Happy April, all! It’s hard to believe it’s already Spring, with the cherry blossoms in full bloom here in D.C., and the winter chill giving way to warmer, longer days. It’s also now week four of our “stay-at-home” phase, as the world largely goes on lockdown to fight off what has become a global pandemic. I couldn’t have imagined at the start of 2020 that in a few months’ time, we’d all be in the situation we are now. Though as upended as life seems right now, I know how important it is to stay put right now, to be okay putting life on hold for a bit, and to stay positive through it all.

Between getting outside for our daily fresh-air walk or run, listening to Franc Inter radio at home, and Zooming with fam and friends across the globe, cooking has quickly become one of my favorite things these days. I know cooking has always been a big part of my life, but even more so now, with the extra time at home and desire to really embrace cooking therapy for all its worth. Now that we’re working from home, and the days somewhat blend into each other, cooking has become a lovely way to create a nice separation between the end of the work day, and the beginning of the evening. Plus, it gets the creative juices flowing, as Jacques and I try to come up with new and diverse dishes to try each week. Some of our recent cooking endeavors have included pan-roasted salmon with pesto couscous, chicken pad thai with a kale miso salad, steak fajitas with stir-fried veggies, spaghetti puttanesca with a spring salad, and spicy chili with beans and rice.

Every weekend, we usually try to plan ahead and think of what we’ll want to cook during the week, and then make a big grocery run to gather all of our ingredients for the week. A good number of items we already have on hand (i.e. staples like garlic, onions, dry pasta, herbs), but we still need to pick up other items like fresh produce, fish, etc. In normal times, I usually like to make ad hoc trips to the grocery or market throughout the week, to pick up things fresh that can be cooked the day of; but since we try to limit the number of grocery runs we do these days, we try to do all of our shopping in one (or two) trips on the weekend. It keeps things organized, and also gets us to think ahead about what we’re going to eat that week.

Above: Ingredients being prepped for pad thai, and below, the finished product.

I always try to follow several rules of thumb when thinking about what to cook during the week. For one, try to keep things balanced so that you have a good portion of veggies, some protein, and some starch, with every meal. Two, try to cook first what has the shortest shelf life, earliest in the week (i.e. if you buy fresh fish from the counter, plan to cook that within a few days; frozen items can last longer and be cooked later in the week). Three, try to cook only what you’ll eat that night, since food is always best prepared fresh, and keeps your fridge from accumulating too many miscellaneous leftovers that often get forgotten. And four, be creative and resourceful when thinking about what to cook and what ingredients you have on hand; if you bought a head of broccoli for the week, use half of it roasted as a side, and use the other oven for stir fry in pad thai.

Above: Ingredients prep for a pecorino-walnut kale salad; and below, a dinner of pan-roasted salmon with herby couscous and a salad.

My goal is to get these recipes written up and on the blog so you all can also give them a try! So please stay tuned. In the meantime, you can check out what I’ve been cooking recently from recipes inspired from other food blogs.

Happy cooking, be safe, and stay healthy, all!

Much love,
Ash

As many of us hunker down in our homes, doing our parts to help prevent the spread of a global pandemic, I’ve been thinking a lot about sustainability and how valuable it can be to know how to make (from the ground up) what you consume. Apart from the economic and nutritional benefits, there is something wildly satisfying about baking your own bread, making your own pasta, and growing your own vegetables. With a few simple ingredients, most of which you likely already have on hand in your home, it’s not all that hard to produce a lovely loaf of bread or a pound of fresh pasta.

While of course life doesn’t always afford you the time to make everything from scratch all the time, learning how to do so at least once is a valuable lesson. The extra hours spent inside your home during this time are prime for trying out new recipes, experimenting with what you have on hand, and learning how to make a host of fresh foods from scratch. Another plus side of making your own food is knowing exactly what goes into it — when you cook, you have control over which ingredients, in what amounts, go into your food. It can also give you a greater appreciation for what you make. It’s a lovely idea to be able to have a dinner of pasta you’ve made, cooked with vegetables and herbs you’ve grown.

