I’m not sure how often (or if) I’ll get back to posting regularly here, but I do want to share an exciting new endeavor starting this month – the Windy City Food Swap & Social! I’ve written about the Chicago Food Swap before (and it still holds a special place in my heart for introducing me to the food community in Chicago), and now I’m starting an offshoot with two friends so we can share, eat, drink, and meet more food-loving people.

We plan to meet monthly(ish) at a local brewery to swap our homemade goodies, with plenty of time to hang out, have a drink, share recipes, and generally have a good time. The part I’m most excited about (and the part that I’ve always loved most) is building a new community around sharing food.

If you’re in the Chicago area, I hope you can join us! Check out our website, join the Facebook group, or follow us on Instagram.

I bought a flat of amazingly juicy blackberries at the market a few weeks ago, and the first thing I made with them (after I managed to stop eating them straight out of the basket) was blackberry liqueur (3 parts blackberries, 2 parts vodka, 1 part brandy). This may even surpass damson plum gin as my favorite infused booze.

A week or so later, I strained out the berries and tossed them with more fresh blackberries (3 pounds of fruit total) and a cup of sugar. Smashed up the berries a bit, tried not to eat it all right then with a spoon, tossed the bowl in the fridge for another day or two. And then last night, as I was getting ready to turn it into boozy blackberry jam, remembered a bag of whole candied kumquats in my cupboard. Lightbulb.

Blackberry and orange is a relatively common combination, but the slight bitterness of the kumquats (and their teeny tiny cuteness) turned out to be a perfect match with the juicy, rich blackberries. I can’t wait to use this on a cheese plate, or, frankly, just on a spoon.

Boozy Blackberry Kumquat Jam
Makes about 5 half-pint jars
If you don’t have brandy-infused blackberries just hanging around your kitchen, no worries. Adding some brandy to the nearly finished jam will add flavor without having to wait a few weeks.

3 pounds of blackberries
1 heaping cup (about 8 ounces) sugar
1 heaping cup whole candied kumquats
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup brandy

If water-bath canning, prepare a pot of boiling water, and have jars and lids handy.

Combine the blackberries, sugar, and kumquats in a bowl. Lightly mash the berries so they release some of their juice. Cook immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 days.

In a large, wide pot, add the blackberry-kumquat mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the jam begins to thicken and the kumquats start to soften. Turn the heat down to low.

If you don’t want too many blackberry seeds, scoop out about half of berries into a mesh strainer or food mill set over a bowl. Press the blackberries through the strainer and discard the seeds; add the puree back to the pot.

Pick the kumquats out of the pot (they should be pretty easy to spot) and chop them (I cut half into thin slices and chopped the rest into small pieces). Add them back to the pot, along with the brandy and lemon juice.

Continue cooking the jam until it’s thick and coats the back of spoon. You may also start to hear the jam sizzle when you stir. Taste, add a bit more lemon juice or brandy if needed, and that’s it.

For canning, ladle jam into jars (I like 4 ounce jars) leaving 1/4 headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Yep, in July I left my job in communications at Northwestern University, where I worked for 10 years, and next week will start a new job managing the community cooking school for Peterson Garden Project. This is about as close as it gets to a dream job–working with people who are as passionate as I am about teaching the value of good food and building relationships and community around a shared meal. It makes my soul happy.

And, with timing that seems fated, I spent last weekend immersed in the amazing-ness that is Chef Camp with the Spence Farm Foundation learning not just the how’s of sustainable farming and food production, but–more important to me–the why’s. I’m still somewhat overwhelmed and trying to process all that I learned in two very short (and very long) days from incredible teachers, including my fellow campers, but to say I’m inspired is putting it mildly.

I don’t think I would be at this point–feeling so full of purpose and having found a productive outlet for my passion–if I hadn’t started this blog four years ago. And I wouldn’t have kept at it without the support from you, for which all I can say is a most heartfelt thank you.

The blog isn’t going anywhere, though! I still have a summer’s-worth of stuff I want to share, but in the meantime here are a few of the highlights in pictures.

Of the many (many, many) things I love about not-winter, aka May through October, in Chicago, finally getting fresh produce and kitchen inspiration from the farmers market is just about at the top of my list, not far behind dinner on my porch, lunch on the beach, snacks in the park….basically anything food+outdoors.

That’s one of the reasons I was so excited to try the Green City Market Cookbook for June’s cookbook club meeting. I bought this book from one of Chicago’s most iconic farmers markets when it first came out, but honestly only made a dish or two before it fell off my radar and sat, sadly neglected, on my bookshelf. The other reason I was excited to pick this book? Perfect excuse for a field trip.

