A Casual Culinary Chat About Celeriac Root With Laurel Randolph

Summary

The Joy of Cooking Podcast: Episode Summary

Episode Title: A Casual Culinary Chat About Celeriac Root With Laurel Randolph
Release Date: January 15, 2025
Guest: Laurel Randolph, Senior Editor at Simply Recipes and Cookbook Author

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Introduction

The episode kicks off with Shannon Larson welcoming listeners to The Joy of Cooking Podcast. She sets the stage for a week filled with recipe discussions, kitchen stories, and culinary adventures. The co-hosts—Megan Scott and Jon Becker—introduce themselves, sharing personal anecdotes that highlight their passion for cooking and their roles in maintaining the legacy of The Joy of Cooking.

Notable Quote:
Shannon Larson [00:39]:

"We're glad you've joined us at the table today."

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Guest Introduction: Laurel Randolph

Megan Scott introduces the episode's guest, Laurel Randolph, a senior editor at Simply Recipes and an accomplished cookbook author. Laurel shares her extensive background in food writing, including her contributions to prominent culinary publications and her five published cookbooks.

Notable Quote:
Laurel Randolph [05:40]:

"I'm in charge of the recipes, but over the years, I've been a freelance writer and freelance editor. I've written for Kitchen Food 52, Serious Eats, Simply Recipes, the Spruce Eats... and I've written five cookbooks."

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Exploring Laurel's Cookbooks: The Simpsons and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

The conversation delves into Laurel's unique niche of creating cookbooks based on popular television shows. Despite Megan's admission of never having watched The Simpsons or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Laurel explains her inspiration and process for translating the shows' culinary elements into tangible recipes.

Notable Quotes:
Laurel Randolph [06:52]:

"I never thought I'd write cookbooks for Shows or properties or anything. But I just love the Simpsons so much, and there's so much food in it."

Shannon Larson [10:35]:

"Laurel, I have to ask, do you have a favorite Simpsons character?"

Laurel Randolph [10:39]:

"I really love Mr. Burns. He's like the villain of the entire show, but I think he's hilarious."

---

Celery Root (Celeriac) Discussion

Transitioning to the episode's theme, the hosts and Laurel engage in an in-depth discussion about celery root, also known as celeriac. They explore various culinary uses, share personal experiences, and offer tips for incorporating this versatile root vegetable into everyday cooking.

Notable Quotes:
Megan Scott [15:45]:

"We're gonna move into our tasting segment this week. Our theme for the episode is celery root, also known as celeriac, which I super don't like that word."

Jon Becker [16:13]:

"For root vegetable chips in particular, I found that a lower frying temperature of around 300 degrees is actually ideal."

Shannon Larson [35:31]:

"You're not going to have the same texture as celery. So that is a big thing."

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Tasting Segment: Celery Root Chips

Jon Becker demonstrates his recipe for celery root chips, showcasing a technique that results in delicate, flavorful snacks. The segment highlights the importance of frying temperature and seasoning to achieve the perfect texture and taste.

Notable Quotes:
Shannon Larson [16:10]:

"John made celery root chips. They're deep-fried, but they're very thin and very delicate."

Jon Becker [16:13]:

"Frying is actually a dehydrating step. If you think about it like that, you're just trying to get as much water out of them as possible."

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Listener Q&A: Addressing Celery Root Concerns

The hosts address a listener's question about making celery root more palatable for those who dislike the taste of celery. Jon, Megan, and Shannon provide practical solutions, suggesting ways to incorporate celery root into dishes where its flavor is moderated or complemented by other ingredients.

Notable Quotes:
Jon Becker [33:14]:

"Handing them off is probably what you should do if you don't like the taste."

Megan Scott [34:05]:

"The celery root will absorb the braising liquid a bit and taste more like all the other things you put into the stew."

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Special Segment: Winter Cooking and Seasonal Ingredients

Laurel shares insights into the challenges of sourcing seasonal ingredients out of their typical harvest periods. She recounts her adventures in procuring uncommon ingredients like calamansi, emphasizing the dedication required to perfect recipes that rely on specific flavors.

Notable Quote:
Laurel Randolph [13:18]:

"Trying to get figs outside of fig season is impossible. So there's a lot of calling really random grocery stores."

---

Personal Culinary Stories and Favorites

The conversation shifts to personal anecdotes, with each host sharing their favorite recipes and cooking experiences. Laurel talks about her admiration for pistachio-based desserts, reflecting on her time in Paris and the memories tied to specific flavors and dishes.

Notable Quotes:
Megan Scott [28:15]:

"I think you're supposed to position the vegetable, like the cucumber and the fish inside the partially set gelatin so that when you unmold it, it looks cool."

Shannon Larson [29:16]:

"Pistachio nut. It takes the cake for me."

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Thanksgiving Plans and Recipes

As the episode progresses towards the holiday season, the hosts discuss their Thanksgiving preparations. Megan outlines her pie-making plans, Jon shares his role in smoking turkey breasts, and Shannon talks about her new hosting experience, emphasizing the inclusion of vibrant side dishes to enhance the festive table.

Notable Quotes:
Megan Scott [43:15]:

"I'm gonna make two pies. I'm gonna do a sweet potato pie. I'm team sweet potato."

Shannon Larson [41:58]:

"We're hosting for the first time in our new house. My sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews are coming down."

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Conclusion and Teasers for Next Episode

The episode wraps up with final thoughts and a preview of the next week's topic, which will focus on crowd-pleasing main course recipes. The hosts encourage listeners to engage by submitting their questions and sharing their culinary joys.

Notable Quotes:
Megan Scott [46:00]:

"Thanks for listening to the Joy of Cooking podcast. Show some love by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts and iTunes."

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Key Takeaways

• Laurel Randolph's Journey: Laurel’s exploration into creating cookbooks based on beloved TV shows showcases the fusion of pop culture and culinary arts. Her work on The Simpsons and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cookbooks highlights her ability to translate fictional foods into real, delicious recipes.

• Celery Root Versatility: The detailed discussion on celery root underscores its versatility in the kitchen. From deep-fried chips to incorporation in stews and salads, celery root can adapt to various culinary applications, offering both flavor and texture benefits.

• Seasonal Cooking Challenges: Laurel’s experiences in sourcing out-of-season ingredients shed light on the dedication required for seasonal cooking, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and creativity in recipe development.

