Starting the Day Right with Jesse Sparks

Esther Choi is joined by Jesse Sparks, host of The One Recipe podcast to talk all things breakfast. Why does the first pancake always get messed up? Do I need a special occasion for a breakfast taco bar? You know, the serious questions we've all been waiting for! 

Esther is joined by Chef Caroline Schiff to talk all about desserts. Caroline shares tips and tricks on making some extremely underrated dessert staples like poached fruits,  freezing pre-portioned cookie doughs, and making your own vanilla extract!Referenced in the episode: Her Name is ChefHomemade Vanilla ExtractA simple stovetop compote The Sweet Side of Sourdough

This week, you wrote in about the pantry -- what to stock it with, how to keep it organized, and how to make the best meals using only pantry staples -- and we brought writer Sarah Jampel on the show to tackle those questions. 

Sourdough bread baking took over a lot of kitchens when the pandemic first began, but we don't think that sourdough should be 'just another phase'. Esther Choi is joined by Food52's resident bread baker Maurizio Leo to talk all-things sourdough bread baking.Maurizio's instagram The Perfect Loaf  website

Have you ever bought spices for a single recipe and then just left it in your cabinet, gathering dust, until the next time you made that recipe? Or have you maybe ever avoided cooking a recipe because it had an ingredient that you were nervous to try? Well we're here to help! In this episode of Hotline Offline, Esther Choi is joined by the Chief Spice Mama herself, Kanchan Koya, to discuss all of the incredible benefits of cooking with spices. From adding immeasurable amounts of flavor to your meals, to benefiting from the natural health boosters that spices have to offer, Kanchan and Esther cover it all! Be sure to check out Kanchan Koya on her Instagram @ChiefSpiceMama, and on her website, SpiceSpiceBaby.com.   

On this episode, Esther is joined by Hetty McKinnon and Ivan Orkin to talk stock! Soup is in a unique category of food because it seems like for all the people who find it intimidating, there are just as many people who find it boring, but really, there's no reason it should be either! Tune in to hear expert tips on making your own stocks, and ways to bring a massive amount of flavor to a broth with only a couple of ingredients. 

Have you been hearing about meal prep and been interested in trying it out? Have you tried it and were overwhelmed by the process and underwhelmed by the results? Well Dan Pelosi is here to help with all of your meal-prep needs! Dan and Esther talk through ways to tackle meal-prep with less stress and more flavor.  Mentioned in this episode: Bimpy's Giambotta (recipe)Bimpy's Giambotta (video)A very special thanks to Dan Pelosi AKA Grossy Pelosi for helping to inspire us in prepping our meals for the year to come!Got a question? Call ‪(518) 291-9877‬ and leave us a message on the hotline. We’ll get to the bottom of it together.

Today we're celebrating our favorite food traditions. Esther is joined by her sister Jen to reminisce about their own traditions and hear from our listeners about eating a selection of german sausages on Christmas, a cooking a famous brisket, and somehow burning spaghetti every Friday night.A very special thanks to Jennifer Choi for stopping by the podcast to reminisce and talk about our listener's favorite traditions! Got a question? Call ‪(518) 291-9877‬ and leave us a message on the hotline. We’ll get to the bottom of it together.

Mentioned in this episode:Red Wine Brownie Cookies recipeRed Wine Brownie Cookies on the Play Me a Recipe podcastSweet Potato Snickerdoodle recipeSavory Thumbprint Cookie recipeTara O'Brady's Basic, Great Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe A very special thanks to author and food stylist Jesse Szewczyk for chatting all things cookie, and also to our listeners who called in their questions! Got a question? Call ‪(518) 291-9877‬ and leave us a message on the hotline. We’ll get to the bottom of it together.

Mentioned in this episode:Butternut Squash Lasagna recipe (as shared on Food to Love)Radicchio & Pickled Radish Salad recipeChef Neal Harden's Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric-Tahini Sauce & PistachiosRaspberry & White Chocolate Tart with Cocoa Crust recipeHow to whip coconut cream into, well, whipped coconut creamSeeded Brown Rice Crackers recipeHeirloom Bean Bourguignon recipe (as shared onThe Full Helping)A very special thanks to author and Food52 Resident Amy Chaplin for sharing so much veg-spo, and also to our listeners who called in their questions! Got a question? Call ‪(518) 291-9877‬ and leave us a message on the hotline. We’ll get to the bottom of it together.