This week, Lara Gilmore joins me to discuss Slow Food, Fast Cars, the latest book from her and her husband, chef Mossimo Bottura. The book tells the story—through photography, essays, and of course recipes—of Casa Maria Luigia, the boutique inn (albergo) opened by Lara and Mossimo in 2019. Once here, a restored 18th-century villa offers a dozen guest rooms, uniquely decorated with art from Lara & Massimo’s personal collection. From there, the property unfolds: meticulously landscaped...

Episode 166: James Park This week, James Park joins us to discuss his first cookbook, Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings. James is a seasoned recipe developer and food writer who has been published in outlets including Eater, Food52, BuzzFeed, and Chowhound. After moving from Korea to the American South when he was 13, James began to navigate two cultural identities and continued to turn to food as a medium. And unless you’ve been living under a rock,...

Well, hello there! It’s been a minute. The Salt + Spine team has been busy taking some much-needed rest—and, of course, planning for an inspiring year ahead. What’s in store? Amazing podcast episodes, naturally, and all the typical goods: exclusive recipes, cookbook giveaways, and behind-the-spine content you won’t find anywhere else. But there’s more brewing. Big stuff! I can’t spill all the beans yet—but stay tuned for a cookbook lover’s dream, coming this summer. Woo! I hope your 2024 is...

Hi there, I hope those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a relaxing and delicious moment of gratitude. Or maybe you went hard like I did? By the way: I’m so thankful for all of you, the Salt + Spine community. After six years, it’s incredible to continue to hear from you all—what you’re cooking, something in our interviews that stood out to you, and getting the chance to meet you at our events and live shows. 🍪 COOKIE SWAP! Speaking of events… our annual Cookie Swap is just around the...

Hi there. First today: We’re remembering beloved photographer Aubrie Pick, who tragically passed away last week after a battle with cancer. Aubrie’s work was stunning and personal, and she was a visionary creative force in the Bay Area. Elana Kadvany writes in the San Francisco Chronicle: Pick’s images — vibrant and charismatic, like the photographer herself, collaborators said — have left an indelible mark on the national food scene, and particularly in the Bay Area. Pick photographed...

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Hi, long time! Phew, October is always the wildest cookbook month—it’s even officially dubbed National Cookbook Month—and we’ve been a bit quiet around here. With two little ones running around the house, germs have been rampant, and my voice just hasn’t been cooperating. So we’re catching back after falling a bit behind on our fall release schedule and thrilled to share today’s chat with Hetty Lui McKinnon with all of you. And now, somehow, it’s Oct. 31 - Halloween! I’m a sucker for anything...

Hi there, happy Thursday! We’ve got a great chat with Smitten Kitchen herself (aka Deb Perelman) this week, so let’s cut right to it: Episode 161: Deb Perelman In this week’s episode, of and I discuss: * Her initial foray into blogging—from her short stint chronicling her dating life in New York City and shifting the focus to cooking; * How she approaches cookbook writing, from her initial reluctance to write a cookbook to what makes “keeper recipes;” * Where she finds inspiration,...

Happy Friday folks! This week’s episode is a wee bit late because it’s a live show (!!!) which means the audio gave us a slight technical run-around. But it’s a fun one, for sure, in which we chat with Katie Parla in front of a live audience at our beloved Omnivore Books in San Francisco. First — last week, I shared the New York Times profile of B. Dylan Hollis, and this week the NYT is back (via Salt + Spine friend Priya Krishna) with a full feature on TikTok stars and how they’re changing...

Hi there, fellow cookbook lover. I’m here with great news: We’rrrreeee bacccckkkkk, baby! Season 13 (but who’s counting?) of Salt + Spine starts right here, and we’ve got an awesome line-up of conversations headed your way this fall. Plus, loads of new featured recipes, bonus content, events, and more. We’ve got Deb Perelman. Dan Pelosi. Katie Parla. Hetty McKinnon. AND MORE! Like I said, “we’re bacccccckkkk, baby!” If you’re not yet a paid subscriber to Salt + Spine, I’d love to extend a...

Episode 158: Vicky Bennison In this week’s episode, Vicky and I discuss: * Growing up for several years on a farm in Kenya, where her father was working in agricultural development, and how she formed a relationship with food at an early age; * Her nearly-decade-long project, Pasta Grannies, to document the time-honored techniques and recipes passed down through generations of nonnas, the Italian grandmothers; * The diversity of regional pasta and cooking styles around Italy, and the stories...

Episode 157: Noah Galuten In this week’s episode, Noah and I discuss: * His early interest in both food television (Lidia Bastianich, Ming Tsai) and cookbooks (Marcella Hazan, Edna Lewis), * How he fell into opening up new locations of Bludso’s BBQ and then teaming up with Kevin Bludso to co-author Bludso's BBQ Cookbook: A Family Affair in Smoke and Soul … and then with chef Jeremy Fox to write On Vegetables: Modern Recipes for the Home Kitchen, * The pandemic-inspired “Don’t Panic Pantry”...