I could write a whole post just about Chicago-area farmer’s markets, but I’ll (attempt to) summarize my two favorites:

Green City Market has some of the best of everything Chicago has to offer when it comes to food, from the produce (obviously) and the food vendors (yes always to Nomad Pizza, Cookies and Carnitas, Co-op Hot Sauce, and Italian cider doughnuts, please) to the location smack in the middle of Lincoln Park.

It’s my favorite market to take out-of-town guests and show off the food of my adopted city, or to bring friends for some shopping and brunch. Oh, and I go to Green City Market for the cheese (Prairie Fruits Farms is my favorite).

That said, nearly every Saturday morning from spring through fall, I head north to the downtown Evanston farmer’s market to stock my fridge.

Not quite as picturesque as Green City, but it has everything I want: a favorite fruit stand (which I will forever be grateful to for introducing me to damson plums), a handful of go-to vegetable vendors (my 10-for-$1 zucchini/pepper/eggplant/cucumber guy in mid-summer, Theresa’s and Henry’s for some of the best vegetable plants–and best vegetables–anywhere); a honey guy, a favorite bread lady. amazing empanadas for when I need a shopping snack… It also feels less packed than the city market with fewer double-wide strollers and no dogs–and you can’t beat free parking.

So, a week before our dinner, a few of us got up bright and early for a trip to the Green City Market (and, a few weeks later, the Evanston market) for inspiration and…let’s call it “research.”

After wandering the market, picking up a few provisions, we all left sufficiently inspired (and stuffed). With the fifteen dishes that we made, we ended up with a nearly vegetarian (two dishes with fish and one killer brisket) feast:

Strawberry jam with balsamic, rosemary, and basil–It’s almost unimaginable to have a cookbook of recipes inspired by the farmer’s market and not have a great jam recipe. I loved this take on traditional strawberry jam since it uses two of my favorite summer herbs and was a perfect complement to a cheese plate.

Watermelon, Arugula & Feta Salad–The sweet/salty combination of feta and watermelon isn’t new, but I loved the addition of bitter arugula. I usually see a version of this salad with mint, but, not being a huge mint fan (I think it tends to overpower everything else), I love this variation.

Tilapia Ceviche and Tomatillo Salsa–Yes, you can “cook” raw fish in citrus juice. I love ceviche, but have never made it myself, and this version with tilapia (which would have never have occurred to me to use) and sweet corn was delicious. Also, you can never go wrong with a recipe for salsa from Rick Bayless.

Wisconsin Blue Cheese Dip–This was easily in the top three dishes of the evening. You have to like blue cheese, but if you do, you will find yourself fighting the other blue cheese-lovers for the last few bites. Get a great, flavorful honey (I love basswood linden honey for its slightly peppery kick).

Eggplant Bites–Great little nibbles, though you may need to play around with the recipe a bit to get the “bites” to stick together before cooking.

Smoked Trout Salad–This is one of those dishes I’m glad someone else made because I would never have tried it otherwise–and I *loved* it. I mean, it should be obvious considering how much I love smoked salmon, but who knew smoked trout would be so good in a salad? Turns out the salty, smoky flavor is a perfect complement to a salad of green beans, cherry tomatoes, radishes, baby squash, and goat cheese dressing with fresh herbs.

Roasted Asparagus Lasagna–As delicious (and cheesy) as it was beautiful. This  is a perfect centerpiece dish for an early spring dinner.

Not Your Aunt Ruthie’s Brisket–I think I’ve only had brisket once, and it was the slow-smoked barbecued kind. I don’t know what kind of brisket Aunt Ruthie makes, but this–this was delicious. Tender, but not completely fall-apart, with just the right amount of spices to keep it interesting.

Cauliflower Cake–Several of us were considering making this out of sheer curiosity. Kind of a cross between a cauliflower-studded frittata and a savory quick bread, this was beautiful and is on my list for easy picnic fare or lunches this summer.

Asparagus and Mushroom Strata–Cheese and eggs and bread and vegetables? Oh, twist my arm. (It was delicious, in case that wasn’t clear.)

Seasonal Vegetable Stuffed Zucchini–God bless Scott for going to the trouble to hollow out and stuff all those little zucchinis. We all agreed: delicious, gorgeous…and probably equally good if you sliced zucchini in half length-wise, scooped out the middles, and stuffed zucchini boats instead.

Fresh Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas and Asparagus–This is one of those dishes that is perfect for showing off the best of the season–and if you make the pasta yourself, so much the better (or, if you’re lucky enough to have a favorite pasta vendor at the market). Yum.

Tart Cherry Crisp–Tart cherries are hands down my favorite summer fruit. It should be no surprise, then, that was was my favorite dessert of the evening without question.

