It's simple, genius. Kristen Miglore returns with her latest, Simply Genius

Salt & Spine

Hi there! This week’s episode is coming to you a bit later than normal, as I’ve been under the weather fighting what feels like my 47th sinus infection over the last few years. Thankfully, we recorded this chat with the wonderful Kristen Miglore several weeks ago—with both a live audience and a non-nasally host. That said, we’ve got a great show for you: Kristen is back for the second time on the pod, this time sharing a new batch of Genius tips and tricks (and hacks, if you will). Plus, recipes and tons of new cookbook releases this week. 🎃 Read on, if you dare!

* 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 143: Kristen Miglore

This week, Kristen Miglore returns to Salt + Spine to #TalkCookbooks!

As the first hire and Founding Editor at Food52, Kristen went on to become Creative Director for the brand before shifting her focus solely to the Genius vertical, for which she writes a Genius Recipes column and has now produced three Genius cookbooks. (We first welcomed Kristen to our studio back in 2018 to discuss her book, Genius Desserts.) For more than a decade, Kristen has been unearthing the best Genius tips and tricks from chefs, cookbook authors, and home cooks.

After studying economics in college, she reset her sights on food media. And throughout her career, she’s been drawn back to this desire that’s at the heart of Genius: helping home cooks tackle dinner (and the rest of the day).

So it only makes sense that her latest cookbook takes that idea to its simplest form yet. Titled Simply Genius: Recipes for Beginners, Busy Cooks & Curious People, it brings together 100+ of the simplest, most Genius recipes yet.

And you’re tuning in for a special one: Today’s episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Omnivore Books in San Francisco. We’ve got a great chat with Kristen about home cooking, what she learned during the pandemic (and becoming a parent), and our course putting her to the test in our signature culinary game.

Bonus Content + Recipes This Week

This week, paid subscribers will receive two featured recipes from Kristen Miglore’s Simply Genius—Jenné Claiborne’s Tahini Pistachio Granola and a Chickpea Soccata with Tomatoes & Kale from Ria Dolly Barbosa. How good do these look:

Also coming shortly to subscribers’ inboxes: the next installment of our Q&As with cookbook shops—and this week, our producer Clea Wurster is chatting with our dear friend Celia Sack from Omnivore Books in San Francisco.

Get all our bonus content—and our full archive of hundreds of exclusive recipes—by becoming a paid subscriber today:

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. To get full access to our exclusive content and featured recipes, and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This Week’s New Cookbook Releases

Holy buckets it’s a big week of new cookbook and food book releases! Here are a few (a lot) of the new cookbooks we’re eyeing on shelves this week:

* Go-To Dinners by Ina Garten

* Tanya Holland’s California Soul: Recipes from a Culinary Journey West by Tanya Holland

* Delectable: Sweet & Savory Baking by Claudia Fleming with Catherine Young

* Ghetto Gastro Presents Black Power Kitchen by Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao & Lester Walker with Osayi Endolyn

* First Generation: Recipes from My Taiwanese-American Home by Frankie Gaw

* The Way Home: A Celebration of Sea Islands Food and Family with over 100 Recipes by Kardea Brown

* Baking by Feel: Recipes to Sort Out Your Emotions (Whatever They Are Today!) by Becca Rea-Tucker

* Milk Street: Cook What You Have: Make a Meal Out of Almost Anything by Christopher Kimball

* Listen To Your Vegetables: Italian-Inspired Recipes for Every Season by Sarah Grueneberg

* Oren: A Personal Collection of Recipes and Stories from Tel Aviv by Oded Oren

* The Miracle of Salt: Recipes and Techniques to Preserve, Ferment, and Transform Your Food by Naomi Duguid

* Love to Eat: 75 Easy, Craveworthy Recipes for Healthy, Intuitive Eating by Nicole Keshishian Modic

* Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day: Easy Recipes to Bake Through a Busy Week by Gemma Stafford

* Ballymaloe Desserts, Iconic Recipes and Stories from Ireland: Featuring Home-Baked Cakes, Cookies, Pastries, Puddings, and Other Sensational Sweets by Jr. Ryall

* The Hachland Hill Cookbook by Carter Hach

* The Whole Duck: Inspired Recipes from Chefs, Butchers, and the Family at Liberty Ducks by Jennifer Reichardt

* The Apricot Lane Farms Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from the Biggest Little Farm by Molly Chester and Sarah Owens

* Dynamite Kids Cooking School: Delicious Recipes That Teach All the Skills You Need by Dana Bowen and Sara Kate Gillingham

* The Instant Kitchen Cookbook: Fast and Easy Family Meals Using Your Instant Pot and Air Fryer by Coco Morante

* Cooking with Whey: A Cheesemaker's Guide to Using Whey in Probiotic Drinks, Savory Dishes, Sweet Treats, and More by Claudia Lucero

* Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em from the Award-Winning Bar by Neal Bodenheimer and Emily Timberlake

* Cheers to Today: 365 Cocktails Because Every Day is a Holiday by Chris Vola

* The Cocktail Edit: Everything You Need to Know about How to Make All the Drinks That Matter by Alice Lascelles

* A Bartender's Guide to the World: Cocktails and Stories from 75 Places by Lauren Mote and James O. Fraioli

* Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies by Rossi Anastopoulo

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