This week, Maren Ellingboe King joins us to #TalkCookbooks. But first… In today’s episode, Maren and I discuss: * How her upbringing in the Midwest influenced her decision to pursue a career in food. * Her work at food media outlets like Food & Wine and Sunset magazine as well as culinary events companies like Just Add Salt. * The inspiration behind her first cookbook, Fresh Midwest, including how a collection of family recipes compelled her to tackle the project. Plus, as always, we put...

The Chat! In today’s episode, Danny Bowien and I discuss: * Growing up in Oklahoma after being adopted from his birthplace of South Korea, and a lingering nostalgia for Olive Garden. * His journey to becoming a chef, from an early job at a pizza shop to culinary school to winning the Genova Pesto World Championship. * The process of opening Mission Chinese Food and how he handled being catapulted to a new level of fame. * The inspiration behind his latest cookbook, Mission Vegan, and some of...

Hi there! Our Spring 2023 season of the Salt + Spine podcast kicks off right here, right now, with a marvelous returning guest: the delightful Claire Saffitz. In today’s episode, Claire and I discuss: * How she’s worked to create dessert recipes that speak to everyone—from sweet to tart, simple to complex. * The impact of the pandemic on her creative process as she embarked on writing book No. 2, What’s for Dessert. * Which cookbook authors inspire Claire, and which books she turns to time...

Episode 153: Uliks Fehmiu Uliks Fehmiu is a co-founder of the beloved bakery Pain D’Avignon, which sprang up on Cape Cod over three decades ago. But the story of the bakery begins back in Uliks’ childhood and his early friendships in war-torn Belgrade. What Uliks calls an “improbable journey into baking” is shared, for the first time in this format, with his recent cookbook: The Pain d'Avignon Baking Book: A War, An Unlikely Bakery, and a Master Class in Bread. The book offers an in-person...

Episode 152: Maya-Camille Broussard Maya-Camille is the creative force behind Justice of the Pies, her Chicago bakery that’s become known for inventive and unmatched flavors (Lemon Espresso Pie … Blue Cheese Praline Pear Pie … and so on). Much of Maya-Camille’s work traces back to her roots, with a significant influence from her father, the self-dubbed “Pie Master,” who worked as a criminal defense attorney by day. As with many family stories, Maya-Camille’s is complex and dotted with both...

Hi there, today we’re excited to release the fifth episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Thanks for your patience, as our team was under the weather! Today’s guest is Brian Noyes, whose latest cookbook is The Red Truck Bakery Farmhouse Cookbook. For all of December, we’ll be celebrating some of the year’s best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on! * Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who...

Hi there, today we’re excited to release the fourth episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Today’s guest is Laurel Kratochvila, whose debut cookbook, New European Baking, is out now. For all of December, we’ll be celebrating some of the year’s best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on! * Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too: Episode 150: Laurel...

Hi there, today we’re excited to release the third episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Today’s guest is Erin Jeanne McDowell, whose latest cookbook, Savory Baking, is out now. For all of December, we’ll be celebrating some of the year’s best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on! * Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too: Episode 149: Erin Jeanne...

Hi there, today we’re excited to release the second episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Today’s guest is Brian Levy, whose sugar-free baking book, Good & Sweet, is out now. For all of December, we’ll be celebrating some of the year’s best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on! * Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too: Episode 148: Brian...

It’s our annual Baking Month, and we’re kicking things off with some return guests! Back on the show today are Rose Levy Beranbaum and her collaborator-turned-hubby Woody Wolston. They’re joining Brian in-studio to talk about their latest work, The Cookie Bible. Episode 147: Rose Levy Beranbaum Rose likely needs no introduction to those in the cookbook world. But here’s what you need to know: * She published the ground-breaking The Cake Bible in 1988, changing how many home and professional...

Hi there, exciting show for you this week. Melissa Clark, one of the most prolific cookbook writers of the modern era, joins us. Read on! * Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too: Episode 146: Melissa Clark This week, Melissa Clark joins us to #TalkCookbooks! When we launched Salt + Spine, I wrote a short list of our dream guests — the cookbook authors who, at the time, I felt were pushing the industry in new...

Hi there! After a short break last week, we’re back with new episodes and bonus content for subscribers. This week, cookbook author Odette Williams joined us in our studio at The Civic Kitchen in San Francisco to talk pasta. * Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too: Episode 145: Odette Williams This week, Odette Williams joins us on Salt + Spine to #TalkCookbooks! Odette was an actor long before she started...