Holiday Honey Cake–My contribution was interesting. The cake itself was gorgeous, but a little on the dry side (I might have over-baked it a bit) and pretty sweet, though both issues were remedied with a good amount of the (unsweetened) raspberry sauce (raspberries–and a few strawberries thrown in for good measure–macerated with a few tablespoons of amaretto) and topped with creme fraiche whipped cream.

But with a mostly rainy May, I lucked into a few perfect weekends (and some extra helping hands, aka my own master gardener) to get everything planted between my garden plot and pots on my porch. The plants certainly enjoyed all the rain, and I appreciated not having to babysit them while they were getting established.

I think this year is off to a pretty good start, don’t you? (May 11 vs June 5)

So far I planted from seeds:

• Beans–I’m trying two new-to-me yellow and green bush bean varieties this year. I want to make my dad’s three bean salad this summer!
• Peas–I’m excited to try these Dwarf Grey Sugar Snap Peas since they supposedly don’t require trellising.
• Radishes—French Breakfast (my most successful from-seed vegetable for the past three years), Early Scarlet Globe (new to me this year), Cincinnati Market, Plum Purple, and hoping I can get a watermelon radish to take this year!
• Cucumbers–I found a perfect recipe for cornichon pickles last year, and this year I want to attempt pickles from my own Parisian pickling cucumbers. They’ve sprouted, which is farther than I got with seeds last year. So far, so good!
• Carrots–With Parisian Market carrots, there’s obviously a French theme in my garden this year. But I’m excited to try these since they don’t need much depth, and they’re just so stinking cute.
• Nasturtium–I’ve never planted these before, but I like the idea of adding the flowers to salads and having a little color in my garden.

For seedlings, I planted:

• Broccoli–I love the swirls and spikes of Romanesco broccoli, so I figured I’d give it a shot in the garden. This is my first brassica-type plant, and while the bunnies took a nibble from some of the leaves, they don’t seem to have done too much damage.
• Celery–Celery is actually among the few things I will pick out of a dish, but some good marketing sold me on trying Pink Plume celery. What can I say, I’m a sucker for a good sales pitch (which, incidentally, came down to “It doesn’t taste like regular celery!”).
• Peppers–Oh boy. I may be getting nearly as bad with peppers as I am with tomatoes. I’ve got:
  • Maule’s Red Hot–I loved these for drying and using as crushed red pepper last year.
  • Corno di Toro Rossi–A bigger sweet/hot pepper.
  • Mellow Star Shisito–Just for something different.
  • Chile Pulla–I can’t find anything about growing these fresh, but the dried version is common in cochinita pibil, a Yucatan version of pulled pork, which has become my new grilling obsession.
  • Fireball–I loved these last year and they produced like crazy, even in a pot on my porch. They’re like a sweeter version of a jalapeno, and I’m excited to try pickling some this year.
  • Espelette–I told you there was a French theme this year. I got some of this special dried chile powder in France last year and am excited to try growing the peppers themselves.
  • Padron–I think I planted one of these, but I honestly can’t remember. I hope I did, they’d be so fun to have with my next batch of paella.

And then there are the tomatoes. I…might have a bit of an over-buying problem that will turn into an over-eating problem come July/August/September. But, tomatoes! I somehow lost a bunch of the plant labels, so I’m not 100% sure what all I planted, I just know I have 11 (or is it 12?) kinds. To the best of my recollection:

• Cherry/grape tomatoes: Black cherry, Honeydew (yellow cherry), and an as-yet-to-be-determined variety of red cherry tomato
• Small/medium tomatoes
  • Japanese Black Trifele–I grew this last year and liked it enough to try it again.
  • Another small red tomato, another one that I forgot the variety.
• Slicing tomatoes
  • Pineapple–I only got a few of these last year, but they were so gorgeous and delicious that I wanted to try again (and be better about fertilizing them this time).
  • Wherokowhai–One of two dwarf tomatoes I’m trying out this year that are specifically bred to grow well in small spaces but produce full-sized tomatoes. So far they’re growing like crazy!!
  • Fred’s Tie Dyed Tomato–…And the other dwarf tomato.
  • Purple Cherokee–I traded sesame noodle salad for this beautiful homegrown tomato plant at the Chicago Food Swap!
  • Green Cherokee–I got this as a freebie from the Chicago Botanic Garden. How could I say no to a free tomato plant?!

As for herbs, I have: chives (I cut them back and took home two pounds of chive–and they grew 6 inches of new chives in five days), garlic chives, cilantro, lemon verbena, oregano, bay, parsley, basil, winter savory, nepitella, spearmint, tarragon, rosemary, and borage. And apparently some dill seed got into my garden, so I guess I’m growing dill, too. Maybe I’ll try some dill pickles (to give away–I am decidedly not a fan of dill).

Oh, Ina, if there was a way to live your life.

