The New Flavor of Fall (Sorry, Pumpkin Spice) + 4 of My Favorite Cookbooks of 2024 📚
I'm back with a recap of my trip to Florida's gorgeous 30A and 23 brand-new stories, including my latest for CNN, EatingWell, BHG and more.
Happy Monday!
I blinked—actually, I flew down to Florida and back for a quick work trip—and all of a sudden it’s fall. 🍂 Although the temperatures here in Iowa have been gloriously summery in the afternoons, the later sunrises and crisp mornings are a preview of coming events…and have me soaking up every last drop of summer vibes I can get.
Florida certainly delivered a generous dose! Last weekend, I hopped down to South Walton, an area in the panhandle that’s home to an area called “30A.” This is the scenic route along the Gulf of Mexico that acts as an alternative to I-98 to get around this portion of northwest Florida. Undeveloped prior to 1990, 30A has evolved into a fascinating 26-mile community with 16 distinct neighborhoods. I loved learning more about the neighborhood-specific design styles and the region’s keen focus on taking care of its land and waters, and was so charmed by how incredibly pedestrian-friendly the entire area was! Get this: On one corner, the county recently added a special bike station with a little free library, a water station for humans and dogs, plus tools publicly available to fix a flat or address common bike maintenance challenges. Brilliant!
You can learn a bit more about South Walton in my round-up of “6 of the Best Father-Daughter Getaways For Every Kind Of Dad” on Southern Living, and I’ll have more coverage inspired by this trip coming soon.
Before and after that excursion, a few highlights at home included:
Several walk-and-talks with pals (one of my absolute favorite get-together activities)
Swooning over the sunset and the thoughtful summer-meets-fall dishes at a Grade A Gardens farm-to-table dinner
Kicking off most mornings with strength workouts
Noticing moments of delight right outside my front door (I doubt that this sweet little skyline view will ever get old)
Knocking out plenty of research, reporting and writing on a wide range of fascinating topics
What to Read…
Some of that reporting went into stories that are still in the production schedule, however, a fair amount are already live and ready to devour. I’m delighted to be back with my latest for CNN, a couple new first-person grocery guides for EatingWell, oodles of ingredient intel for BHG and much more.
Although the weather still feels mostly summery here in Des Moines, autumn has certainly arrived in my assignments! Over on BHG, don’t miss our prediction for the flavor of fall. We’re calling it: salted maple > pumpkin spice. (I just about leapt out of my seat on the plane when I spotted a shout-out in the September issue declaring me BHG’s “trends expert” 🥹, and we’ll have more fall trends coming your way soon!) In other autumnal inspiration news, before you bake anything with apples, I highly recommend that you peek at the Allrecipes story that reveals the apple variety that 3 farmers agreed was the absolute best for pies, crisps, and cobblers. (The farmers’ opinions about Red Delicious apples are priceless, too.)
EatingWell: The #1 Underrated Frozen Food You Should Be Buying, According to a Food Writer
EatingWell: 7 Costco Deals That Convinced Me to Get a Membership—Even While Cooking For One
Blue Apron: How to Create a Balanced Meal (That You’ll Look Forward to Eating), According to Dietitians
Blue Apron: Colorado’s Best-Kept Secret Isn’t in the Mountains — It’s on Local Menus
Peloton: 11 Ridiculously Easy Ways to Bump up Your Protein Intake
Peloton: 8 Golf Stretches to Improve Flexibility (and Your Golf Swing)
RCI Magazine: Experience the Old World Charm of Lisbon
Allrecipes: I Asked 4 Chefs To Pick the Best Canned Tuna, and the Winner Was a Total Surprise
Allrecipes: I Asked 4 Pro Bakers for the Best Boxed Brownie Mix, and This Brand Swept the Vote
Allrecipes: I Asked 3 Farmers to Pick the Best Baking Apples, and This Variety Is Their Top Pick
Allrecipes: Meet Apple Goodie: The Dessert One Apple Farmer's Family Has Passed Down for Generations
By the way, if you’re spotting any potential trends bubbling up, have questions about the difference between two culinary categories, are unsure about certain wellness topics or have any other food/drink/health/travel themes you’d like to learn more about, please pop them in the comments and I’ll keep all in mind for future pieces!
