This is a great idea. I will try again, but the first attempt was less than successful. The technique involves coating bacon strips with brown sugar and then cooking them. How could this be bad? I had a hard time interpreting the instructions about how generously to coat the bacon. The result was VERY sticky. People (including me) wanted to like this, but it was too treacherous. I am sure there is a way to achieve the desired effect without endangering my guests’ fillings. I will try again before I publish a rating. Stay tuned.

#149 Jasmine Tea Rice, 2006 (p. 361) A revelation! The texture was amazingly fluffy and moist. The flavor was subtle but satisfying. It paired beautifully with the mango chutney chicken on page 495. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#150 Chicken Roasted with Sour Cream, Lemon Juice and Mango Chutney, 2001 (p. 495) For this, I used 1 pound of thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast with excellent results. We enjoyed this with Jasmine Tea Rice (above) and a simple salad. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5

#151 Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins, 1987 (p. 670) This is our new go-to muffin recipe. Smashing the blueberries is brilliant. A perfect recipe! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#152 Eli Zabar’s Egg Salad Sandwich, 2011 (p. 398) I am something of an egg salad snob, and this is one of the best I’ve had. The dill was perfect. It is best eaten right away. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#153 Clementine’s Tuna Macaroni Salad, 2006 (p. 455) This is magical stuff. I have already made it at least 3 times for different occasions and it was devoured quickly every time. The cornichons and chow-chow are brilliant additions. I am thinking of adding hard-boiled egg whites to future versions. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#154 Chicken Wings with Oyster Sauce, 1979 (p. 475) Chicken wings are not my thing, but even the wing-lovers around here agreed that these were not great. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5

#155 Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots, 2006 (p. 200) This was just OK as a salad, but I was inspired to try it as a vegetarian entree by mixing the eggplant and dressing with brown rice. This produced a flavorful and comforting – if somewhat visually underwhelming – concoction. The dressing was delicious and could definitely be put to other uses. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#156 Charlie Bird’s Farrro Salad, 2013 (p. 201) This was a satisfying and surprising side that transcends seasons. Since I cannot eat pistachios, I made half with (for the purposes of science) and half without (to avoid hospitalization). Both were very good! Next time I will try substituting pine nuts so that we can all eat the same thing. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#157 Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts, 1985 (p. 328) This was an excellent – and pretty quick – weeknight side dish. We enjoyed it with Flattened Chicken. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#158 Flattened Chicken Thighs with Roasted Lemon Slices, 2016 (p. 515) This was a fun one! I make a half batch and was pleasanlty surprised at how easy it was. The recipe looks intimidating, but that’s moslty because it is very clear and exact. Many of the steps can be (and were) done ahead of time. This paired well with Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#159 Butter Chicken, 2014 (p. 514) This one did not come out the way I had hoped (sorry, Book Squad). The sauce was very good, but the chicken itself was a bit rubbery. The recipe is vague on the question of whether to reomove the chicken skin. Looking back, I’m convinced I should have removed it. I will give this one another try, but for now I’m giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#160 Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese, 1987 (p. 480) I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of excellent weeknight dinners we have enjoyed from this collection. This is recipe is one of the best. Solid recipe that pleased everyone. It took a bit longer to cook than was indicated. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#161 An Incredible Date Nut Bread, 1977 (p. 703) Simple, delicious and very satisfying. The outside is wonderfully crispy. It literally melts in the mouth! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#162 Baked Chickpeas, 1999 (p. 295) We had these as a side dish with steak they were delicious. Then they were delicious the next day on a salad. We soaked the beans for more than 24 hours, baked them covered for 50 minutes and then uncovered for another 10-15. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#163 Chifonnade Salad, 1898 (p. 171) I was not able to find curly endive or decent roma tomatoes at my grocery store, so I substituted baby arugula and quartered grape tomatoes with good result. The old-timely dressing technique was new to me, but it produced a rich and delicious dressing that really pulled this all together. I am looking forward to pulling this one out again. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#164 The Cuke, 2006 (p. 38) Easy-to-make, refreshing, potent. Everything I like in a cocktail. I predicit this will be making many future appearances. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#165 Beet Tzatziki, 2006 (p. 88) You should make this to experience it’s outrageous pinkness if for no other reason. Luckily, it tastes good too. I served it with multi-grain crackers, but it would work well with other dippable things. It was a very nice starter on a summer night. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#166 Via Carota’s Insalata Verde, 2019 (p. 205) I loved this dressing! The large leaves make an impression, but were kind of intimidating to eat. Also, it was a challenge to obtain all of the various lettuces called for. I liked the simplicity of the salad and the fact that I could prep all the parts ahead of time. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#167 Jean Yves Legarve’s Spaghetti with Lemon and Aparagus Sauce, 1986 (p. 329) This is light and summery and makes more than the recipe indicates. Practically perfect in every way. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#168 Eggplant Involtini, 2003 (p. 256) This is one of those dishes that seems intimidating (at least to me), but that is made completely managageable by a well-written recipe. It came together easily and was delicious and fancy-feeling. I can’t wait to make (eat) this again! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#169 Dick Taeuber’s Cordial Pie, 1975 (p. 874) I just lover the story and the idea behind this pie, which reminds us that any good recipe is just a formula that we can creatively alter if we understand the underlying ratios. I attempted the chocolate-mint version of this, learning in the process that 70’s style liqueurs are not easy to find. The filling did not thicken much. on the stove, to the point where i feared the thing would not come together at all. As I result I semi-abandoned it in the fridge only to discover that it had semi-solidified. I rescued it just in time, although unfortunately there were a few lumps as a result of my negligence. If you attempt this one, do heed the warning about leaving it in the fridge too long. The finished product was strange and boozy – which is not completely bad.