• Personal Connections to Food: The hosts and Laurel share personal stories that illustrate the intimate relationship between food and memory, underscoring how specific ingredients and recipes can evoke cherished moments and traditions.

• Thanksgiving Preparations: The conversation around Thanksgiving preparations provides listeners with practical ideas and inspiration for their own holiday cooking, emphasizing the balance between traditional dishes and personal culinary expressions.

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Stay Connected:
For more recipes and culinary inspiration, follow Laurel Randolph on Instagram @joyofcookingmillhouse and visit Simply Recipes.

Listener Engagement:
Have a question, hope, or joy to share from your kitchen? Call the podcast hotline at 503-395-8858 or send a text to be featured in future episodes.

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Thank you to our dedicated team at The Joy of Creation Production House: Kayleen Beach, Haley Bowers, Sarah Marshall, and Dirk Marshall.

Transcript

[Shannon Larson]

Hello and welcome to the Joy of Cooking podcast. Each week we set the table for a discussion about recipes and stories from the authors of the Joy of Cooking, Kitchen victories and misadventures, and most importantly, what we are cooking and eating right now. We're glad you've joined us at the table today. I'm Shannon Larson, home cook, ardent Joy of Cooking user and fan, and homemade tomato soup, enthusiastic.

[Megan Scott]

I'm Megan Scott, co Author of the 2019 edition of Joy of Cooking. I'm a food editor by day and avoider of dish duty by night. And I make a mean celery salad. Bet you didn't know that you could do that.

[Jon Becker]

I'm Jon Becker, 4th Generation Co author and steward of the Joy of Cooking, America's oldest family run cookbook. I cut myself with a mandolin fairly frequently today.

[Megan Scott]

Notably today.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah. And it was. It wasn't even my index finger or my thumb. It was actually my ring finger. I don't know how I did that.

[Shannon Larson]

It was just like hanging out doing nothing.

[Jon Becker]

I mean, yeah, pretty. It was an innocent bystander finger.

[Shannon Larson]

I'm sorry.

[Jon Becker]

I blame the celery root.

[Megan Scott]

Oh, that's a hard one to mandolin. I feel.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah, I need one of those chainmail gloves.

[Megan Scott]

Ooh, I hate those. I don't like. They make me feel. It feels more dangerous using those somehow.

[Jon Becker]

I've never used them, but it does seem like, I don't know, they seem kind of cool.

[Shannon Larson]

Well, you could feel like you're a knight in the kitchen or something.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, but only your hand. Yeah, your hand. That's the night. How was your week, Shannon? What did you do?

[Shannon Larson]

My week was really good. I'm. It's weird. I try to think back on my week before we record this podcast and I'm like, I don't know what I did. I worked a lot. It was a busy week for us because. Yeah, it's just busy right now. We ate out more than we usually do, but we definitely had Phoenix.

[Megan Scott]

Oh, it's good fall weather, so.

[Shannon Larson]

Well, every weather for me is good weather. But yeah, that was like the highlight. I mean, we made some good stuff, but honestly, take out pho was the highlight of the week, food wise, for me. What about you?

[Megan Scott]

So several episodes back, we talked about pie and I mentioned that I was having trouble with my pie crust. Oh, yeah. Despite having used it many, many, many, many times successfully. And even having my own, like, baking business many years ago and using that recipe. So I know it's not the recipe's fault. Like, I'm Doing something that's not working well. This week I was determined I'm gonna break the curse of the pie crust. And I did it. I made pie crust. And what did you do? It worked. I was adding too much water. I was like, over watering the pie crust, and then it. I think that just activates the gluten too much and then it wants to shrink and the butter leaks out, and then it's tough.

[Shannon Larson]

Oh.

[Megan Scott]

So I was really careful this time. I had to get. I had to get my stuff together for this week is going to be Thanksgiving week. I know this podcast is going to air long after Thanksgiving, but I'm preparing for Thanksgiving because I have to make two pies. So I had to get my crust game together.

[Shannon Larson]

How many pies did you have to make to figure it out?

[Megan Scott]

Well, I just made the one. I made the giant blueberry pop tart that I brought to the canning club. This week was my pie crust adventure.

[Shannon Larson]

Congratulations.

[Megan Scott]

Thank you. That's a big deal.

[Shannon Larson]

John, any highlights for you?

[Jon Becker]

Yeah, I mean, like, right after we recorded last weekend, made some chili for a discerning chili enthusiast.

[Megan Scott]

A Texan.

[Jon Becker]

A Texan.

[Megan Scott]

Oh, yeah.

[Jon Becker]

After we recorded, I basically started from scratch. I mean, I didn't have to buy any of the ingredients for the chili powder. I had all of that, but definitely made the toasted the chilies, made the chili powder from scratch and all that stuff. And it turned out really good.

[Megan Scott]

It was delicious.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah. We served beans on the side. And I was kind of thinking I was silly being silly about that. And I brought it up, you know, when our friends Brian and Marisa were over and Brian's the Texan, and it turns out that that was good planning. He was. He was just like, you know, I can tolerate beans and chili, and I really appreciate, you know, especially with like a ground beef chili. But when it's Texas style, let's just say that I really appreciate that you put them in another pot.

[Megan Scott]

Pandering. It's pandering.

[Shannon Larson]

It is.

[Megan Scott]

I'm a bean person.

[Shannon Larson]

I love a beanie chili.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, me too.

[Shannon Larson]

My thing. I don't know if what state bean chili is, but.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, I don't either.

[Jon Becker]

Every other state. Oh, Cincinnati. You know, the kidney beans get added to five way. Yeah.

[Megan Scott]

So you're. John is half from Cincinnati, so.

[Shannon Larson]

Half Cincinnatian.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah.

[Shannon Larson]

I don't know if that's the term.

[Jon Becker]

Sure. No, no, I have not.

[Megan Scott]

The beans are not integrated. They're just. They're. You get. You can get them on top.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah. Same deal. It's like you can add them if you want them.

[Shannon Larson]

Add the beans.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, add them. Goodness. All right, so this week we would like to welcome our guest, Laurel Randolph. Laurel is actually my co worker at my day job, which is at Simply Recipes. Laurel, welcome to our podcast.

[Laurel Randolph]

Thank you. Viva Beans.

[Megan Scott]

Yes, Laurel, could you just quickly tell us a little bit about yourself?

