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One of the very best parts of my job as food direc

One of the very best parts of my job as food director @real_simple is that I get a sneak preview of all the new cookbooks! (I 💜💜💜 cookbooks.) For our October issue I looked through dozens of new books and chose recipes from six that I’m super excited about:

• Lemonade Fried Chicken from Homage by @chefchris512
• Sesame-Crusted Tofu with Spicy Dipping Sauce from The Woks of Life by @thewoksoflife
• Punjabi Cauliflower from Masala by Anita Jaisinghani
• Savory Baked Feta from The Mediterranean Dish by @themediterraneandish
• Ham and Potato Pizza from Home Is Where the Eggs Are by @mollyyeh
• Plum Cake from Honey Cake & Latkes

All of these books are fantastic, full of delicious recipes and eye-opening, world-expanding stories. PLUS, in this feature we also hear from @champagneandcookies all about Instagram cookbook clubs, one of my favorite recent discoveries. Also mentioned: @piastromexicankitchen and @rainydaybites

What fall cookbook are you excited about? Let me know! 👇

Photo: @nothinginpassing
Food Styling: @chelseaczimmer
Prop Styling: @cspollen

#cookbookclub #cookbook #cookbooks #cookbooksofinstagram

☘️ Ireland highlight reel! I spent four nights

☘️ Ireland highlight reel! I spent four nights on the Emerald Isle last week with five other editors/content creators courtesy of @kerrygoldusa. We visited picturesque family-run dairy farms, petted week-old calves, learned about Irish food from a few of the nation’s most celebrated chefs, got an inside look at how the famous Cashel Blue cheese is made, and generally ate ourselves silly. A few key takeaways:

1. Ireland’s climate supports beautiful rolling grassland, which in turn supports the nation’s family-run dairy farms. Their cows primarily eat grass, grazing for most of the year in impossibly pretty environments. I tasted raw milk for the first time, and it was creamy and delicious.
2. Americans tend to think of Irish food as potatoes, cabbage, and stew. But, the better frame is farm-to-table/sea-to-table.
3. Local means REALLY local. When I asked a cheesemaker if all of the milk they use is local, he said, “Mostly, but some is from about 25 miles away.”
4. It’s not all Guinness and whiskey all the time. We tasted spectacular gin @berthasrevenge (the crabapple was my favorite), and my gin martini @ballymaloe_house was luscious.
5. Irish pub bands are the best.
6. Someday when I get rich I am going to move in @ballyvolanehouse.

So many thank yous are in order:

- To my traveling companions for making this trip so fun @ivyodom @justinchapple @justine_snacks @momentsofsugar @pierceabernathy
- To all the chefs, farmers, and producers for taking the time to share their expertise with us, including @cashelfarmhousecheese @paulflynnchef @ballymaloecookeryschool @darina_allen @rorysfood @jrryall
- To @ali_vinci and @saulers15 for making everything run so smoothly (and being super fun!) and, of course, to @kerrygoldusa for organizing this special trip!

#kerrygoldadventures #irelandtravel #irishfood #instaireland

Blackberry semifreddo @thetanneryrestaurant ➡️

Blackberry semifreddo @thetanneryrestaurant ➡️ Before we eat the semifreddo, this is what we all do ➡️ Chef Paul Flynn brûléeing the meringue ➡️ Partially eaten, thoroughly enjoyed

It was day 2 of our lovely and delicious @kerrygoldusa trip in Ireland! More photos in Stories!

#irelandtravel #irelandfood

🎂 Happy book birthday to Bare Minimum Dinners!

🎂 Happy book birthday to Bare Minimum Dinners! It has been so much fun sharing these easy and delicious dinners! Thank you to everyone who published or shared a recipe, bought the book, checked it out from the library, and helped spread the word!

It’s a busy time for my family, so we’re eating a bare minimum dinner every night this week and enjoying every bite. To de-stress your weeknights, grab your own copy. Link in bio! 💕

#cookbooks #easydinners #quickandeasymeals

I am allll about the dinner salad these days, and

I am allll about the dinner salad these days, and if you are too, I've got you with these six beauties I developed for the September issue of @real_simple. Get the recipes at the link in my Stories!

• BLT Salad
• Peanutty Dumpling Salad
• Sweet Chili Salmon Salad
• Chicken Tortilla Crunch Salad
• Antipasto Salad
• End-of-Summer Salad

Photos: @protazio
Food styling: @emilynaborshall
Prop styling: @cspollen

#saladrecipe #salads #healthyrecipes #easydinners

Yes, this is a full-time fig appreciation account

Yes, this is a full-time fig appreciation account now. Ricotta + figs + olive oil + hot honey + sea salt = breakfast or lunch

@cafigs #toast #figtoast #figs

Thank you @cafigs! I can’t wait to get cooking (

Thank you @cafigs! I can’t wait to get cooking (and eating).

#cafigs

We mostly eat in when we visit Dave’s parents in

We mostly eat in when we visit Dave’s parents in Montreal (and lucky us when we do), but we snuck in some deliciousness outside the house this time too. In order:

• Baked Alaska @bargeorgemtl. Thanks for taking us there @lorettacianci
• Le Plateau de Jerusalem @restaurantbloomfield. 😘 @laetitiacaporicci
• The obligatory stop @stviateurbagel
• Afternoon café @cafeolimpico
• Salad and raspberry limeades @olive_et_gourmando (I also bought their cookbook!)
• @marchejeantalon
• Tacos @mazorca.mtl. One of these was smoked tofu with sauerkraut and caraway, which may sound odd, but was so so good

All in all, a tasty week! I’m very glad I married someone from Montreal 😊.

#montrealfood #mtlfood #mtlresto

Move over Dirty Shirley. This is the drink of the

Move over Dirty Shirley. This is the drink of the summer.

#wine #summerdrinks #drinklikeanitalian

🥑 Avocado Milkshake! Here’s a delicious way t

🥑 Avocado Milkshake! Here’s a delicious way to cool off: a four ingredient treat that can easily be non-dairy. Just swap in plant-based coconut ice cream. While it may sound unusual to eat avocado with ice cream, trust me, they’re a perfect pair! The avo adds extra creaminess to the shake and really no flavor.

This recipe is from one of my first cookbooks, Smoothie-licious, and it’s one of my absolute faves. So creamy and delicious! Just a note: this is definitely dessert, not breakfast. Although, in this heat, who am I to judge?

#nondairy #milkshake #avocadorecipes #avocado🥑 #icecream