For April, we picked the Barefoot Contessa Make It Ahead cookbook. Let me say first that there’s a reason Ina’s built the reputation she has–her recipes work, and they are delicious. They may not test the bounds of kitchen creativity, but there’s definitely value in a recipe for perfectly cooked beef tenderloin or a not-watery vegetable lasagna, especially if you’re looking for a centerpiece dish for a party. If you have a house in the Hamptons, friends coming over to play bridge, and just stepped out to get a bouquet of freshly cut flowers from your best friend the florist, so much the better.

That said, I–we–definitely had some gripes with this book. First, the majority of the recipes seem to have been repurposed from other Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. This wouldn’t a big issue except these recipes were so obviously shoehorned into the “make ahead” concept and not always in a way that made sense.

The one I kept shaking my head at was her version of bouillabaisse. The recipe instructs you to make stock (which can be refrigerated up to a day, though the recipe isn’t exactly clear at which step your stock is done) and then, 30 minutes before serving, reheating the stock and adding all of the other ingredients. That’s just…making soup.

When I’m looking for a “make ahead” recipe, I want one that can be made completely a day or more ahead (or only needs a simple garnish or a component like rice or noodles) and is either as good or better the next day. This book has those kind of recipes–the noodle pudding she describes as “a mash-up of kugel and spanikopita,” which I could have eaten a pan of by myself, chicken pot pies, even the herb-roasted fish that you can assemble completely in single-serving packets a day in advance.

But the oddest recipes were ones like the roasted cauliflower snowflakes where the make ahead component is just cutting up a head of cauliflower, or the cream of wheat that has you combine milk, sugar, and maple syrup, refrigerate it, then reheat it when you’re ready to actually make cream of wheat. It’s not that these recipes don’t sound good–I adore roasted cauliflower and cream of wheat is one of my favorite winter Sunday breakfasts–they just seem forced into the make ahead concept.

Several of the recipes also bordered on too salty. This is a difficult critique since I think most people (including me) under-season their food, but there is nothing more frustrating than spending an hour on a recipe, filling a sink full of dishes, taking a bite of your creation…and needing to follow it with a glass of water. Just watch the salt in her recipes.

There are some great recipes, though, as long as you ignore that they’re supposed to be “make ahead.” And you’re not on a diet–more power to her, Ina does not cower in the face of butter, eggs, or cheese.

This is what we made:

• Summer Rose Sangria – I can’t wait to make this for a spring or summer party. Not too sweet, just enough fruit.
• Chicken liver mousse– Sarah’s Mt. Everest recipe, and one that even the liver-averse among us liked. According to Sarah, this is one of the recipes to really watch the salt on, though by the time it made it to us (with double the amount of livers, more butter, and more brandy), it was delicious.
• Caesar Salads with Blue Cheese & Bacon – This was absolutely gorgeous, though we agreed it would work best at a sit-down dinner. Incidentally, Mike used America’s Test Kitchen steaming method for the soft-boiled eggs–they were *perfect* and very easy to peel.
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Toasted Pita Triangles – Hummus is such a party staple, and I really liked this version with a little kick from Sriracha hot sauce.
• Marinated Herbed Feta – A great alternative to a simple cheese plate, especially since you can make it up to a week in advance (though ha! to it lasting that long in my fridge). I’d keep this around for topping salads, sandwiches, pizza, eggs…

• Spanish Tapas Peppers – These are at the top of my list to make once peppers hit the farmers market. I loved the combination of sweet from the peppers and raisins, salty from the olives and anchovies (good to know those anchovies from the Marcella Hazan dinner didn’t go to waste!), and warm spice from the saffron.
• Ham and Leek Empanadas – Another great one for a party that was easy, delicious, and looked impressive. We decided the size could easily be halved, especially if you’re serving these as starters or snacks.
• Winter Slaw – Yay vegetables! I was eyeing this recipe because it was one of a few lighter vegetable dishes in the book, and it’s a great crunchy, slightly bitter accompaniment to anything rich, like a pork shoulder.
• Peas and Pancetta – Mary said she had to make this twice since her husband swiped and ate the first batch of cooked onions and pancetta. Can’t say I blame him. I would add the pancetta/onion mixture to…well, just about anything. Mashed potatoes? Eggs? Spread on a sandwich? This is the kind of make ahead recipe that makes sense: make the onions and pancetta mixture and keep it in the fridge, when you’re ready to make the dish, just reheat the mixture and add the peas to cook through.

