Top 20 Favorite Food Moments of 2018:

+ BA’s Best Blueberry Pie recipe from Bon Appetit (recipe) – I am a cake person through and through but my partner loves pie so I decided to try out this recipe after picking 22 pounds of organic blueberries (see next moment for more details) and this pie was stellar. It took me half a day to make it but the experience was half the fun and it certainly made for a memorable dessert.

+ Blueberry picking at The Blueberry Ranch (experience / somewhere in Northern Indiana) – when visiting your in-laws in the middle of what feels like nowhere, It’s hard to find an activity that you all can agree on but the whole family really enjoyed this one. The farm was HUGE (berry bushes in every direction you looked) and we managed to collectively pick 22 pounds in under an hour. Score!

+ Caprese Sandwich from The Whistle Stop (experience / Union Pier, MI) – I enjoyed this sandwich while sunbathing on the beach so the serene backdrop MAY have had an influence on my experience but dang this was a fantastic sandwich! They marinated (or maybe roasted) the tomatoes in some way that somehow packed an intense and unforgettable sweet and umami flavor which really stole the show.

+ Chef’s Table: Pastry (show) – I already enjoyed this show but throw in a pastry series and an entire episode on Christina Tosi and I’m obsessed.

+ Chocolate & Tahini Ice Cream from Frankie & Jo’s (experience / Seattle, WA) – My friend had a shipment of Frankie & Jo’s ice cream shipped to us while we were staying in Palm Springs and enjoying this by the pool in February after my midwest body had not seen the sun in months was by far the highlight of my month. Plus tahini and chocolate! What could be better?

+ Crackly & Chewy Grilled Flatbreads with Herbed Cheese from Food & Wine (recipe) – This is one of those simple recipes that you day dream about in the dead of winter when nothing is in season. On a warm summer day, we cooked these up on the grill and used tomatoes / herbs from the garden. So fresh and delicious!

+ Cravings: Hungry For More (cookbook) – I wanted to hate this cookbook…like really really bad. Model turned cookbook author? Target exclusive pressing? Ugh. BUT the recipes are so simple and delicious that I’ve cooked from this book more than any other book that has come out this year.

+ Healthyish (cookbook) – This book takes a bunch of your favorite recipes and makes them slightly better for you which makes me feel way less guilty about eating seconds… or thirds.

+ Olive Oil Cake from Giant (experience / Chicago, IL) – I’m not good with places like this. Places that you have to make reservations at weeks ahead of time, eat at a weird hour (because that is the only time slot left), be so close to your neighbor that you are basically also on a date with them, and sweat your way through the meal since it’s so crowded that the temperature in the place is 20 degrees above a comfortable level. BUT, all those negatives also mean the food is probably going to be amazing and it is. I’m a sucker for sweets and the Olive Oil Cake was exceptional and it’s presentation beautiful.

+ Orange Cardamom Cinnamon Roll from Two Sticks Bakery (experience / Bloomington, IN) – As if cinnamon rolls weren’t already one of the best foods on the planet, adding cardamom and orange zest to them basically turned this into the best sweet treat in the Midwest.

+ Platters & Boards (cookbook / experience) – Shameless plug? Maybe. But seeing your cookbook hit shelves is certainly an exciting thing and definitely a food moment that makes my top 20 for the year.

+ Potato & Celeriac Latke from Milktooth (experience / Indianapolis, IN) – comfort food mixed with a fancy twist is my jam. I don’t recall exactly what the different sauces piped on to of the large latke were but they made for a delicious dish and beautiful presentation. 

+ Savory Brioche from Brown Bear Bakery (experience / Cincinnati) – I don’t understand how this recipe hasn’t been picked up by a major publication yet – it’s insanely good! They somehow make this melt-in-your-mouth broiche and then top it with caramelized onions, goat cheese, and pumpkin seeds (if I’m remembering it correctly – I think I’m forgetting one topping) and it’s amazing.

+ Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (show) – I devoured this book in under a month when it came out and I even highlighted the shhhht out of all the informative bits like it was a college assignment. Needless to say, I binged the show in 2 days when it came out and it did not disappoint.

+ Sister Pie (cookbook) – After mastering the blueberry pie recipes in July, I became kind of obsessed with the process and was happy to see this book come out this fall. I already made the Tahini Squash Pie and am planning to dive into the Apple Gouda, Lemon Meringue, Pecan Brandy, and Cranberry Crumble before the year ends.

+ Tempura Fried Lemons & Delicata Squash from Bad Hunter (experience / Chicago, IL) – Tempura fried lemon? This dish was so unique that I certainly will not forget it anytime soon.

+ Ugly Delicious (show) – This masterpiece of a show is as much about being eye candy as it is about content (and I’m 100% okay with that). I was a little disappointed that they didn’t cover Pierogi in the dumpling episode but other than that, 10/10!

+ Visiting a date farm in Palm Springs, CA (experience / Palm Springs, CA) – Did you know dates grow on trees? And, that there are more kinds than medjool? Well, I did not and this was a total eye opener for me!

+ Whipped Feta with fermented honey from Butcher & Bee (experience / Nashville, TN) – My go to whenever I’m in Nashville and the addicting sweet / savory combo from this dish always has me craving it for months after. 

+ Zahatar pita from Cafe Mogador (experience / Brooklyn, NY) – I’m thinking about moving to Brooklyn just so I can eat this on the reg. Jk…maybe.