Make: Milk Street Recipes
Image: PBS
When it comes to cooking I’m a late bloomer. If I lived by myself — no husband, no child — I’d likely be forever dormant, alive but not growing. One of the things I’m laziest about is eating — not the act of, but the preparation. So lazy am I that even fast food is effort. I’m a grabber, and proximity is important. I will eat chips, plain tortillas, a cookie and call it done, fueled by just enough processed garbage to make my stomach stop growling. I don’t like the way I’m designed. I’ve always romanticized the act of cooking, envied cultures with foods tied to tradition, and longed to connect with others via their stomachs.
I’d love to say that my newly planted stakes in the kitchen is my attempt to forcibly fill that culinary void, an ignited nurturing instinct or a desire to take better care of myself, but it’s honestly been more about controlling timelines and wanting to be an equal contributor. Hi, I’m an impatient control freak with guilt issues.
I tell you what though. Despite what brought me here I’m finding there are some surprise benefits, and it’s dare I say fun. It helps to have good resources, and in my case that is limiting it to a single source of scrumptious spells. My mother-in-law gifted me with a Milk Street cookbook for Christmas, and it truly is the gift that keeps on giving. The recipes are easy to follow, don’t take a long time to prepare, and taste amazing (there are no duds). I have discovered that I have a clear preference for Asian flavors and spice, which somehow I didn’t quite know but is evident in all the things I bookmark and make.
In making I feel a bit remade myself. I now look forward to menu planning. I have tried and subsequently embraced foods and flavors that if I didn’t directly have a hand in might otherwise avoid like the 5 year old I am deep inside. And I set a better example for my daughter. It takes me a bit longer than it should to cut, prune, dice, and I get a little manic making more than two dishes at once. Even so I am empowered, more capable and eager to learn more. I get the whole invest in yourself pays dividends thing, but this was a nested part of myself I didn’t think could be unlocked.
Make This: In addition to their cookbooks and TV show, Milk Street has a website with tons and tons of recipes. Many are behind a paywall (I did spend $1 to get a trial membership), but they do also offer weekly free recipes. They post updates on Instagram. Here are a few of my favorites that you can view / download as a PDF right here.