• Filet of Beef with Bearnaise Mayo – A showstopper. I love, love, love perfectly cooked beef, and this was spot on, especially with the bernaise. I’d make this in a heartbeat.
• Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart – This is a perfect example of why I really do love Ina’s recipes–simple, delicious, beautiful.
• Zucchini Basil Soup – Scott made this in advance per the recipe and said it was actually better the day he made it. While it was good at the party, I don’t think the overnight rest and subsequent reheat did the zucchini or basil any favors.
• Spinach & Ricotta Noodle Pudding – Though we always have leftovers at our dinners, I rarely take much home–I’m picky about leftovers. But this? I took as much as I could for lunch the next day without stealing the whole pan. So. Good.

• Lemon Ginger Molasses Cake – I departed from my usual savory dishes to try a cake and, to Ina’s credit, it was perfect. Plus it introduced me to whipped cream with creme fraiche. In theory the creme fraiche makes the cream less likely to soften once it’s whipped, which didn’t really happen, but it’s so good I didn’t care.
• Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies – Personally, I think Jess’ looked prettier than the ones in the book, and they tasted even better.
• Fresh Apple Spice Cake – This reminded me so much of my grandma’s apple cake, which must Ina’s doing something right. A perfect dessert for fall or winter.

Overall, while this isn’t a book I’d go out of my way to buy, I do plan to photocopy a few of the recipes before I give the book back to my mom.

Next up, we’re kicking off farmers market season in May with Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison (who, incidentally, just got the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award). Can’t wait!

My chives are already about a foot tall and in need of a haircut. My oregano came back as well, along with a few radishes and a mess of dandelions. The dandelions and a bunch of other weeds got pulled, I added a little compost, planted some herb babies (cilantro, marjoram, and thyme), two Romanesco broccolis (a first for me), and got some seeds in the ground: carrots, radishes (French breakfast, Early Scarlet Globe, and Cincinnati Market), peas (a new-to-me variety that doesn’t need a trellis), and nasturtium.

This is my first year planting carrots, so I’m particularly excited about them. I got wee little fat ones called Paris market carrots that should be perfect since they don’t need much soil depth. Though as much as I appreciate the weather taking over watering duty since last Sunday, I think everything is sufficiently well-watered by this point and the rain can let up any day now…

Next weekend I’m looking forward to getting tomato plants and other warm weather (we can only hope) vegetables from the PGP plant sale (I’ll also be making something to sell at their bake sale, so if you’re in the area, stop by!). I don’t have much of a plan for the rest of my garden this year–basil of course, sorrel (I’m nixing lettuce and greens otherwise, but I fell in love with sorrel last year), a few beans, a pepper or two, tomatoes wherever I can, plus another attempt at cucumbers. I found an amazing recipe for cornichon pickles last year and would love to make a batch with my own cucumbers.

Who else is gardening this year and what are you planting?

Even so, by this time of year I am desperate for any fruit that 1) is not an apple and 2) actually tastes like something. Convenient then that just about every conceivable type of citrus is at its peak just in time to get me through to spring.

This recipe for oranges sweetened with sugar and soaked in their own juice, which I discovered flipping through Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking last month, is not only my ideal (and necessary) dose of vitamin C come mid-winter, it’s my new go-to dessert for a dinner party.

I’ll be honest, most of the time when I have people over, dessert is at the bottom of my priority list. I can bake when I get a craving, but if I’m making dinner for friends, I’m focused on the main course. Finding a recipe that complements the rest of the menu, dealing with the intricacies of baking, and trying not to induce a food coma by the end of the meal? No thank you.

These oranges, on the other hand, are dead simple and the most refreshing end to an indulgent meal. While it looks particularly pretty when you can mix up different colors and flavors of citrus (I used blood oranges, Cara-Cara oranges, and honey tangerines), it’s just as delicious with good, juicy, standard Navel oranges. Serve it alone or alongside a few biscotti to soak up the juice (or over a thin slice of Marcella Hazan’s ciambella). Perfection.

Macerated Oranges

Barely modified from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. I like it best after about 8 hours of resting in the fridge, especially if I’m using a mix of oranges–the different flavors and colors are still distinct–but it tastes good even up to 48 hours. I reduced the sugar a bit since I prefer less-sweet desserts, but taste your oranges and adjust the sugar and lemon juice to your liking. Any juice leftover after serving is fantastic stirred into seltzer.

6 juicy oranges
1 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
Orange liqueur like Cointreau, optional

Remove the zest of four oranges and the lemon with a fine grater, avoiding the white pith as much as possible. (Alternatively, zest all of the oranges and add the extra zest to a jar with a cup or two of sugar–it’s delicious in oatmeal or in baking.)

Cut the ends off four oranges and carefully cut away the peel and pith. Slice the naked oranges into rounds about 1/2 inch thick, pick out and seeds. Place slices in a platter or serving dish deep enough to accommodate them and allow some space for stirring. Add the sugar and zest.