[Laurel Randolph]

I am a senior editor at Simply Recipes. I'm in charge of the recipes, but over the years, I've been a freelance writer and freelance editor. I've written for the Kitchen Food 52, Serious Eats, Simply Recipes, the Spruce Eats. I can't even remember eating. Well, lots. And I've written five cookbooks. I think that's pretty good.

[Megan Scott]

That's pretty good.

[Laurel Randolph]

We don't even know more about me. Yeah, yeah.

[Megan Scott]

No, that's great.

[Jon Becker]

Straight and to the point. Really good highlights there.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah. Famously, or maybe. I don't know, I think in my mind, famously, you have written a cookbook about the Simpsons or a cookbook based on the Simpsons, and then a cookbook based on the food, and it's always sunny in Philadelphia. So my question is. I have. First of all, I have a confession, which is that I've never seen a single episode of either show. I know I was very sheltered. Okay. I've been sheltered.

[Laurel Randolph]

I know I still love you, but.

[Megan Scott]

Could you talk about.

[Jon Becker]

I am embarrassed for you.

[Megan Scott]

Well, no, don't overemphasize it. Can you. Laurel, can you talk a little bit about what compelled you to write cookbooks about those shows? To me, a person who has never seen an episode of either show.

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, my God. No pressure. Sell these iconic shows and their cookbooks, too.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah. Summer, just quickly, a quick summary.

[Laurel Randolph]

Just quick sell. Quick sell. All right. Well, I was also fairly sheltered, but I used to watch the Simpsons with the volume turned all the way down with, like, literally my nose touching the screen like, so my mom wouldn't hear because we were not allowed to watch it. But I was just compelled. It's just so good as a child. So I've been a fan for a long time, and I had written a few books, and my agent and I had kind of talked about, like, dream things to work on, and I already had a series on Pace Magazine that was called Cooking the Simpsons that I wrote for a couple of years where I made a dish from classic episodes each time, and then I turned it into a blog and an Instagram. And so I was like, well, that's what I'd want to do. I never thought I'd write cookbooks for, like, Shows or properties or anything. But I just love the Simpsons so much, and there's so much food in it. Literally, Homer is like a vacuum. Like, he eats everything. So there's so many jokes that hinge on food, and they're often very, very detailed descriptions of the food. It's really interesting. So that was when we pursued. That one is an unofficial, because that was right after Disney bought Fox, which is wild. But Disney owns the Simpsons now, and so there's a lot of copyright limbo. But I'm really glad it is because I had a lot more control. So I really got to choose the recipes myself and had a lot of input into the art and the design, so I'm proud of that. I think the photos in it are incredible. And then it's always sunny. Disney reached out to me, and I thought they were gonna be like, we're suing you. Instead, they were like, well, we have all these new properties from fx. Do you think any of them would be good for a cookbook? And I send them a short list, and it's always sunny. Who's on the top. Because it's been running for so long. I really like the show. It's so funny. And it's set in a bar, so there's a lot of food and drinks in it, and it's like a cult classic. Like, people just really love that show. So they were like, yeah, do it. And so then I wrote one for Disney Publishing. I wrote that one after, which was also very fun. Just a very different experience. But, yeah, I don't know how I got on that path. It was very random for me, but I really enjoyed writing both of them. And you should watch the shows, Meg.

[Megan Scott]

I know I should. Uh, John was showing me some Simpsons clips before we Asia.

[Laurel Randolph]

I love that. I like the Flipnote Simpsons.

[Megan Scott]

Like, the. What was the one you showed?

[Jon Becker]

Oh, just the. The Joy of Cooking mill house thing. But that's not even really all food related.

[Laurel Randolph]

That is my Instagram handle, though.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah, right. Yeah, that's. That's where. That's why I started there. My knowledge of food in the Simpsons is not. It's very small. So the only thing I could think of was Tamaco, but. But, yeah, I'm sure I don't. That doesn't seem like a good jumping off point for a recipe.

[Shannon Larson]

There was like, a chili episode for.

[Laurel Randolph]

A long time, and I was like, I just don't think I can make that work. So I skipped that one. But, you know, there's donuts in there and kind of the things that you would think of with There's a crusty burger in there. Even if you don't know a lot about the show, there's, like, kind of iconic things from the show that appear in the book.

[Shannon Larson]

Laurel, I have to ask, do you have a favorite Simpsons character?

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, my God. I had to answer this on a Simpsons podcast. And I like bros. I really. It's a weird answer, but I really love Mr. Burns. He's like the villain of the entire show. But I think he's hilarious, and I love that he's, like, weirdly somewhere over 100 and somehow still alive and has jelly bones and makes really old references. I love that. I think he makes me laugh the most.

[Shannon Larson]

Yeah.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah.

[Megan Scott]

Shannon, did you say that there's a chili episode?

[Shannon Larson]

I remember I didn't watch the Simpsons a ton, but my husband is a huge fan and. Yeah, there. Isn't there, like, a chili cook off episode?

[Laurel Randolph]

There is. Okay. Yeah. There's a couple of chili recipes in the book, and one of them is from the chili cook off, and I love that episode. It has Johnny Cash.

[Shannon Larson]

That's right.

[Laurel Randolph]

Voicing a coyote.

[Megan Scott]

What?

[Shannon Larson]

Yeah, it's like coyotes involved or something.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah. Because Homer eats this, like, really hot pepper and it makes him hallucinate. And so Johnny Cash takes him on a spiritual journey. But that aside, the chili cook off is like, classic food episode. And I actually had a chili cook off after the book came out with my followers on Instagram, and all these people send me pictures of their chili, and it made me very happy.

[Shannon Larson]

Oh, I love, love it.

[Megan Scott]

What is. Can you describe the chili recipe from the book?

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, yeah. So in the show, it's a five alarm. No, that's Ned's recipe. Ned has a five alarm chili, and then Chief Wiggum has this, like, impossibly hot chili made from these crazy peppers that were grown in Mexico and blah, blah, and it's super hot. So I tried to make a version that you could actually eat at home. It's also based on a fictional pepper, so I had to work with what I. What I had available. So mine does have, like, various peppers in them, and it has some whole roasted peppers in it. If you're like a spice addict and can tolerate it. Because in the show, you can see the peppers floating in the chili, but other than that, it's like a classic beef chili. It's just got a roasty kick to it.

[Megan Scott]

Does it have beans in it?

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah.

[Shannon Larson]

We're pro bean over here.

[Megan Scott]

Got to know which team you're on.

