I’m feeling a little uninspired with cookbooks at the moment, so I’m going to sift through my ever-growing stack of Bon Appétit magazines to find some new recipes to try. If you have any cookbook recommendations, please send them my way!
From 2018 to 2020, the Bon Appétit YouTube channel was about the only thing I cared to watch. Whether it was a mouth-watering recipe from Andy, watching Brad ferment something I had never heard of or discovering how in the hell Claire was going to make homemade Skittles. But, in 2020, the publication faced criticism after many staffers described a culture of racism and inequality. (I won’t dive into it here but there is a comprehensive timeline of all the events here.)
Despite promising to do better, letting go of some senior staff members and hiring a bunch of new faces, Bon Appétit’s wholesome exterior had been shattered for me. I drifted away from the channel and did not renew my magazine subscription. I still miss my parasocial relationship with The Test Kitchen team. The good ‘ole days.
It’s a bummer that such a successful video series could fall from graces in just a matter of months, but it was necessary. It opened up a lot of conversations about food gentrification and food justice that needed to happen. It’s apparent that what was happening at Bon Appétit was just the tip of a much larger iceberg.
It’s an air-fryer kind of week so I gave these sesame-coconut chicken tenders a try. I didn’t have the ingredients on-hand to make the peanut sauce, but I’ll never turn down a chicken tender dipped in ranch. These were simple and satisfying! Nothing over-the-top special.
I love breakfast food but I’m terrible about eating it at an appropriate time. Even though I work from home, I struggle to eat before 1 pm. And by that time I’m practically starving, shoving Saltines in my mouth while I rush to make lunch! I like recipes like these breakfast blondies because it’s something I can grab in the morning without any prep. These came together very easily and didn’t require any fancy equipment. They are very moist and buttery with little sweetness, which is perfect for breakfast! I added my own spin by sprinkling unsweetened coconut flakes on top. I was tempted to add white chocolate chips in as well (and kicking myself now because I didn’t).
Thanks for reading, sweeties! 🍎