Better Homes and Gardens: I Asked 8 Pastry Chefs How to Store Brown Sugar—They All Said the Same Thing
Better Homes and Gardens: Should You Refrigerate Avocados? Yes, But Not Always—Here’s How to Know When
Better Homes and Gardens: Should You Wash Pre-Washed Leafy Greens? Find Out Why It Actually Might Be Risky
Better Homes and Gardens: What Is Japanese BBQ Sauce? Find Out What Makes This Condiment So Special
Better Homes and Gardens: The Difference Between Black and White Pepper—Find Out Why It Matters
Better Homes and Gardens: Chefs Reveal the Difference Between Pastrami and Corned Beef
Better Homes and Gardens: What's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey? Drink Experts Spill
Better Homes and Gardens: Should You Wash Frozen Fruits and Veggies? Not All Are Safe to Eat From the Bag
Better Homes and Gardens: I Asked 5 Seafood Experts if We Should Wash Shrimp—They All Said the Same Thing
Better Homes and Gardens: Move Over Pumpkin Spice, This Is the 2024 Flavor of Fall
Better Homes and Gardens: Our Editors Dished on Their Favorite Fall Vegetables—Here's How They Cook with Them
What to Cook…
Recipes From 4 of My Favorite Cookbooks of 2024
Thank you to all who voted in the Ninja Creami poll in my last Substack! It looks like most folks are interested in a review and recipe ideas, so I’ll be sure to include both in a future What’s Good later this fall. I’ve been experimenting frequently and have discovered several tricks and top-notch ice cream flavor combinations along the way!
In the meantime, my latest CNN story and a variety of recent “best cookbooks of the year” guides inspired me to reflect on the titles that have been top highlights in my kitchen during in 2024. Nearly every day, I receive at least one press release about new cookbooks, and flip through dozens every year to see if I can spy any details that feel “story-worthy.” I see a lot, but these 4 released in 2024 really stand out.
For adding to your own collection or to consider gifting for the holidays, I recommend…
Out Now
Anything's Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People
Dan Pashman confesses that he’s “charmingly obsessive” about pasta. So much so, that the host of The Sporkful podcast invented a new pasta shape, cascatelli, and now penned a book that’s complete with 81 recipes and countless pro tips for noodles, sauces and toppings. With a jarred tomato sauce decision tree, some twists on the classics and plenty of “playful pasta concoctions” that celebrate more than one culture at the same time, Dan Pashman sets out to convince us that “a simple box of pasta has limitless pastabilities.” At least with me, he succeeded.
Recipes to try: Mac ‘n’ Dal, Larb-ish Cascatelli, Shrimp Scampi with Lemon-Herb Pangrattato
The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinner
Copious amounts of fresh herbs, spices, citrus and color accent Suzy Karadsheh’s 10-years-strong blog The Mediterranean Dish—and now, her second cookbook. Designed to help us “eat well and live joyfully,” the recipes in this timeless book are vibrant in color and flavor. I appreciate the way Egypt-born Karadsheh celebrates the 20+ countries that touch the Mediterranean Sea (not just the ones that typically get the spotlight in Mediterranean diet conversations, like Greece and Italy). From breakfast to dessert, the mom of 2 displays how she feeds herself and her family well-balanced meals amidst their bustling schedules. (Karadsheh deserves the credit for my Turkish Eggs kick lately!)
Recipes to try: Charred Sweet Potato Wedges with Sumac and Marinated Chickpeas, Herby Algerian Cucumber Salad, Saffron- and Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Breast
Coming Soon
What Goes with What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities
Ever since author, food equity advocate, podcast host and Substack-er Julia Turshen started posting her customize-your-dish charts on Instagram, I was charmed by the idea. She uses the chart structure to showcase how the same idea, say, a pesto, can be adjusted to utilize different herbs, nuts, cheese and fat and end up with a stellar finished product every time. (These charts were actually the inspiration for a page in the “Hey There, Home Slice” feature that’s in the dsm Magazine edition on newsstands now!) In the intro, Turshen explains that this book includes “secrets to understanding how to pair, layer, and combine ingredients in ways that transform the contents of your fridge into an exciting meal…using a series of charts to explain the alchemy of a dish.” Come for the charts, the recipes, and the handy menu suggestions for occasions like “Friends with Little Kids Are Coming Over” and “My Neighbor Just Had Surgery and Could Use a Helping Hand.” Then stay for Turshen’s lovely shame-free approach to food (she’s open about her previous experience with an eating disorder and is shown preparing one of these meals in a shirt that’s emblazoned with the motto “every body is a good body”).
Recipes to try: Spicy Sweet Potato Soup, Farro and Roasted Vegetable Salad, Braised Spiced Lamb Meatballs
Well Plated Every Day: Recipes for Easier, Healthier, More Exciting Daily Meals: A Cookbook
Filled with what author Erin Clarke describes as “100+ recipes for easy and creative everyday meals (that even work for hangry o’clock), this book is an extension of Clarke’s popular WellPlated brand. Ranging from sandwiches to skillet dinners to totally doable desserts, this cookbook is ideal for beginners yet still unique enough to please cooks with more practice. I’m especially fond of the inventive mash-up dishes that combine the best of two recipes into one masterpiece. Why didn’t I think of whipping up a Bloody Mary Tomato Salad before now?! There are plenty of creations that are
Recipes to try: Cacio e Pepe Cauliflower Mash, Balsamic Berry Chicken Thighs, Bourbon-Glazed Apple Galette
Your turn! What has been your favorite cookbook—or general book—so far in 2024?
You are so damn good at titles that make me click in—and provide a real payoff for my reading!