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, Man, I said, viva frijoles. Up top. I'm all bean, not from Texas.

[Megan Scott]

So what is, like, the strangest but also most fun part of your job? Because I feel like sometimes, like, working in food, being a food editor, writing cookbooks, you just end up doing some weird things. But they're. They're not bad weird. It's just like, I can't believe this is my job. Do you ever have moments like that?

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, yeah. I think most of it is the shifted seasonality. We're always looking, you know, even digital, we're still looking three months or so ahead, especially in recipes. So trying to get a turkey in August is always very interesting. Just calling everyone and then being like.

[Megan Scott]

No, what are you talking about?

[Laurel Randolph]

No one's asking us for that. And then trying to get, like, this specific seasonal ingredient that is not in season yet. You know, like, trying to get figs outside of fig season is, like, impossible. So there's a lot of that, like, calling really random grocery stores. And. Yeah, I remember one time I was trying to get calamansi, and it was not season and also not a common ingredient to find in the States. And I was going to Palm Springs for the weekend, and so I called a place that was, like, in between LA and Palm Springs. Like, would have taken me two hours to get there, but I was like, well, I'm going, and there's this, you know, Asian grocery store that sometimes carries it. And I, like, called the guy and I, like, arranged for a pickup. It was just like, you know, stopping with your friends on your way to Palm Springs or back from Palm Springs and be like, I just gotta pick up some calamans.

[Megan Scott]

Don't mind me.

[Laurel Randolph]

Totally normal.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, I love that.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah. The scavenger hunts, they can be. As long as you actually find what you're after, it can be pretty rewarding, I guess.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah. I mean, when you find that one thing you really need, it is very rewarding. I think about that with you guys and your behemoth is like, oh, man, you're developing so many recipes.

[Megan Scott]

There was a point where I feel like I knew between that and at the time, I was working at an agency, so I was always finding, like, having to go grocery shopping and find strange foods out of season. And. And at one point, I just knew where everything could be found. Like, I was like, oh, yeah, that grocery store will have that. Oh, yeah, that little market. Yeah.

[Laurel Randolph]

It's like you tapped into the Matrix. You were like, I got this. I know where every food is in every location.

[Jon Becker]

I feel like, our knowledge, like, post pandemic, the lay of the land has changed, and so we are no longer plugged in.

[Megan Scott]

Sadly, I feel not as much, but.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah, it's a muscle still. It's back there. You just gotta exercise it.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, exactly. We're gonna move into our tasting segment this week. Our theme for the episode is celery root, also known as celeriac, which. I super don't like that word.

[Shannon Larson]

I have such a hard time saying that word. I. Yeah, I just don't.

[Megan Scott]

It doesn't feel right.

[Shannon Larson]

I'm just gonna go with celery root.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, celery root's fine.

[Shannon Larson]

Okay.

[Megan Scott]

John made celery root chips. They're deep fried, but they're very thin and very delicate.

[Jon Becker]

Might be a little salty.

[Shannon Larson]

Those are so good.

[Jon Becker]

Oh, good.

[Shannon Larson]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jon Becker]

Surface area is what I think about when I'm salting and when it. When something's, like, super thin. I do this at chicken skins. When baking. Chicken skins get nice and crispy on a sheet pan. Sometimes I will over season them, but I'm glad you like them.

[Shannon Larson]

Is this the mandolin accident? This is what caused it?

[Megan Scott]

Yep.

[Shannon Larson]

It was. Sorry to your finger, but it was so worth it. Those are delicious. Can you tell me how you made them?

[Jon Becker]

So for root vegetable chips in particular, I mean, potato chips as well, I found that, like, a lower frying temperature of around 300 degrees is actually, like, ideal, because I think it was Dave Arnold's podcaster extraordinaire who first got me thinking about it. But, yeah, frying is like a. It's actually a dehydrating step. I mean, if you. If you think about it like that and you're just trying to get as much water out of them as possible, then, you know, before the. And then like, kind of balance that with the amount of browning that you get. So, yeah, that's for the new edition. We. I actually lowered the frying temperature quite a bit to, like, 300 degrees. I think the flavor comes through a lot better for just. Just about any kind of root vegetable chip.

[Shannon Larson]

They're fresh tasting. Like, they have that, like, satisfying fried, crispy, bad for you taste. But then also, like, at the end, you can taste the celery I love.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah.

[Jon Becker]

You know, ideally, you have it right out of the fryer or keep them warm for, like, a brief period. But because we were traveling with them, I did throw them in a dehydrator for a little bit.

[Shannon Larson]

They're great.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah. It's very humid here right now, so we had to just Keep them. Keep them crispy for a couple hours. So we put them in the dehydrator. But, yeah, they do have that. They still have the flavor of the celery root. It's really pleasant. Maybe. This is weird, but I was thinking they might even be good if you fried them and then toss them with, like, a little bit of cinnamon sugar. Like, they could almost be a sweet. The flavor of the celery root is a little bit sweet. John is looking at me like, no, absolutely not.

[Jon Becker]

I can see, like, a little sprinkle of gram masala or something. I don't know if I would go, like, sweet savory with them, but, you know, to each their own.

[Shannon Larson]

A little curry would be good. Like curry powder.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Shannon Larson]

Those are fantastic. Love them.

[Megan Scott]

Thanks, John. Thanks for making our snack.

[Jon Becker]

My pleasure. My hair only smells a little bit like frying.

[Megan Scott]

Now, Laurel, we're going to kind of circle back and do more of a. Well, it's not really formal, but we're going to ask you some more questions.

[Laurel Randolph]

All right.

[Megan Scott]

I'm sorry you didn't get to taste our celery root chips.

[Laurel Randolph]

It's funny. My husband's in the next room eating. Literally eating vegetable chips. It feels like I'm the only one that doesn't have it.

[Jon Becker]

Oh, no. You should go in there and get some.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah, I. I will get some after this. Don't worry. But I wish I could have some of yours.

[Megan Scott]

Most important question first. Do you like your bacon crispy or floppy?

[Laurel Randolph]

Crispy.

[Megan Scott]

Right answer. Correct answer. Correct answer.

[Laurel Randolph]

Thank you. Team Bean. Team Crispy Bacon.

[Megan Scott]

On the same page. On the same page of your cookbooks, which was your favorite one that you worked on?