#170 Strawberry Ice Cream, 1941 (p. 774) Just. Excellent. Fresh, creamy and easy to make! I’m finally feeling good about buying that ice cream machine. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#171 World’s Best Chocolate Cake, 2017 (p. 840) While this was a perfectly good cake, I can’t say that it lived up to it’s hyperbolic name. I used bittersweet chocolate and made the ganache. It was devoured enthusiastically and made a lovely birthday/ Father’s Day dessert. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#172 Slow Cooker Pork Tacos with Hoisin and Ginger, 2015 (p. 606) The meat is very good, but the slaw is the star of this one! It made a tasty, unconventionally-seasoned taco dinner and – as suggested -rice bowls for lunch the next day. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#173 Cucumber-Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes and Scallions, 1993 (p. 70) The taste was great for a dip, but the consistency was more like a salad dressing. I am inclined to follow Hesser’s advice and use it that way with a romaine salad. Even after chilling the “dip” was still very runny. I would rate the flavor as a 5 and the consistency 2.5. for an average of ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 (6/16)

NYTCB Project January 2023: Launching Year 2

So many sticky notes! … And after a year there are quite a few sticky pages as well.

Maybe it’s because I am still riding the new-year energy, but I am happy to be posting just a month’s worth of recipes this time. Having reflected on the first year, I have decided to make my goal a more manageable minimum of 3 new recipes per week. We were away for a week in January, so we only managed 9 this month. Hopefully, it will average up over the course of the year. I also hope to post at least once a month. We’ll see how that goes!

I am grateful for the interest so many have shown in this project. As promised, here are some reflections as we head into the second year of this adventure:

On the book itself: I continue to be awestruck by the time, energy, and expertise Hesser and her team brought to bear. I am so grateful to them for bringing this book into the world. One of the reasons I chose this book is that it represents the work of many, many chefs, cooks, and recipe-writers, many of them non-professionals. That, and the fact that the age of the recipes spans more than a century, makes this an extremely eclectic and varied collection. This variety comes with challenges. Despite Hesser’s extensive editing, recipes are inconsistent in their level of specificity. Many recipes use terms like “small” or “large” in lieu of measurements. Words like “thick” (how thick?) and “cooked” (how cooked?) have generated some anxiety. I am a pretty experienced cook, so I have managed, but I think this presents some unnecessary difficulty for beginners. The lack of photos is a blessing and a curse. The book is huge as it is. Adding a lot of photos would have made it unmanageable (and unliftable!) However, there have been times when I wished I had a visual for reference. Overall, I am still in love with this amazing volume, even if I find myself talking back to it sometimes. It truly contains multitudes.

