As I write this, it’s been a couple of months that the United States started to shut down from a global virus that took us by surprise with its destructiveness. Our world changed in a moment, and that moment has had a huge effect on the restaurants we all know and love. And that’s why this cookbook, Family Meal, is so important. All the proceeds from this digital cookbook goes to the Restaurant Worker’s Community Foundation. Purchasing this cookbook is one small thing we can do to help support the restaurants and restaurant workers we care about.
But here’s the thing: it’s not just a cookbook that was thrown together for charity. It was written quickly by those involved, but this is one of those situations where the finished product is far more valuable than the price. The chefs, mixologists, food writers, and food celebrities that contributed original recipes have made this a fantastic cookbook in it’s own right.
Farmer/chef Dan Barber shares his recipes for Fresh Ricotta, for Butter, and for Milk Jam. New York Times food columnist Alison Roman shares My Perfect Breakfast. Musician Moby tells how he makes smoothies. Samin Nosrat of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat takes us to Italy for Ligurian Focaccia, and pastry chef Dominique Crenn shares her French childhood with her Crispy Buckwheat Crepe Crackers.
Former Editor of Gourmet magazine (and one of my all-time favorite food writers) Ruth Reichl offers her recipe for Robert’s Cheese Toast. Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli shares her recipe for Vegetarian Pantry Chili with Chickpeas, Paprika, and Almonds. There is Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola from Ina Garten, Vegetarian Mushroom Bolognese from chef/owner of New York’s Le Bernardin Eric Ripert, and Quick Essential Stovetop Mac-and-Cheese from Smitten Kitten Deb Perelman.
Food Network stars Michael Symon and Bobby Flay share recipes for Grilled Maple Chicken with Smoky Greens and Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta and Cremini Mushrooms, respectively. And Top Chef alum Kwame Onwuachi offers up Shrimp and Chorizo White Bean Stew. And if that’s not enough food royalty for you, Machete himself, Danny Trejo, shares his Salmon Veracruz.
And because that’s just not enough for us, former Masterchef host Christina Tosi helps us make her Miso Milk Bar Pie Christina Tosi, and New York Times food writer Melissa Clark tempts us with her Lemon Curd with Poppy Seeds. And there is even advice on wine pairings and drink recipes, including Ridiculously Simple (but Fancy if You Want) Punch from John deBary, a former bartender who is one of the founders of the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation.
And not to be outdone, in her introduction to Family Meal, the CEO of Penguin Random House US, Madeline McIntosh, shared her recipe for “Conference Call Cake,” a mouth-watering orange cake with chocolate glaze that could be put together in between Zoom meetings, dog walks, home-schooling, and whatever other interruptions you manage during the day, whether you’re in quarantine or not.
With 50 original recipes to make eating at home a celebration, including several vegetarian or vegan recipes, and a low price for a cookbook of this quality, Family Meal is a chance for us to nourish our families as well as to help the restaurants that have temporarily been unable to nourish us the way they want to. You could think of this as a win-win, or even a win-win-wine, situation for us all!