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, that's a good question. They're all very different because they're very different circumstances. Like, I had more say on some. I actually food styled one of them. I hired the photographer for one. I didn't another. So they're very different experiences. But I think I probably had the most fun on the Simpsons book because part of it was, like, I had already developed a lot of recipes for it, so the pressure was lower. Delivering that table of contents and getting started. I felt like I had a leg up for once. And also, I'd been wanting to work on it, and I really did. Was given a lot of freedom. And I had so much fun being in all the art meetings for that.

[Megan Scott]

I bet. I bet that was really fun.

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, my God. Picking the colors and the props, and they recreated part of Marge's kitchen. Oh, my gosh. I thought if we can't, you know, we couldn't use images from the show, so we were determined to make it look like the Simpsons come to life. And I actually think it made the book so much better rather than being stuffed with a bunch of still images. Yeah. And the art team did such an incredible job. It was a weird circumstance, though, because it was Covid time, so I wasn't there in person. It was a virtual shoot, and all my meetings were virtual. I wish I could have been there, but I think that's probably my favorite. But, you know, it's like picking your favorite child.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah.

[Laurel Randolph]

What's your favorite recipe you developed out of your 60s?

[Megan Scott]

Oh, my God.

[Laurel Randolph]

No pressure.

[Jon Becker]

That was one of the most common questions on our book tour, and it is.

[Laurel Randolph]

I bet it was. You hated answering it. I mean.

[Megan Scott]

Yes, it's hard, especially for Joy. It's a terrible question because it has just almost everything in it. So it's really just. Well, this week, I'm feeling like this. You know, every. Every interview we did, we set a different recipe.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah, pretty much.

[Laurel Randolph]

I like that because there's so many in there, and there's so many are, like, depending on your mood and your time and the season and the meal and who you're serving it to or whatever. So you could just rotate through a long list, keep everybody guessing.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah.

[Jon Becker]

So, yeah. I see that you worked on three different instant pot cookbooks.

[Laurel Randolph]

I did. I had a wild ride. Because the only reason I really have written any cookbooks beyond at all, actually, is I submitted to an open call to write an instant pot cookbook. And this was before anyone knew what the instant pot was. I didn't know anyone who owned one.

[Megan Scott]

Wow.

[Laurel Randolph]

And I was just a food writer, but I wanted to write a book, and I got accepted somehow. I don't really know how. And I got paid pennies to write it. Really? And I got no royalties on it.

[Megan Scott]

No royalties.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah. But at the time, it was a means to an end, and honestly, it still is. I just wanted to get a book under my belt, and I wanted the experience, and no one expected the instant pot to be big. When I wrote it, it was not a phenomenon at all. I was like, no one's gonna find this book. No one's ever gonna see it.

[Jon Becker]

Wow.

[Laurel Randolph]

And now it's sold over a million copies, so that is wild. Yeah. Because it was the first book out for the instant pot. There literally weren't any. And so everyone bought it. So it's like the worst thing and the best thing. I try not to think about it, because it still sells. And honestly, to this day, like, now it's outdated. I wouldn't recommend people buy my first one because it was written for the first model, and, like, the buttons have different names and things on them. Like, it would be confusing, but they still sell it. And it got me a book agent, so it's the only reason I got to write four more. So it's so impossible to write a book, you know, if you're not a known entity. So I still feel thankful for it, even though I'm still angry about it. I withhold the right to also be angry, but, yeah, of course.

[Jon Becker]

Sorry I brought up a semi.

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, no.

[Jon Becker]

Semi. Sore subject.

[Laurel Randolph]

It doesn't. It doesn't actively make me angry anymore. I actually don't care. It's totally fine. People tell me all the time they have that book, and I'm very happy for them. I. I'm very glad I got to do it because I have the career I have now because of it. I definitely got jobs because of that book, beyond cookbooks. And then I got to write more books, and I loved writing all of them, so I would never take it back. But it was a really unique thing where it was so many gadget cookbooks and things like that that are so specific come out all the time and don't go anywhere. And so I assumed it would be the same, and then it was the opposite, and no one could have predicted that. So what do you mean? Everybody wrote the instant pot wave with my book, and now there's about 5,000.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, there's so many a year for.

[Jon Becker]

The instant pot, so I'm sure that. I'm sure it's insane how many books come out each year that.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah, I think it's finally tapered off, but that's why I stopped writing them as I actually got offered to write another one after my third one, and I was like, I actually don't see the point. Like, I don't think it's gonna sell. My. My third one didn't sell, and I was like, I think there's just too many. Like, the market's too flooded. So what do I have to. To add to this conversation? And I kind of didn't have anything else to add, so I moved on to shows.

[Shannon Larson]

Laurel, I was wondering, what is your history with the Joy of Cooking? Is that a cookbook you grew up with? Is it just something that know about. Do you have a specific history with it?

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, yeah. I mean, my. All of my. All the women in my family Classic Southern household cooked. And they all had a copy of the Joy of Cooking. I. Various versions, various prints. Some definitely had the blue pattern cover, so they were older. I think that's the one my mom had. I was just always. They didn't own a lot of cookbooks either. I'll say that. Like, they. We were not a big cookbook household. We would have, like, community cookbooks and mostly recipe boxes. You know, trading recipes with women at church or friends or other family members. And then like Better Homes and Garden Cookbook and then Joy of Cooking. So I always saw it as such a seminal work. Like, it was so ubiquitous. And I loved thumbing through it because as a kid, I found it, like, overwhelming as a child because there were no pictures and there were drawings and there are so many recipes in there. But I was also like, one day I'm going to be an adult and I'm going to know how to make these things. It's the kind of cookbook you looked at as a kid and kind of dreamed about being sophisticated. This Kated lady. Owning your own copy of Joy Cooking and Cooking for all your friends. Yeah, it was one of the first books I bought when I probably was in college and actually bought a couple of cookbooks. And so I've always had a copy, various editions. I have the new one now because it has my friend's name on it and 600 new recipes. But I've always had a copy. I've always used various recipes from it. I know for many years I used the cranberry. Like, that's the first cranberry sauce I ever made for Thanksgiving because we're by Thanksgiving. I was just thinking about that yesterday, and I like, memorize. I didn't have to really look at the recipe anymore. And then I ended up with, like, my handle being Joy of Cooking. Milhouse, just feel so right that I'm here.

[Megan Scott]

Love it.

[Jon Becker]

Well, yeah. So it sounds like you grew up with the 1943 edition. Did it have like a crisscross blue pattern?