Juice the remaining two oranges and 1/2 of the lemon. Pour juice over the orange slices and stir gently to distribute the sugar. Taste and adjust the sweetness or tartness with more sugar or lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 48 hours, stirring occasionally.

Before serving, add a splash of orange liqueur if desired and stir once more.

I stumbled on that quote while I was trying to find a way to start this post, and I can’t think of a more perfect way to sum up everything about this cookbook club and basically my entire philosophy on sharing food. Need more really be said?

…Well, yes, because that’s what I do here. In three meetings, these dinners have become a highlight of my month, not just for the amazing food (though, obviously, yum), but for the people. February’s dinner included three new members, and all three were among the last of us left drinking, eating, and talking past midnight. You know you’ve found a special group when new people fit in so easily it feels like they’ve always been there.

It seems particularly fitting, then, that February’s cookbook was Italian, a culture that embodies “people who give you their food give you their heart,” and in which food and home and friends and family are deeply, inextricably intertwined.

I’m ashamed to admit that, while I read through Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan like a novel at least twice when I got it a few years ago, I’d only made a recipe or two (and the minestrone I did make wasn’t the revelation I hoped it would be). But this dinner was a perfect excuse to really dig into it–not solely for the recipes, but for Marcella’s approach to food.

Many of us expected a Julia Child-like friendliness and enthusiastic encouragement from the book, but Marcella’s opinionated style led to some fantastic (and hilarious) discussions throughout the whole month before we met, and again at dinner. There was at least a little angst (and a few foul words) directed towards the impossible-to-find salt-cured anchovies that Marcella insisted were essential. (Jarred anchovies were acceptable if you had no other options. Can only find anchovy paste in a tube or “bargain-priced” anchovies? Make another dish.)

Personally I loved Marcella’s confidence that there is a “right” or “best” way to choose an ingredient or make a dish or organize a meal (salad course always to be served between the main and dessert, please and thank you). Granted, the best version may be the one her grandmother made (like the ciambella cake), but she also won’t deny you options to discover your own best version (for the ciambella, for instance, she says anise and wine are welcome additions).

Interestingly, this book had both the most ambitious recipes (mushrooms, ham, and handmade fettuccine bundled inside a handmade pasta package–yes, that’s pasta-filled pasta), and the simplest (a salad of raw fennel, salt, pepper, and olive oil) of any book we’ve picked so far. Most of the group went for the more project-y recipes (gelato, homemade tortellini), which were as good as you’d imagine, but the simple ones (the macerated oranges or fennel salad) were perfect compliments to the more complex dishes.

The unexpected discovery from this cookbook was finding that my Italian grandmother (who turned 102 last month, incidentally; yes she is amazing) regularly made one of my favorite dishes of the evening, pizza rustica (a.k.a. pork and cheese pie, Abruzzi style), a pastry dough stuffed with cured meats, cheeses, and eggs. As soon as I started describing the dish to my dad, he said “Oh, my mom and aunt always used to make that for Easter. It’s in the family cookbook.” And so it was, under “Italian Easter Pie.” I’m planning to attempt my grandma’s version in a few weeks. And maybe her German chocolate cake while I’m at it.

So, well-armed with Negronis and plenty of wine, these are the recipes we made from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking:

• Crostini bianchi (ricotta and anchovy canape) – Those damned anchovies. We don’t know how this tastes with salt-cured ones, but with jarred anchovies in olive oil this was a perfect salty, creamy, crunchy little snack with the aforementioned Negronis.
• Gallette (salt and pepper biscuits) – Marcella notes that these are a perfect aperitif cookies, and she’s right. Though the recipe is in the Desserts chapter, it’s not sweet at all. Instead, these puffy little biscuits were perfect along side a plate of cheese and salumi.
• Minestrone with homemade meat broth – I don’t know what I did wrong when I made this a few years ago, but Gena’s version was fantastic, and inspired me to try it again. We all agreed it was a perfect soup to make on Sunday and keep around for weekday lunches.
• Pizza rustica (meat and cheese pie) – Not only did this look restaurant-quality, it tasted amazing–though as I said earlier it’s hard to go wrong when you combine pie dough, cheese, cured meat, and eggs.
• Insalata Russa (shrimp salad with assorted vegetables) – The most divisive, and also the most colorful, dish on the table. It was made and presented perfectly, down to the homemade mayonnaise and individual little peas tucked in the curl of each shrimp, but we laughed that it looked like it came from a totally different cookbook, perhaps one with a chapter on jello molds and aspics.
  Some in the group recalled growing up with a variation of this dish, Salad Olivier, with diced vegetables, hard boiled eggs, potatoes, and pickles held together with mayonnaise, but Marcella’s version added beets (I guess that’s why it’s Russa? and also accounts for the shocking shade of pink) and shrimp. Worth making if for no other reason than to debate if it’s worth making again.

