Hey, and happy July from Trivet. Wherever you are, we hope you’re staying cool and enjoying some of the bounty of the season.
We also want to say welcome to all the new users of Trivet Recipes, of whom there are quite a few. You reach us at an exciting time, as we’re working closer to our publishing platform for food sites, and forging ahead with our new ad network for food sites, Coaster. We hope you’ll check it out, and invite you to fill out the registration form for Coaster if being part of a network to foster community in the food blog world and, eventually, profit from a new, lightweight, tasteful display ad format is something that interests you.
High Summer Eats from Trivet Recipes
Meanwhile, Trivet Recipes is bursting like my local farmers market. You’ll find ideas there about what to cook, if you need ’em (I always do, when it gets really hot and I’m not ever sure what I’m in the mood for). Browsing the featured tags for summer and salads turns up some leads: there’s steak tagliata salad from Inside the Rustic Kitchen, bursting with fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella di bufala, and the strong flavors of anchovy and capers. It would be perfect for a dinner party, or just an indulgent weekend supper. Tofu spring rolls from What Steve Eats are equally arresting in presentation, and lower on the food chain. Stone fruit season is going strong in many places, and plum upside-down cake from Sweet and Savoury Pursuits is a sweet way to make good on it—adaptable, too, if nectarines or peaches are what you’ve got going on near you. Two-Bit Tart’s Moroccan carrot salad and Wholefully’s salad of cucumber, onion, and dill make up two low-effort, high-payoff accompaniments to any summer meal.
PS You know you can bookmark recipes when you’re logged in to your Trivet Recipes account, don’t you? Just click on the “Save” ribbon on the upper right of any recipe image. The recipes you save will be gathered within “My Collection” in the top nav.
Kate Hanhel of Paleo Low Carb Kate Answers the (Foodie) Proust Questionnaire
In this issue of the newsletter, blogger Kate Hahnel, of Paleo Low Carb Kate, answers a food-centered riff on the famous Proust Questionnaire (with my own additions to the Proustian originals set off in brackets). Kate describes her blog this way:
I share healthy paleo and low-carb recipes. I also have a gluten-free segment where I share healthy gluten-free recipes, which may not necessarily be paleo or low carb.
What do you consider your greatest [culinary] achievement? I recently baked a layered cake and it stood upright! Now, I know that this is no big deal for most people, but growing up in Africa, I did not do a lot of baking. Most homes did not even own ovens back then.
What is your idea of perfect [food] happiness? When it makes me say and feel—Oh, I certainly want to eat that again!! . . . and I am going to eat that again. I call that perfect!
What is your current state of mind? I am currently at peace. I was, however, not like this two weeks ago. Many food bloggers will tell you that it is a very stressful business. There is a lot of pressure from algorithm changes and all the demands that certain platforms require from creators. I have learned I cannot do everything at the same time; I can, however, make good food, take a good photograph of it and share it with the rest of the world hoping they will love it as much as my family and I did (or even better, develop it further)! At the end of the day, that is what matters.
What is your most treasured [kitchen] possession? My Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker for that matter).
Who is your hero of food? They are so many, I don't even know where to start. Just to give you some perspective, I am a serial recipe book buyer (this has to stop) and I binge-watch cooking shows on TV and YouTube during my free time. If I had to mention a few names, then Tayo Oredola, Carolyn Ketchum, Immaculate Adamu, and Rachel Farnsworth.
What is it that you most dislike [in food or cooking]? Cleaning up (a bit of an oxymoron because I love cooking but yeah, I don't like cleaning up)!
Which [culinary] talent would you most like to have? I really want to up my cutting skills. Make fancy cuts with the knife, perhaps show off a little while I’m at it!
If you could change one thing about yourself [as a cook or eater], what would it be? I wish I could eat runny eggs.
What is your motto [of cooking, or eating, or blogging, for that matter]? I start my day by listing all the tasks that need to be done (this is always a long list). I congratulate myself on each task achieved and also stay focused.
You can keep up with Kate at her blog, or on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. You can also view her archive of recipes at Trivet Recipes.
Bourdain on the Big Screen
If you’ve been looking for a reason to get back into a real movie theater, with seats and popcorn and other human beings, Morgan Neville’s Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain opens at theaters in the US on Friday.
Planning on going? Seen it? Share your take in the comments.