Some of my favorite bread recipes of late are homemade crusty cranberry walnut bread, soft sweet honey oat bread, deliciously simple white loaf bread, warm and lovely smelling parker pretzel house rolls, and savory rosemary focaccia flatbread. For pasta, a great homemade pasta recipe is here, while some of my favorite variations of late are a simple but satisfying cacio e pepe (as pictured above), a flavorful orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe, a classic spaghetti carbonara, and a herby pasta with butter, sage, and parmesan. Any and all of these are great recipes for you to try while you have a little extra time at home — so happy cooking, stay safe, and be healthy!

My recent bread kick this weekend resulted in fresh focaccia – a full sheet of the flavorful bread, dressed in olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt. Similar to the pretzel parker house rolls, this focaccia filled my apartment with a lovely smell and warmth, perfect for a winter weekend. Also similar to the rolls, the focaccia required a double rise, once before shaping the dough, and again after forming the bread into its final shape. I adapted this recipe, which is perfect for serving a large group (or having copious extras for yourself).

One of my favorite things about focaccia is how many different forms it can take. A simple herb focaccia is perfect, but you can also add tomatoes, olives, and any number of toppings. Focaccia is also one of those breads that is lovely on its own, or as a side (with pasta), used for a sandwich (with prosciutto and arugula), or in a pizza-like creation (with freshly grated cheese). We had ours with some sausage and broccoli rabe orecchiette pasta.

Stay tuned to see what other breads I bake this winter – and please let me know if you have any suggestions! Always up for trying new recipes.

Happy baking!
Ash

There’s something incredibly satisfying about baking bread – the relaxing kneading process, the beautiful shape of risen dough, the warmth of your oven filling the kitchen, and the lovely smell that lingers for hours in your home. This past Sunday, I had a chance to make one of my favorite bread recipes: pretzel parker house rolls.

Making homemade bread is no sprint; it takes time and patience, and is truly one of those things that is “homemade with love.” I’m reminded every time I make bread that it’s a process you can’t rush, and shouldn’t rush. But the end product is rewarding, not only from the satisfaction it brings, but also because you end up with a loaf (or rolls) that you can enjoy throughout the week. Fresh bread on its own is perfect (my favorite: with some salted butter and jam), but you can also use fresh bread to upgrade your sandwiches (cheddar grilled cheese, mmm), soup dippers, or meal sides.

I wrote my ode to bread a year ago (check it out for some of my favorite bread recipes), and the feeling still remains true. Now that we’re in the thick of cold winter weekends, bread making is the perfect activity when all you want to do is stay put in the comfort of your cozy home – get a fresh cup of coffee, put on some relaxing tunes, and bake away!

Above: Some of my cooking highlights from 2019.

I started this blog at the earlier end of this decade, and picked it back up at the latter end – and as a result, this site in many ways reflects my growth in cooking and appreciation for food over the past ten years. It was exactly a decade ago, to the month, that I had just returned from living abroad in France – a place that was pretty formative in shaping my philosophy on cooking and eating (always use real butter; try to stay away from processed foods; eat everything, in moderation). Since then, my cooking has evolved through new recipes, new travels, and through my curiosity of trying new ingredients and tools.

Like any pursuit or passion, it’s important to continually grow and push yourself to try new things. I love finding inspiration from people and places that expose me to new recipes and ways of cooking; the same way that I hope I can inspire others to cook more and be adventurous in the kitchen. I’m looking forward to sharing new recipes and cooking thoughts with you in 2020. Happy cooking (and eating), and cheers to a new decade!

– Ash

One of my favorite things is bringing together family and friends over a good meal. There’s something about cooking and eating together that just feels good — especially when you’re sharing recipes that have a lot of meaning, or dishes into which you put a lot of love. Growing up in a family of five, we always looked forward to meals together as a time for us to all gather and come together despite our busy schedules. Even now, whenever we’re all home for the holidays, we often spend a lot of time together in the kitchen, just cooking, eating, chatting, and laughing.