• Crespelle with spinach, prosciutto, and Parmesan – Crespelle are essentially Italian crepes layered or stuffed with savory fillings–imagine lasagne or cannelloni with the lightness of crepes instead of heavy pasta. These were amazing and definitely a dish I plan to make for a dinner party. Or maybe dinner on Sunday.
• Eggplant Parmesan – No, not the heavily breaded and heavily fried version we all know from the local Italian-American red sauce joint. Instead eggplant slices are lightly floured and fried in olive oil, topped with a quick sauce made simply of tomatoes and olive oil, and layered with basil, Parmesan, and fresh mozzerella. This is going into my summer rotation when one of my favorite stands at the market is selling eggplants 10/$1.
• Tagliatelli with Bolognese ragu – Nothing beats homemade pasta, except perhaps homemade pasta with homemade ragu (which, according to Marcella, should be cooked “at the merest simmer for a long, long time; no less than 3 hours is necessary, more is better”). It’s worth every second. I never quite got the appeal adding milk to beef, wine, and tomatoes, but after tasting this, it makes sense–the milk tames the acidity of the sauce perfectly and coats the long, wide tangles of tagliatelli beautifully.
• Tortelleni with meat and cheese filling with tomato cream sauce – The second homemade pasta of the evening, and equally impressive as the first. I’ve made homemade pasta, but have yet to work up the courage to make stuffed pasta; this may have been just the encouragement that I needed.

(Have I mentioned there was a lot of food? There was A Lot Of Food.)

• Stuffed spaghetti frittata with tomato, mozzarella, and ham – Leftover pasta is about as odd a concept to me as leftover wine is to others, but I might start cooking extra pasta just so I can make this the next day. I liked that it wasn’t too egg-y (3 eggs for a half pound of pasta, just enough to hold the pasta together), and the layer of tomatoes, ham, and cheese added just the right amount of salt, acid, and, well, cheese. And now I’m imagining this with a layer of leftover eggplant Parmesan in the middle.
• Pesto – Marcella’s recipe is controversial since it has olive oil and butter along with the usual basil, pine nuts, garlic, and cheese (Parmesan and Romano), but if Marcella says it’s ok, I’ll believe her. It’s exceptional, and reminded me that I have some frozen that I made with an overabundance of basil from my garden. (Incidentally, Marcella could give Paula Deen a run for her money given the frequency with which butter appears in this book.)
• Sgroppino (Venetian lemon and strawberry “slush” with sparkling wine) – You know that punch that often shows up at summer picnics, the one with a container of creamy sherbet floating in a bowl of soda? Now imagine that punch spent the summer in Italy and came home with a serious amount of class. Homemade lemon ice cream is combined with strawberry puree and a bottle of Prosecco. And it is every bit as good as you’re imagining.
• Egg custard gelato and banana and rum gelato – Yes, we had two gelatos. Yes, they were both incredible (my personal favorite–adding a scoop of the egg gelato to a cup of hot espresso for a backwards affogato). Yes, we were all well into a food coma at this point.

• Ciambella (Marcella’s grandmother’s cake ring)– One of my two contributions, this was an interesting challenge. The recipe itself is dead simple, but the instructions about “kneading” the dough just were not happening. The dough was much too dry and crumbly for kneading, so I just shaped it into a ring as best I could and crossed my fingers. The texture was similar to a half-baked biscotti–dense and crumbly, not too hard but sturdy enough to hold up to dunking in vin santo or coffee. Next time I’ll reduce the flour by 1/2 a cup or so and it should be perfect.
• Macerated oranges – This was the absolute perfect end to a meal that included no less than four kinds of pasta. Simple, light, and refreshing (and also good over gelato or a slice of ciambella, in case you were wondering).
• Espresso – Because good lord we needed a shot of caffeine after this meal.

Next up–Ina Garten’s Make It Ahead on April 2! I’m excited to try her recipes, I always hear such good things but haven’t made much from the Barefoot Contessa.

I posted about the first cookbook club in November (Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table). After this month’s meeting–a 15-dish extravaganza from the pages of the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook–I think this is the best thing I’ve done in the nearly four years I’ve been writing this blog.

It’s all of what I love about dinner parties (great food, entertaining at home, not trying to split a check six ways or feeling rushed by a waiter trying to turn a table) and potlucks (trying lots of different dishes) without the not-so-great parts of each (paying for and cooking all the food yourself, that one person who always only brings a bag of Lay’s and a sleeve of Solo cups). Plus it’s a great reason to use the dozens of cookbooks I have overflowing my bookshelf.

The best part, though, is how quickly a group of strangers can become friends over a shared, homemade meal.