[Laurel Randolph]

Absolutely. I think it was my mom's mother's copy that she ended up with. Yeah, it was very well loved. It had, like, the binding was kind of.

[Jon Becker]

It must have been weird flipping through that as a kid. That was one of Irma's. That was like her second to last edition. So extra quirky. And then plus, like, it might have had the rationing information in the back.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah, I love that. That's perfect for my grandma. Crushing kid.

[Megan Scott]

What was the last thing you cooked or ate that knocked your socks Off.

[Laurel Randolph]

Ooh, I love this question. Can you remember what I've eaten today? Well, I went by my favorite bakery today called Proof, which is down the street from me, and it's a co op, so it's worker owned. And it's like a French style bakery. And they don't really do bread. They do pastry and wonderful coffee. I picked up a slice of pistachio raspberry cake, and it's a pistachio thin pistachio sponge with like a pistachio mousse and raspberry jam.

[Shannon Larson]

That sounds incredible.

[Laurel Randolph]

I can find nothing wrong with it.

[Megan Scott]

That's such a good combination.

[Laurel Randolph]

Oh, my God. And I like that they're. They're also. Their pistachio things taste like toasted pistachios, like, real pistachios. So it's like, you get that, like, warm, nutty with the sweet tart jam is, like, so good.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah. Like, it's not just a group for the green color. It actually does taste like pistachios. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Laurel Randolph]

It really does. And there's no, like, fake flavoring in there or anything. It's just their stuff is really simple. But that's also why it's so good, I think. But yeah, I was really just neat. I. I love a good cake, and I hadn't had one in a long time, and today was the day.

[Megan Scott]

Sometimes you just need cake, huh?

[Shannon Larson]

Also, I feel like pistachios are probably my favorite. Like, taste wise, delicious taste nut. Like nuts.

[Laurel Randolph]

The nut of all nuts, but nut of all nuts.

[Shannon Larson]

Pistachio nut.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah. I love nuts in general. Like, love almonds. Love all. Love all the nuts, but pistachio takes. Takes the cake for me. Oh, good pun.

[Megan Scott]

In college, I studied abroad in France, and there was this little, tiny, tiny bakery near where I lived that I would. Every Friday I would go and get this little. It was like a kind of like a frangipan tart, but it was a pistachio frangipan. And then it had raspberries baked in the frangipan. I ate one every single Friday the whole time I was there. They were so good. I still think about that tart all the time. I think I still have a photo of it. Like, I took a photo of it probably with this. Would have. This was like 2009. So, you know, I don't think. I think it was like pre. Me owning a smartphone. Yeah. Because I. They didn't. Maybe they didn't exist. I don't know. Anyway, very bad photo. But it was a very delicious tart. That I wanted to remember forever.

[Shannon Larson]

Do you think you could make it?

[Megan Scott]

Probably. Yeah, I could probably make it. Okay.

[Shannon Larson]

I think you should try.

[Megan Scott]

Okay.

[Shannon Larson]

I think we should try it on the podcast.

[Laurel Randolph]

It's wonderful. It's like, very much the. The flavor of this cake. I feel it. I had when I was in Paris, when I was in my 20s, I would go down to this baker belongerie down the street and get one baguette, un baguette, and a pistachio chocolate croissant.

[Megan Scott]

Oh.

[Laurel Randolph]

And I think about that croissant all the time. Just all the time.

[Megan Scott]

Okay. What is your favorite lightning meal? So, like, a meal you make when you're already hungry, but you haven't started cooking yet, and you just gotta get it. You just gotta get it on the table.

[Laurel Randolph]

Mm. This happens a lot. So, yeah, probably the thing I make the most is, like, a stir fry, because we usually have frozen rice in the freezer, and so I can put it in the microwave. And in the time it takes to cook, like, I can usually throw most of the stir fry together, but I also end up making, like, Asian style omelets a lot, because you can use up whatever's in your crisper and all of my fun sauces and put them with eggs. So like a Thai style omelet or a Chinese style omelette with just rice or something. I also make a dumpling salad a lot, which we talked about at work, but basically combine salad stuff, like coleslaw mix or even a salad kit, and, like, cook dumplings and just put it all together and shove it in your mouth.

[Megan Scott]

That's such a great idea. We've done that. We did. We started doing that this past summer, I think because of the Hetty McKinnon recipe that came out in the New York Times. It's so good.

[Shannon Larson]

Yeah. I feel like you've mentioned it a few times.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, we've probably already talked about it, like, three times.

[Laurel Randolph]

Well, this is another vote for dumpling salad.

[Shannon Larson]

We're pro dumpling salad here too.

[Megan Scott]

Laurel, you mentioned it a couple times, but where can listeners follow you?

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah, I'm @joyofcookingmillhouse on Instagram. That's probably the best place. I'm not great at social media, so I'm not on Facebook. I'm not on, you know, form the.

[Megan Scott]

App forum, whatever it is now.

[Laurel Randolph]

So Instagram is the place to find me, but you can also find me constantly on Simply Recipes. So I still write for the site, and all the recipes going up have been through my brain. So people should Go to Simply Recipes and play around with those recipes because they're delicious. Also the other content, which Meg.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah. Everything else, too.

[Laurel Randolph]

Also everything on Simply Recipes.

[Megan Scott]

Thank you so much, Laurel. And we're gonna. We're gonna continue the conversation, but we're just moving into our next segment where we answer a caller question. And so this week, the question was about celery root. Dirk, could you read the text?

[Dirk Marshall]

I have two celeriac bulbs, but I do not like the taste of celery. Should I hand them off to a more grateful person, or is there a magic recipe that'll make them tasty?

[Shannon Larson]

I want you to read all of the text now.

[Megan Scott]

Don't.

[Jon Becker]

I mean, handing them off is probably what you should do if you don't like the taste.

[Megan Scott]

Now at the end, we're done. Bye.

[Jon Becker]

I mean, to address, like, the ick factor, I feel like just mixing them in with other root vegetables is really probably your best bet. Or, you know, the celery plays, like, a supporting role in so many dishes that, you know, just subbing them in. In a mirepoif, if you're doing a braise or for stews, it's going to be, like, even better than big chunks of celery. And like, a stew texture is so much better.

[Megan Scott]

The celery root will absorb the braising liquid a bit and taste. I mean, it might. I don't. I don't know if it will still taste like itself, but I think it will taste more like all the other things you put into the stew.