The same goes for dinners with friends, whether it’s a small get-together or a large feast. Especially when I lived abroad, cooking and eating with friends was a way to share our roots. I’ll never forget the first time I cooked a full Thanksgiving meal from my tiny kitchen in London (it was not easy to find a turkey in a grocery store in the U.K. in November, so I had to sub in a roasted duck – still delicious!). It was an especially special meal because, for many of my friends, it was their first Thanksgiving dinner. I did a similar thing eight months later in July for the July 4th holiday — hosting an Independence Day picnic in Regent’s Park, complete with pigs-in-a-blanket, lemon squares, and ants-on-a-log.

Above: Thanksgiving in London (top photo); July 4th in Regent’s Park (bottom photo).

Yet cooking for a group, especially if you’re bravely hosting on your own, is not always an easy feat. As we’re now in the thick of the holiday season, here are some tips and lessons I’ve learned over the years — hopefully these will be helpful for you!

• Plan ahead: There’s no substitute for good planning; while you can definitely put together great last-minute meals, when you’re cooking for a big group, it can be helpful to organize ahead to figure out what you’re planning to cook, where you can pick up ingredients, and how to manage your oven and burners on the day of your feast.
• Consider your group: It’s good to know if any of your guests have food allergies or restrictions ahead of time, so you can plan your menu accordingly. For example, if you’re planning a roast dinner and you have some vegetarian friends joining, it’s good to think of an equivalent veggie-friendly main dish, so they’re not just eating beans and potatoes sides.
• Prep, prep, prep: Whenever I’m planning a big dinner or meal, I always think about what prep I can do ahead of time to make things less stressful on the day of the meal. For example, you can chop veggies ahead of time, prepare mixes or batters to put in the fridge, or sometimes even fully bake your dessert a day or two before (some pies or cakes taste even better after sitting for a day or two).
• Keep it simple: While I’m guilty of usually going for elaborate recipes, I’ve found some of the best meals I’ve put together for groups are those that involve simple ingredients and steps. Half of the fun of a big dinner is having time to sit down and eat and talk with your friends — you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen or keep your friends waiting until late at night for your meal to be ready!
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help: While your inner host/ess may try to do everything, inviting others to help you cook or prepare a dish can be a more fun and less stressful way to host a dinner. There are a lot of fun recipes that can involve prepping or cooking together too (i.e. build-your-own dishes).
• Remember to have fun: This is the most important thing to remember when cooking or hosting a meal: don’t let the process or prep overwhelm you, and don’t be down if your dish doesn’t turn out exactly as you planned (the love you put in it will still be there) — just have fun!

Happy cooking, and happy holidays!
–Ash

Taking another brief interlude to write about one of my other passions: running. In many ways though, this one also has a strong tie to food and cooking, as eating and fueling yourself properly is key to good running. Plus, running around gives you a good excuse to eat whatever delicious baked goods you make. On Sunday, I’ll be running my sixth marathon, so I thought it would be an appropriate time to reflect, and an appropriate place to house my thoughts. Happy reading (and running)!

There are a myriad of reasons why people run: for fitness, for therapy, for transport, for friendship, for a cause (all good reasons). For me, the story of my love of running begins in Boston:

I was born on Boston Marathon day in 1989 at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, just a couple of miles west of the finish line. My mum always recounts watching the first runners cross the finish line from the small television in the hospital room, as she and dad waited — it was the first year that they didn’t get out to watch the race in person. I like to think that the happy coincidence of being born on the same day in the same city as one of the world’s biggest races somehow played a role in my running proclivity, but running (and my love for it) has also been a gradual progression for me — one that has grown stronger with time.

As a tall and long-legged kid growing up, I was a natural sprinter, wicked fast, but I never really did any sort of distance running (my sweet spot was the 50-to-100 meter dash). It wasn’t until I moved to New York City after college that I started to go for more distance runs — long stretches along the Hudson River and sometimes up through Riverside Park. There was no timing, no stopwatches, just me, the pavement, and a lovely sunset (or sunrise). Running was a natural release for me at the end of a long day, or a way to get my endorphins going early in the morning before work. My favorite morning run when I lived in lower Manhattan was over the Brooklyn Bridge, touching down in Brooklyn and back into Manhattan, all before 7 a.m. It wasn’t that I ever felt I needed to log a certain distance, it was that it felt good to just keep going.

