🍀What to Cook For St. Patrick's Day: Colcannon and Irish Soda Bread
The Science of Deliciousness with Dan Souza of America's Test Kitchen 🧪
Welcome to The Flavor Files! 🎉 This is where I dive into my love for cooking, flavor, and food science—because delicious food deserves a little curiosity.
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Now, let’s get cooking! 🔥
Hi Pals,
I know, I know, three emails in a week? I promise I don’t make a habit of it, but we’ve been busy with the Grubstack Festival, and I had to share a quick update and recipes!
Last Friday, I hosted my first-ever Substack Live with Dan Souza from America’s Test Kitchen, and let me tell you, it was an absolute blast! A huge thank you to everyone who tuned in. If you missed it, don’t worry; you can catch the replay here.
I had so much fun with the live format that I’m seriously thinking about making it a regular thing. Imagine cooking chats, deep dives into flavors, and some fantastic guests. What do you think, should I go for it? Let me know!
I just returned from San Francisco, where I had the honor of delivering the keynote for The Tasty Awards. While there, I ran into my dear friend and one of the most brilliant minds in baking, Alice Medrich. Her books have been a masterclass in flavor and technique for me, and Flavor Flours is a must-read (I highly recommend reading all her books because you will become a more brilliant pastry chef and chocolate expert), whether or not you bake gluten-free. It completely changed the way I think about grains in my cooking.
One more thing: there is some confusion about recipe access at ATK. So, I want to address and clarify things. The recipes are free. I love seeing you share your excitement! ATK makes several recipes from the residency available for free. You might need to enter your email so they can send you more great content—but you can always opt-out anytime. I’ve been a longtime subscriber to their newsletters and have found them super valuable. I hope that helps clarify how to access these co-created recipes—we put a lot of love into them, and I’d love for you to check them out! I appreciate your support!
More soon, but I’ll keep it short and sweet for now.
Catch you next time!
Nik
It’s St. Patrick’s Day, and I’ve got two recipes that bring a little twist to tradition! 🍀
First up: Colcannon, but with a punch. I’ve taken the classic Irish mashed potatoes and given them a bold upgrade with chaat masala. Creamy, comforting, and just the right amount of tangy-spiced magic. And here’s a tip: leftovers make an insanely good grilled cheese filling. Trust me, you’ll want to try this.
Then there’s Irish soda bread, but we’re keeping it OG Irish: no sugar, no eggs, no raisins. Just a few pantry staples, a rustic crust, and that signature “X” on top (legend has it, it helps let the fairies out; who am I to mess with folklore?). I swap in kefir instead of buttermilk (both work great), and it works like a charm. I’ve added baking powder to give the dough extra leavening insurance.
So, ready to cook up something delicious for St. Paddy’s?
In The News
Synbiotic Chocolates Here’s a wild (and delicious) idea: chocolate infused with probiotics. Scientists are experimenting with this combo, turning our favorite treat into a gut-friendly indulgence. The catch? Heat is not its friend, so baking with it will likely wipe out the probiotics. But if you’re using it in no-cook treats, you might just get a tasty health boost! And even if the bacteria don’t survive, you’ll still benefit from all the good-for-you biochemicals in chocolate.
You’re a very funny writer. You should do it more, IF you have time!