[Jon Becker]

Well, you'll definitely be moderating it.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, exactly.

[Jon Becker]

But also, like, mixing it in with potato and either a gratin or mashed potato. Put some in the mashed potato latkes. That would be really good.

[Megan Scott]

That would be good.

[Jon Becker]

I think it would be really good in latkes.

[Megan Scott]

Also. These. These chips that you made are very good. I mean, like we said, you can still taste the flavor, but it. I mean, it's a ch. It's like a potato chip, so it's delicious. And, you know, if you could dip the chips in something too, if you really wanted to hide it.

[Shannon Larson]

I also feel like celery root has a different flavor than celery stock. So I think opening up your mind to, like, maybe you don't. I love celery, so I might not be the best person to talk about this topic, but I think that the root tastes different. It doesn't have the same. Well, definitely doesn't have the same texture. So that is a big thing. I. I hear from People who aren't big celery people is like, the texture. What my husband and I did last night, actually, we made celery root fries and some baked fish. So we had, like, a fish and chips night, but it was healthier. And, like, did a homemade coleslaw, too, but they were so good, like, just with baked with paprika. And it's more potato y than celery. So I think, keeping in mind that the roots of the plants don't necessarily taste like what shoots up above ground. It's going to have a more complex, maybe deeper flavor than what's seeing the sunlight. I don't know.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, that's a good point. I do feel like celery root is a little bit sweet, almost like the way a parsnip is sweet. But they're not even as, like, strong as parsnips are in flavor to me.

[Shannon Larson]

And they don't have the. The texture or the. The stringiness that people don't like about celery. You're not going to have that in the bulb. So. Yeah, keeping your mind open, I think, is also important.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah. And one of the things we love to do with celery root all the time is just cut it up into wedges and put it underneath a chicken as it's roasting. Because then all of the, like, the schmaltz and the juices kind of seep into it. It is so good. And they get, like, caramelized on the bottom.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah. You have to add some, like, quartered onion or halved shallot and maybe some garlic cloves that just unpeeled. As long as you just lift that chicken up and maybe turn them around every now and then. Delicious.

[Megan Scott]

Laurel, do you have any favorite celery root uses?

[Laurel Randolph]

First, I feel a little sorry for people that don't like the flavor of celery.

[Shannon Larson]

I know.

[Laurel Randolph]

I know that a lot of people don't like celery, but my husband and I love celery and celeriac, which, by the way, sounds like a drug for. It does, like, fibromyalgia or something. But anyway, I love your tip of putting. I like just to toss it in a roasting pan with other veggies. If you don't want to focus on the celery root, putting that under a chicken is great because then you. Everything gets small. And who doesn't like small? It's the best thing in the entire world. Or like tossing the whole thing with a vinaigrette or something like that. And it does get pretty Sweet when it roasts. And I think with the other veg, I think that could convert someone maybe.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah.

[Jon Becker]

I definitely experimented with using it for this really crunchy and spicy slaw that we sometimes make where, you know, you just cut it into matchsticks, you salt it, and you let it drain for like an hour, and it softens the root, but it still remains pretty dang crunchy. You might have to rinse a little bit of the salt off. If you just. If you eyeballed it, just go by taste.

[Megan Scott]

If you're John, you might have to rinse some of the salt off.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Larson]

Perhaps that sounds delicious, but.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah, no sesame oil, A little bit of microplane garlic, and some chili flakes. Yeah.

[Megan Scott]

Does that salad also have. No, that's the cucumber salad that has the Szechuan pepper in it.

[Jon Becker]

Szechuan pepper oil would be great.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, that would be really good.

[Shannon Larson]

Add that to everything.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, add it.

[Shannon Larson]

Just add it.

[Megan Scott]

It'll be good.

[Shannon Larson]

I also just like the way celery root looks. I think it looks really funky.

[Megan Scott]

It does. I kind of think it looks cute in, like, the way a frog is cute.

[Shannon Larson]

Yeah. Like it'd be in a Miyazaki movie or something. Yeah.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, totally. I love that. My last idea is that in the 2019 edition, we talk about how you can roast celery root whole, like a potato, and then treat it like a baked potato. Just serve it with butter and sour cream and chives or like, whatever you like to put on your baked potato to kind of. I mean, if you like baked potatoes, you'll probably like a baked celery root. It won't be as fluffy, but it'll be delicious.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah, you're going to want to trim off some of the more tenderly parts of it and, you know, scrub it good. But. Yeah, no, it's really good that way.

[Shannon Larson]

That sounds. Actually, I might make that this week.

[Megan Scott]

Let us know how it goes.

[Shannon Larson]

Yeah, that sounds great.

[Megan Scott]

John, I know you have a little historical nugget to share with us, so please, please do.

[Jon Becker]

Celery root and Joy of Cooking go way back. No doubt about it. It was definitely in the 1931 edition. Irma, up until the 1943 edition, she had some pretty basic preparations for it. It's like, you know, you cook it and then cut it up and maybe a little bit of kind of a pickly brine type situation. And then, like in 1943, there was. She added a ton. There's definitely like a. A marinade and a vinaigrette. Option. But I think that the most impressive thing was this. What is it? Celery root ring mold salad, I think is what it's called. But yeah, it's kind of an aspic situation where you, you cook the celery root, you puree it, you mix it with a one small can of pate de foie gras or Braunschweger. Get that. Really incorporate it well. Then you heat it with chicken bouillon and bloom gelatin and egg yolks. And then you heat that until the egg, the egg is cooked, cool it, fold in some whipped egg whites and whipped cream, and then pour it into a ring mold and then fill the center with marinated cucumbers. And we love this quote, fish, comma, etc. End quote.

[Shannon Larson]

Wait, just like fish. Chunks of fish?

[Megan Scott]

It's a very good question that is not answered. I have no idea.

[Shannon Larson]

Okay, this is coming out. Like, when we do this joy of cooking party where we all find something random in one of, like, the older cookbooks, I think this might need to make an appearance.

[Jon Becker]

Wow. Yeah. I don't know if I'm that brave.

[Megan Scott]

It just sounds like a lot of work. Yeah, it's. It's kind of like at no point as you were reading that did I have any idea what was going to come next.

[Jon Becker]

Oh, I almost forgot. You surround it with tomatoes.

[Megan Scott]

Oh, of course. You gotta garnish it.

[Shannon Larson]

Wait, whipped cream?