Above: Running the Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise.

Above: Running the Hudson River at sunset.

A few years after settling into my running routine in New York, I decided to sign up for my first half-marathon, in early 2014. I figured if I was already running 4 or 5 miles, why not try to double that, and then some? It was a nice way for me to keep doing what I love, but also challenge myself. I remember the first time I broke through 5 miles during one of my training runs; it was this euphoric feeling like any ‘first’ thing you do. After that it was 7 miles, and then 9 miles, and eventually 13.1 miles. My whole family came out for that race — two lovely loops around Central Park, followed by a hearty brunch. Not long after and still on my runner’s high, I decided to sign up for my first full 26.2-mile race, and six months later, I was at the starting line of the Chicago Marathon. And so began what would become five half-marathons and five full marathons over the course of the next five years (from New York City, to Philadelphia, to Chicago, to Paris, to Berlin).

Above: Getting ready to run the New York City Marathon.

The beauty of running is you don’t really need much to do it — just a good pair of running shoes and the motivation to get to it. Whenever I travel, I always pack a pair of running shoes, as I find one of the best ways to experience a new city is to run through it and around it. When you run long distances through a city, you’re able to connect the dots of different neighborhoods, figure out which streets lead to which parks, and which back-alleys offer shortcuts. There was one summer when I did marathon training in four different cities — London, Paris, New York City, and Washington, D.C. — traversing each city’s terrain (and eating plenty of baguette sandwiches in Paris, of course).

Another thing I love about running is you can go at your own rhythm, in your own way. There’s often a perception that runners are of a certain physique, and that’s not the case. One thing I love about the start of a marathon is when you’re warming up and waiting for the race to start, and you look around and see people of all different ages, sizes, and running levels — from those who are about to run their first-ever marathon, to those who are about to run their 50th marathon. There is a certain camaraderie that exists among all those who are crazy (and badass) enough to show up at the crack of dawn to run 26.2 miles. And everyone has their story — from those who put ‘running a marathon’ on their bucket-list, to those who are running to raise money and awareness about a cause they hold dear.

Above: Nearing the finish line of the Berlin Marathon, 2018. Below: Shortly after crossing the finish line.

It’s not always easy, and that’s partially what I love about running. There are mornings, especially during the winter, when I wake up and just want to stay submerged in my comfortable sheets. It takes a lot of self-will to get up and out the door. A lot of running is self-accountability. You set a goal, and stick to it — whether it’s deciding you’re simply going to get out of bed that morning, or signing up to run a marathon. There are times when I’m out running for hours at a time during marathon training, and I’m the only one holding myself accountable. If I decide to stop and chill on the waterfront, no one would know, but then I would know, and I would feel it during the race. For the Berlin Marathon alone, I logged about 465 training miles over 102 days. It can take a lot of self-motivation, but I’m also lucky to have wonderful family and friends for moral support. With all of the pain and grit though, I’ve always told myself, I never want running to become a chore. Every time I decide to run a marathon, I want to do it happily.

Running is also just as much a mental activity as it is a physical activity. I remember my high school track coach would always say, “running is 99% mental, and 1% physical,” as we zipped down the tarmac. While there may be some exaggeration, the underlying message is there. If you don’t believe you’re going to be able to run a certain distance or finish a race, chances are you likely won’t. I’ve had to run entire races in the pouring rain (no complaints), and it really becomes a mind-over-matter situation. Cheesy as it sounds, telling yourself you can do it is half of the work. I’ll never forget running my first marathon, and around mile 22 (when those last several miles start to feel like the longest miles you’ve ever run), seeing someone holding up a sign that read, “When your legs give out, run with your heart.” It was exactly what I needed for that extra boost to get me to the finish line. Ever since then, I’ve always written that saying on my arm for every marathon, as a reminder and motivator.