Stuff we have purchased: I have had some questions about what, if anything, we have had to buy especially for the project. The short answer is “a lot”. Here is a partial list:

• an ice cream maker
• a mandoline
• 2 kinds of special mustard
• a lifetime supply of juniper berries
• a pastry cutter (and then I found the one I had taken when we cleaned out my mom’s house, so if you need one I have an extra)
• several cake pans, a cake “keeper”, an offset icing knife, and a package of cake testers ( I have spent my life until now avoiding cake-baking)
• 2 frozen rabbits
• 4 kinds of olive oil
• a food mill
• a metal “kitchen” ruler
• a coffee grinder that I use just for spices
• an unreasonably large jar of Chinese sesame paste
• quark (look it up)
• a panini press
• 3 kinds of olives I had never heard of
• soooo. much. butter.

I’m sure that list will continue to grow. In the meantime, here are the recipes we made for the first time in January. As always, I am indebted to my numerous, often involuntary, tasters. Stay warm and happy cooking!

#124 Warm Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese and Capers, 1990 (p. 181) This is my favorite kind of recipe: Quick to make, but complex, interesting, and delicious. It is notable that everyone in the family went for seconds – not the norm around here for cabbage-based dishes. It is excellent warm, but also very good cold the next day. I will make this again (and again) Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#125 Cauliflower Soup with Cremini Mushrooms and Walnut Oil, 2001 (p. 147) This simple soup was flavorful and satisfying, if not very visually appealing. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5

#126 Black Bean Soup with Salsa, 1987 (p. 129) This soup had amazing flavor, inspiring SAH to deem it “heavenly”. In the book, this soup is paired with the Jalepeno Corn Bread Muffins we made back in December. While we didn’t make the two together this time, I would definitely do so in the future. They would complement each other very well. This soup has much to recommend it, but it had a huge amount of liquid, which made the consistency a bit strange. I double-checked the recipe to make sure I had used the right amount. We ended up draining off a good deal of the broth to use as cooking liquid for rice. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#127 Pumpkin-Black Bean Soup, 1986 (p. 127) It’s true! We love black bean soup around here. This recipe did not disappoint. In contrast with #126 the texture is thicker and “softer” and the flavor profile is less traditional. Despite the fact that the pumpkin gets top billing, it is very much in the background. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#128 Georgia Pecan Turkey Salad, 1998 (p.487) This was an excellent way to use the leftover Turkey breast we’ve had hanging around in the freezer since Thanksgiving. It was tasty and fun, more so because the combination of sweet pickle relish and celery salt reminds me of the way my mom used to make tuna salad. This was delicious on freshly baked buttermilk biscuits. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#129 Old South Buttermilk Biscuits, 1949 (p. 698) This recipe had me asking myself (out loud), “Why don’t I make homemade biscuits more often?” These were crispy on the outside and wonderfully soft and flaky on the inside. Yum! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#130 White Bark Balls, 2007 (p. 755) These were a bit of a disappointment, both in terms of how the recipe was written and how they turned out. Don’t get me wrong, the combo of Rice Krispies, peanut butter, and white chocolate could not be all that bad, but tthe flavor and texture were blander than expected. Also, despite the fact that I made them the exact size specified (I used the ruler referenced above.), the recipe yielded only 20 balls. If I make this again (and I might…) I will attempt to make them smaller, which will almost certainly improve the overall result. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#131 Marina Anagnostou’s Spanakopetes (Spinach Triangles), 1978 (p. 64) and #132 Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Lemon–Thyme Vinaigrette, 1993 (p. 291) I paired these as a vegetarian dinner for my patient and supportive book group. We had read Call me Athena: Girl from Detroit by Colby Cedar Smith, so I was going for a Greek-ish theme. Both dishes were tasty and satisfying without being too heavy. I still don’t love working with phyllo dough, but the instructions for the spinach triangles were excellent and the result was visually pleasing as well as delicious. The lentil salad serves more than the recipe indicates. I have since doubled it and taken it to a potluck for 30 people. Overall rating for both: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5