[Jon Becker]

Yeah, whipped cream and whipped egg whites.

[Megan Scott]

You gotta lighten the texture. You don't want it to be too dense.

[Shannon Larson]

I have this weird fascination with this dish now, and I kind of want to try it one day.

[Jon Becker]

Well, yeah, let's do it. It's a date.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, let's do it. I think my favorite part of that is it's the fish. Etc. Like, fill it. Like, I think you're supposed to position the vegetable, like the cucumber and the fish inside the partially set gelatin. Like, suspend it in the gelatin in an artful way so that when you unmold it, it looks cool.

[Shannon Larson]

In my brain, I'm just picturing, like, pieces of cucumber and fish heads. I don't know, it's just so bizarre but fascinating.

[Megan Scott]

Sardines.

[Shannon Larson]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Megan Scott]

If you have a topic, ingredient, or joy story to share, call our hotline at 503-395-8858. Leave us a message or send us a text. We would love to hear from you. Next week's topic comes from our caller.

[Dirk Marshall]

I would love to hear your recommendations for straightforward but crowd pleasing recipes for Hosting specifically main course recipes. I'm used to cooking for two, so cooking for six seems daunting.

[Megan Scott]

Fair. I know where you're coming from.

[Jon Becker]

I felt that in my bones.

[Megan Scott]

All right, what's on the agenda for this week? It's. Well, it's Thanksgiving week, so even though this. This episode will air after. Long after Thanksgiving, we are in a Thanksgiving state of mind.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yes.

[Megan Scott]

What are you doing, Shannon?

[Shannon Larson]

We are hosting for the first time in our new house. My sister, brother in law, and two nephews are coming down, and we are doing the whole thing. So really excited. I really like. I'm more of a side dish kind of girl. The turkey is not something that excites me, but we're going to have a turkey because you got to do this.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah.

[Shannon Larson]

I like delicata squash. I'm. I have a lot of squash right now, and so I'm also trying to think of new and interesting ways to cook squash. But I do like to do just a delicate salad with pomegranate seeds and goat cheese and just kind of. I like to lighten up the table a little bit. Made some homemade cranberry sauce. So looking forward to the Adding some brightness to the table and setting the table, which I always like doing, making it look pretty.

[Megan Scott]

Do you have any centerpiece ideas?

[Shannon Larson]

No, I'm still kind of playing around. Usually it's just like, maybe some. I mean, obviously lots of candles, but I haven't decided 100 yet.

[Megan Scott]

You don't want to make it so elaborate that you can't see the person across from you unless. Well, maybe you do. I don't know. I don't know.

[Laurel Randolph]

Sitting across from me.

[Shannon Larson]

No, they're cool. I want to see their face. What about you two?

[Jon Becker]

We are crashing somebody else's Thanksgiving table this year. We were enlisted to help with a few things. I wasn't expecting us to do too much, but we're doing two pies.

[Megan Scott]

Yeah, I'm gonna make two pies. I'm gonna do a sweet potato pie. I'm team sweet potato. I like pumpkin, too, but sweet potato is what my great grandmother used to make all the time, and I have just sentimental feelings about it. And I love a sweet potato. And then I'm gonna make a cranberry chess pie. Unless I change my mind between now and Wednesday and then, which I can. Yeah, yeah.

[Jon Becker]

And then rolls. You know, we were thinking yeast rolls, but I remember I had really good luck with this milk bread recipe. I haven't baked it in a few years, so. Tbd. And then for Some reason. My aunt is dropping off two turkey breasts for me to smoke.

[Megan Scott]

For some reason.

[Jon Becker]

For some reason. I say some reason because there. There's like a whole turkey that's going to be there, so. So yeah, it's like additional. Additional breast. For some reason. There's not like a ton of people, but we'll see. It's an adventure.

[Megan Scott]

Laurel, what are you up to this week?

[Laurel Randolph]

Before I tell you, I really want to know more about the pies. Okay. So the sweet potato pie, what's the crusts and is there a topping?

[Megan Scott]

I will probably just do my usual all butter pastry crust because it's nice and flaky. And then usually when I make a pumpkin or swee potato pie, I treat it. I kind of treat it more like a chess pie in that I add it's like slightly less heavy on the sweet potato and there's more like there's like cream and other things like that. So it makes it a little bit of a lighter flavor, but the texture is super, super creamy and delicious. So that's why I like to do that.

[Laurel Randolph]

I love that. That sounds so good.

[Megan Scott]

And probably just make some tasty whipped cream. I might flavor it with, I don't know, spices or something. Or just leave it plain or bourbon.

[Jon Becker]

You should do an Italian meringue this time. Torch it.

[Megan Scott]

No, I'm not doing that.

[Laurel Randolph]

There's enough going on.

[Jon Becker]

Yeah, it's true.

[Laurel Randolph]

That's lovely. We're going to a friendsgiving. We always stay in town, so we eat with all the orphans. And I'm in charge of turkey this year and gravy. And I always volunteer to make cranberry sauce because I make like 3 times the amount and keep most of it for myself to eat with yogurt the next week because I'm obsessed with cranberry sauce. And I'm making a pie. I'm gonna make the. I use the curd recipe from the New York Times for the cranberry curd tart, which is the most beautiful color in the world. And then I do a ginger snap crust that has extra spices in it. And I'm gonna do a. I think I'm gonna do a grand marier whipped cream.

[Megan Scott]

Oh, that sounds so good.

[Shannon Larson]

This sounds like my dream pie. That every single bit of that sounds amazing.

[Laurel Randolph]

I'm excited. I'm basically making the pie I want to eat.

[Shannon Larson]

Yeah, exactly.

[Megan Scott]

That's what you gotta do. You gotta take. Take control of Thanksgiving and make what you want.

[Laurel Randolph]

Yeah.

[Megan Scott]

Thanks for listening to the Joy of Cooking podcast before we go show some love for your favorite podcast by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts and itunes. Follow us on Instagram hejoyofcooking. Stay tuned for next week where we will tackle crowd pleasing main dish recipes. Call in with questions, hopes, history or where you find joy in the kitchen. Our number is 503-395-8858. That's 503-395-8858.

[Shannon Larson]

And we could not do this without our fantastic team at the Joy of Creation Production House. Thank you to Kayleen beach, our production coordinator, Haley Bowers, our audio engineer and Sarah Marshall, our producer and our guest producer, Dirk Marshall.