I hope to eventually make it back to Boston for the marathon (a lifelong dream of mine). My last piece of “why I run” that I’ll leave you with is motivation — to motivate others. There is something contagious about running and getting others to run. For me, it was being a young girl in Boston and hearing about these storied marathon runners who would eat mountains of pasta the night before running 26.2 miles. At one of my recent races, I remember seeing another young girl holding up a sign that read, “You are my hero,” and my heart just melted. If I can get just one other person motivated to run, that’s happiness for me.

Late summer into early fall is often the time of year when I’m outside logging the most miles running — 16, 18, 20 at a time — getting ready for marathon season. It’s also the time of year when I remember how important it is to feed/fuel yourself properly. One of the earliest lessons I learned when I first started doing long-distance running is that you get out what you put in — be it persistence, patience, or food. In the same way that you need to take the time to train properly, you also need to make the effort to eat well. What you eat the night before, the morning of, and right after an activity can make all the difference in how you perform. If I eat a hearty bowl of pasta the night before a long run, I feel 10x better when I’m out doing loops.
But eating well doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or flavor – the trick is to be creative with how you get power foods into your diet; find recipes that speak to you, and over time, you eventually get to a point where you’re no longer thinking about it, but just eating healthy as a regular routine. For me, I usually make it a point to just pick up certain foods when I’m at the grocery store — oranges, avocados, almonds, sweet potatoes — that way I know I’ll eat them during the week. Also the creative side in me is always thinking of ways to come up with new recipes. Some of my favorite hearty and healthy foods to eat are: pasta, couscous, and fresh bread for carbs; eggs, avocados, and fish for protein; and tomatoes, carrots, and kale for veggies.

Here are some of my favorite easy-to-make recipes:
– Roasted chickpea, carrot, and beet kale salad + goat cheese toasties
– Miso kale, edamame, and raisin salad + pan-grilled salmon
– Anchovy, basil, and garlic pasta + spicy tomatoes and greens
– Spicy avocado toast with fried halloumi and fried eggs
– Grilled carrots, aubergines, and green salad + peanut toasties
– Pan-grilled salmon + veggie couscous

All that said, there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to fueling an active lifestyle. Even among runners, there’s variation in what types and amounts of fuel work for each of us. The trick is to listen to your body, and ultimately find what works for you.

Happy (healthy) eating!

Taking a brief interlude for a bit of a non-culinary post – though in many ways, the subject of my next post has largely shaped my love and appreciation for cooking and eating good food, so I thought this would be an appropriate place to house it : )

For many who know me, there is a city (outside of Boston) that feels like home – the way that a place does when every time you return to it, everything feels familiar and puts you at ease; where you feel completely comfortable and in your element.

It’s been exactly 10 years since I landed at Charles de Gaulle airport in 2009, on a rainy September morning, with a couple of over-sized suitcases and an address hand-written on a folded piece of paper in my pocket. I was 20 at the time; fresh-faced, and full of excitement at the prospect of spending four months living and studying in Paris. I remember sitting in the cab from the airport as it careened through the windy streets of the city, listening to the voice of Nicolas Demorand on the radio, and watching the rain drizzle down the car windows, trying to catch a glimpse of the street scenes – and thinking that even on such a dreary day, there was so much charm to the city.

I had been to Paris before as a young kid, but only briefly, staying just long enough to remember the immensity of the Eiffel Tower and how delicious a Nutella crepe tasted. While there is tremendous wonder in the iconic behemoths of the Eiffel and the Arc de Triomphe, and the sparkling Champs Elysees, the Paris that resonates with me aren’t those places. The Paris that captivated me at 20 (and continues to pull me back to the city) are the simple things: the narrow, windy streets that are best navigated by sight and feel; the lovely little parks that house beautiful gardens and the best reading and napping spots; the tiny neighborhood cafes that spill out onto the sidewalks, bringing with them a chorus of conversation and clinking glasses; the smells of freshly baked bread, buttery croissants, and pain au chocolat that waft past you as you walk into a boulangerie; the eclectic street music that make you pause for a moment as you happen upon them in the most random corners of the city; and the kindness of the locals, who you realize aren’t all that different from you despite growing up an ocean apart. All of these things come together to create the joie de vivre that runs deep through the core of the city.