Here’s how it works so far:

• At each meeting, we pick a cookbook, date, and host for the next meeting. Many people in the group are willing to host to spread out the effort.
• Everyone who’s coming adds themselves to a Google doc along with:
  • the name of the recipe(s) they’re planning to make
  • if oven or stove space is needed for reheating/keeping a dish warm
  • food allergies or other restrictions
• We set a maximum of 15 for most meetings for the sake of space, conversation, and food (even with everyone only making a single recipe, we all go home with something for lunch the next day).
• As much as possible, we stick to the recipe as written.
• We meet, we eat, we drink (BYO, and the host usually has libations to share, too). We talk about the recipes we made, what worked and what didn’t, what other recipes we want to try (or have tried).

We picked the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook for January’s meeting. I’ve had this book since Deb did her booksigning in Chicago, but have only made a handful of recipes (though the red wine velvet cake and the carmelized onion and squash galette are two all-time favorites). To stay true to the spirit of the club, we decided recipes from her blog were off-limits; cookbook only!

February’s cookbook is the incomparable Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. Want to play along at home? Pick a recipe, make it on February 20, and share what you made on Facebook! In Chicago and interested in joining the club? Send me an email!

When January’s meeting came around, these were the recipes at the table:

• Rosemary gruyere sea salt crisps – Entirely addictive. Added to my recipe list for parties.
• Pumpernickel grissini with horseradish-creme fraiche dip – Beautiful and delicious, though Chris, who made them, said the recipe didn’t make quite as many as it suggested.
• Sugar snap pea salad – Everyone raved about this salad and it’s going to be in my regular rotation when snap peas are in season again.
• Honey and harissa farro salad – The combination of spices, roasted vegetables, and goat cheese was another standout. I’m planning to try this with some leftover cooked barley.

• Tomato scallion shortcakes with whipped goat cheese – Even with winter tomatoes, these were delicious, though I could have happily just eaten the whipped goat cheese with a spoon. Keeping this one for tomato season next year.
• Sweet peas and shells alfredo – This dish didn’t make it to the group dinner due to bad weather, but it looked beautiful and I heard it was delicious!
• Sesame spiced turkey meatballs and smashed chickpea salad – We couldn’t stop raving about this. The meatballs disappeared faster than anything else at the table, were apparently very easy to make, and I loved the idea of serving meatballs over a salad like this. Sumac is also my latest spice obsession, so that’s a bonus.
• Corn risotto-stuffed poblanos – I would never have thought to combine Italian risotto with Mexican poblanos, so thank god Deb Perelman did. I adored these with a bit of heat from the peppers to complement the creamy, corn-y, just-cheesy-enough risotto, but we decided sweet bell peppers would be great if you don’t like spicy food.
• Gnocchi in tomato broth – This gave several of us the confidence to try making gnocchi at home and is on my list for a cozy weekend dinner.
• Panchetta, white bean, and swiss chard pot pies (meat and vegetarian versions) – My contribution was easy (especially as a make-ahead dish), delicious, and one I will absolutely make again. I served it in little mason jars, which were a fun for a party, but next time I’d bake the crust on its own so it doesn’t get soggy in the middle (likely not an issue if you make this in dinner-sized servings). The recipe calls for 2 cups dry beans, cooked, or 1 1/3 cans of cooked beans, which are very different amounts–I just used 2 cans.

• Buttered popcorn cookies – They sound (and look) kind of crazy, but taste like a cookie version of sweet-salty kettle corn. Yes please. My new popcorn maker will be put to good use.
• Chocolate chip brioche pretzels – As rich and delicious as they were, these came with a warning from Mike, who made them–the dough is rough on stand mixers, so make at your own risk.
• Strawberry cheesecake fools – These were another group favorite with juicy strawberries, crunchy cookie crumbs, and a slight tang from the cream cheese. Gena made one version using frozen summer strawberries and another with regular supermarket strawberries; both were delicious.
• Chocolate silk pie – It took some effort to detach the crust from the pie pan, but the taste was 100% worth it–the richest chocolate mousse you’ve ever had (it lives up to the “silk” in its name) with a chocolate-y, buttery crunch from the crust.
• Spritzy ginger lemonade – The sleeper hit of the evening. The ginger and cayenne made for the perfect bit of warmth on a blustery, snowy Chicago evening (especially in a glass of sparkling wine), but we all agreed it would be a refreshing sip in summer, too.

Most of us were already devoted followers of Smitten Kitchen, and pretty much agreed that we preferred Deb’s interaction with commenters and her ability to tweak recipes or offer clarifications on her blog. But we all plan to make nearly every one of the recipes again and are all excited to try some of the recipes we didn’t get to (we might need to revisit the book for our brunch meeting). When Deb’s next cookbook comes out, it will definitely be on our list!