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Hi Reader
Last week, I celebrated another year around the sun, surrounded by family, close friends, and my pets. This year, I intentionally kept things quiet, sticking to familiar routines: I enjoyed pastries from my favorite LA patisserie, Artelice, bought plants at the Huntington Library’s annual sale—I scored rare blue “peacock” colored kangaroo paws and a little banyan tree—and took half the day off.
Later, I capped off the day with dinner at Chef Dominque Crenn’s newest restaurant, Monsieur Dior, located inside the Dior store in Beverly Hills. Having experienced her food while living in the Bay Area, I was curious to see how her vegetable-forward approach would translate to this menu — I wasn’t disappointed. The collaboration between a major chef and a major fashion house had piqued my interest, especially after seeing excited, positive reviews from critics like renowned cookbook author and restaurant critic Khushbu Shah. Dinner at Monsieur Crenn felt like being seated in a garden. And it was. We were surrounded by pink roses, plants, and an open, bright blue sky that evening. We got the chef’s tasting menu, and some of my stand-out dishes from that evening were the onion tart with perfectly sweet onions, a pea and tarragon chawanmushi, a very savory agnolotti with mushrooms, and, for my “birthday cake,” I got the strawberry guava pastry - a mousse on a thin slice of cake filled with fresh mint and topped with a strawberry coulis. It was a lovely dinner, and I’d go back to see what I missed from their à la carte menu.
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On screen this week
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In The Test Kitchen - Muffins
I used to be a strictly "savory muffin" person—until this specific sweet recipe proved me wrong. In this week’s episode, we’re dissecting the blueberry to find out what actually makes it tick.
You won’t look at your morning muffin the same way again.
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THE RECIPES
The Bean Files: Everything You Need to Know
This week’s recipes are all about beans. For premium subscribers, I’ve put together my most comprehensive guide yet. Beans are one of the most useful, economical, and delicious ingredients in the kitchen, but also one of the most misunderstood. Inside, I cover dried vs. canned, why some beans never soften, the science of soaking, brining, salt, and acid, plus the techniques that make beans creamy, flavorful, and worth cooking from scratch. Also included: bean variety guides, cooking charts, and the recipes I return to most...from chole and rajma to white bean stews and dals.
If you aren't a premium subscriber, and are interested in the guide, you can access it here, a la carte: The Bean Files Guide
This week's recipe is a Chana Masala that's one of my favorites. And it's fast, so great for a weeknight meal!
I'm also finally diving into the dish I teased a few weeks ago—a vibrant, Turkish-inspired plate featuring creamy gigante beans and rich, savory Turkish pepper paste, biber salçası (this one is a bonus available to the premium crew).
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Chana Masala
This version of channa masala flips the script; no tomatoes, no gravy just tender chickpeas coated in deeply aromatic spices and brightened with tangy amchur for a punch of flavor. It’s fast, weeknight-friendly, and intensely satisfying in every bite.
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Braised Gigante Beans with Pepper Paste and Cabbage
Large gigante beans are braises with Turkish pepper paste, biber salçası to take on a smoky, sweet, and quietly bold. The cabbage turns silky, the eggplant soaks up everything, and the broth is deeply savory. It’s simple, comforting, and surprisingly complex.
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COMING UP
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Fundamentals of Flavor is available for preorder now — this one has been six years in the making and I'm genuinely proud of it. If you've been cooking with me for a while, this book is for you.
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Thanks for reading, I hope something here makes it into your kitchen this week. |
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