But it wasn’t all roses in the beginning – I remember feeling slightly out of place when I first arrived, doing things like trying to order a coffee and being called out immediately for saying une café, and not un café (and finding out that this was in fact not the large cup of coffee I was picturing, but rather a tiny glass filled with a shot of espresso – which, now, is one of my favorite things). But that’s also partly what I loved, and continue to love, about Paris – how living in a new place challenged me to adapt and grow, embrace the (mostly positive) culture clashes and step out of my comfort zone and try new things. The city has its fair share of chaos and difficulties (and what city doesn’t?), but those trying moments in many ways only make the bonds grow stronger.

When I left Paris after my semester at Sciences Po ended in December 2009, I knew that wasn’t the last time I’d be back. And sure enough, I ended up returning – year after year for the next ten years, for a week around Christmas or a week in the spring. When I went back across the pond to study in London for two years in 2015, I ended up getting back to Paris for what felt like almost every month, taking the Eurostar train across the English Channel. Each time I returned, I fell back in love with the city, re-visiting old favorites (certain streets and markets and parks) and discovering new places in the city (Paris, with its artistic flow, is always evolving). Even beyond the many returns, Paris also stayed with me back in the States in the years that followed – in my daily habits of espresso in the morning and France Inter on the radio at home (for anyone who is wondering, you can stream it live from their site, or download the podcast); in my cooking and baking endeavors, both simple (always use real butter) and elaborate (hard to imagine life now without tarte tatin and pear tart!); in my old maps and photos of the city that hang on my walls; and in my taking time out of the chaos in life to pause and just enjoy the simple things.

I used to think that home was defined only by the place you were born (and no doubt, Boston holds a special place in my heart that will always be there), but it’s possible to find yourself at home in other places – places where things just seem to click, where you find yourself growing and thriving; places that over time become a part of your identity, unintentionally. I’m not sure if I’ll ever physically call Paris my home again in the future (maybe yes, maybe no), but I do know that wherever I am, I’ll always carry with me a part of Paris (be it in my music, my routines, my cooking). Hemingway was right when he called Paris a moveable feast. And I’m savoring every bite.

If you’re ever in Paris, check out some of my favorite places to go for food and drink: Ash’s Paris Favorites

The creative side in me loves a good cake recipe — because not only do you get to think creatively about what flavors to bring together (strawberries and champagne? lemon and elderflower?), but you also get to be inventive with how you assemble and design your cake (six layers? sprinkles of nuts and shaved chocolate in between? fruit on top?). And while often times cakes are eaten to celebrate a special occasion — birthdays, bridal showers, babies — they are also lovely on their own.

Growing up in a family of five, we definitely rotated through our fair share of cakes, with each of us having our particular taste preferences: Mum likes the lighter, simpler cakes; while Pops and I have the sweet tooth; Justin (wasn’t) a big fruit-on-cake person; and Megs is a wildcard. While we had a lot of pretty simple sheet cakes growing up (and I wouldn’t have traded those for the world), in our later ages, we’ve grown more creative with our cake-making skills — largely inspired by my Mum, who is known to travel across town to find edible flowers for a cake recipe.

Whenever I’m in the assembly stage of making a cake, I always think the kitchen ends up looking like an artist’s studio — an array of colors, textures, tools, and pieces, all spread out across the kitchen counter. Because baking itself is such a science, with precise measurements of eggs, flour, sugar, etc., oven temperatures, and baking times, I love that the assembly stage allows you to veer outside of precision. Want to add sprinkles? Go for it. Like blueberries on your cake? Add ’em. Feel like drawing a big red heart in the center? Go wild.

I’m always a big proponent of making food homemade; not only because you know exactly what ingredients are going into what you produce, but also because it shows the love (sometimes blood, sweat, and tears) that a person puts into it. Even when following a recipe, it’s rare that two people will produce a cake that looks the same.

To get you inspired, here are some of the recent cake recipes that we’ve enjoyed in my fam:

• Strawberry champagne layer cake
• Lemon elderflower cake
• Chocolate mousse cake
• Funfetti layer cake
• Fresh berry vanilla layered cake
• Lemon cake with bavarian cream

Happy baking (and eating)!