November 2022
Spice rubs, full plates in Texas, and being part of the 300 club
Here’s my (try as hard as I can) monthly round-up for those of you who want to learn about or keep up a little more with me and the work that I do. Hope you enjoy.
It’s a big (culinary) world out there
The best part of this job are the people I encounter. Not only do I get to showcase the work and creativity of culinary professionals who inspire me, but in my 10+ years working full-time covering food and travel, I’ve gotten to know some pretty spectacular people who work in all kinds of sectors, from event production and television casting to publishing and tourism.
There are a lot of different pieces and parts to an industry such as this, which of course keeps it interesting, and when I get the chance to mix it up, I do. For instance, recently, I worked as a food stylist with photographer Andrew Walker on Rodney Scott’s The Spice House Collaboration. It was a 1/2 day outdoor shoot beside a smoking hot Big Green Egg, but I worked with Rodney’s team to help bring to life a backyard grilling vision (and sweated off a few pounds in the process). We cooked in his kitchen then set up and styled the table as Rodney manned the grill, and it was satisfying watching it all come together behind Andrew’s lens.
On the other end of the spectrum — far away from a hot grill and chicken wings up to my elbows — was a virtual cookbook author panel I moderated last week for Edelweiss, a B2B platform for the publishing industry. You can watch the whole thing here, where three new cookbook authors discuss their respective books and cooking inspiration. I bet you will come away as hungry as I did after all this home cooking talk, especially if you want to make apple dumplings, fresh Ukrainian cheese, or berbere spiced lentils!
And finally, in a real turn-the-tables moment, I was interviewed this month for Canvas Rebel, something very different for a person who is used to asking the questions. :) Their mission is to create a space for artists, creatives and entrepreneurs to be able to learn from their peers through the magic and power of storytelling, and I was honored to add my story to their archives. The timing of this was especially lovely as the show crossed the 300 episode milestone this month, but it’s a story that is always evolving, and I’m always ready for the next course.
Rodney Scott for The Spice House. Photo: Andrew Walker.
Episode Updates
The show has been deep in the heart of Texas, and I kicked things off with John & Evelyn Washburne of Side Street Hospitality in Fredericksburg, TX. Their restaurant Otto’s was one of the reasons I wanted to return to the Hill Country, and it’s a worthwhile example of the thought they put into their varied businesses in this small town.
Another thing the Hill Country is known for is wine, but last time I visited, I didn’t fall in love with a varietal or particular bottle. That all changed this visit when I sipped the unique and complex wines of Reagan Meador of Southhold Farm + Cellar. If you like wine, then please make sure and check this episode out!
For episode 300, I decided to celebrate the milestone with Steve McHugh of Landrace and Cured at Pearl in San Antonio, TX. He was one of the first chefs I interviewed seven seasons ago, and so it was wonderful to return to his kitchen table and chat all things butchery, beef, and the idea of place in food. His focus on the intersection of community, sourcing, and technique is the perfect way to celebrate a show that strives to focus on the same things.
Then there were a couple more episodes in San Antonio, a city filled with plenty of delicious food. Chefs Jeff Balfour and Laurent Réa dial in the good life through the lens of a French brasserie in Tex-Mex country (and share how they make those frites so perfect) then Chef and thought leader Elizabeth Johnson shares her vision for good health through great tasting, thoughtfully prepared food at Pharm Table. I loved every bite of her flavorful, creative dishes, and our conversation is just as nuanced.
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Other podcast episodes I like right now: I hesitated sharing this one because you may tire of my passion for jazz, but beyond the music, this Terri Gross compilation of interviews with Charlie Haden, one of my go to house artists, is just a great overview of a great human being who happened to make music that changed things. His calm approach to activism comes from a deep sense of integrity, and even if you don’t know much about him, you can feel his heart in his playing.
On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m … this month — the edges of things: seasons, good taste, the comfort zone, or life phases. Thoughts as such are a “bonus” for middle age, I’m told, so bring it on.
Cooking soundtrack album: Colorblind, Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Best thing I cooked this month: Birthday dinner for my mother and sister, full of requests including biscuits, butter beans, and mustard-glazed chicken, three dishes I can cook on demand without recipes.
Until next time,
Steph