Dat Candy

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Why are 80% of most popular recipes the color brown?

Good morning. Earlier this week, I noticed that 40 of our 52 most popular recipes are some shade of brown. Is it strange that roughly 80% of our greatest hits radiate the same hue as dirt, UPS trucks, and my three-year old Birkenstocks? That's the wrong question. Instead, let's figure out why this might have happened. Here are two potential reasons:

1. The Maillard reaction. Which, in the most unsophisticated terms, is the scientific explanation for why browned food is the tastiest food. If you want to get in the weeds about the chemical reactions responsible for this phenomenon, this 2015 article from Sarah Jampel is where to start. If not, just know this: Science is at least somewhat responsible for those 40 brown recipes.

2. I need a recipe for pie, not salad. Here's my theory: Baked foods require recipe-supported precision, and since many popular baked foods are often brown (like this table loaf), brown foods are more likely to become popular recipes. Spot the lie—I can't.

If you've got a better reason why 40 of our 52 most popular recipes are brown, let us know.

If you read last week's newsletter, you know it brings me great relief joy to award Spain the illustrious title of "Sunday Reset's Cuisine of the Summer." To celebrate this monumental, culturally-significant victory, we are highlighting some of Spain's best work—like seafood paella, pimenton roasted cauliflower, Basque cheesecake, baked rice with chorizo, and—of course—sangria.

Red Sangria

Spanish Baked Rice with Chorizo and Chickpeas

Pimenton Roasted Cauliflower

Basque Cheesecake

Today, we're playing "this, not that" with classic, summer recipes.

1. Instead of baking a blueberry cobbler, make Nea's blueberry grunt. Topped with corn biscuits and honey butter, this low-effort treat shines when served alongside a scoop of your preferred vanilla ice cream. Get the recipe here.

2. Instead of liquidating your 401k to purchase or prepare a single lobster roll, make Alexis Deboschnek's grilled & chilled shrimp rolls. Bright, acidic, and decidedly luxurious, these seafood rolls are everything lobster rolls claim to be—but at a quarter of the price. Get the recipe here.

3. Instead of anything else, make Cesar's scallop & shrimp aguachile. Perhaps the best dish I've had in the Test Kitchen, this refreshing and somewhat spicy chilled seafood preparation looks great, tastes better, and requires little work. Get the recipe here.

Over the last few weeks, these strainers have been my favorite pieces of kitchen equipment. Last Saturday morning, I used the smallest one to dust powdered sugar onto this French toast, poured these margaritas through the medium one, and used the largest to transfer boiled linguini into a skillet brimming with wine, garlic, and clams.

That's a wrap for this week!

See you next Sunday for more chatter about what's happening at Food52 HQ.

—Paul, Editor

Saturday, July 20, 2024

4 designers who are elevating how we light up.

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How to store onions (the right way).