This light olive oil cake can be served alone or accompanied by pears poached in red wine or brandy-soaked cherries or prunes, but the success of the cake depends on using a top-quality olive oil.
baking soda
The Fluffiest Scrambled Eggs. Ever.
Eggs are cheap, low in calories, easy to cook, and filled with a lot of nutrients that are otherwise difficult to find: B vitamins, omega 3s, zinc, copper, and more. Perfect scrambled eggs are meltingly soft and fluffy, almost like a cloud. To get them that way, I use baking soda, which reacts with the eggs’ natural acidity and creates pillowy air pockets.
Dreamy, Crispy Roasted Potatoes
The secret to beautifully roasted potatoes is boiling the potatoes in water that has been laced with baking soda before roasting them, which gives them unbelievably fluffy interiors.
Homemade Ramen Noodle Hack
Holy moly do I love ramen. And, by the way, I’m not talking about the “Peel off the lid. Pour boiling water into the cup. Let sit for three minutes. Stir well and serve” variety. I’m talking about huge bowls of chewy, luxurious noodles swimming in a flavorful, savory broth with an assortment of proteins, loads of garnishes, and a soft- boiled egg floating on top. Comfort food of the highest order.
Chocolate Beet Cake with Chocolate-Orange Glaze
Chocolate and beets are a natural pair. The earthiness of the beets contrasts with the richness and sweetness of chocolate. The milk chocolate frosting on this cake is laced with orange zest—orange tastes great with both chocolate and beets.
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Maple Caramel
Sticky toffee pudding is a rich British dessert that’s basically an exceptionally moist date cake with caramel sauce poured over the top. Steaming in the slow cooker is an absolutely foolproof way to make it. The maple syrup in the easy caramel sauce is an unorthodox American addition—but maple goes so well with dates.
