Welcome to Season 4!
Season 4, Episode 1: I took notes so you didn’t have to…. So grab your apron and let's get into it!
Happy New Year All! Tis the season of being healthy, making promises to yourself you hope to keep throughout the year, eating more vegetables and watching all the clueless newbies at the gym that have no idea what they are doing! Season 4 is going to be action packed my friends and I have a ton of amazing interviews already lined up with fascinating individuals so stayed tuned for that! For today it’s a quick check in to see how everyone is doing, what are we watching, eating and reading!
You may or may not know this about me but I am an avid reader. I read every single night before I go to sleep and go through at least one book a week. So I thought I would share a few I have read recently that I really liked and have recommended to peeps who are in need of a fun cozy read. I tend to read light, easy fiction that have satisfying endings.
Reading Inspo:
The Lost Apothecary - Sarah Penner
Wrong Place Wrong Time - Gillian McAllister
Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus
The Keeper of Lost Things - Ruth Hogan
The Guest List and/or The Hunting Party - Lucy Foley
Up Next is None of This is True - Lisa Jewell
Eating Inspo:
A few recipes from Dining In, Alison Roman’s Cookbook
Beth Fuller is a Boston based Food, Product and Lifestyle Photographer. One of the best ways to support the podcast and Beth is to write a review wherever you listen, like the podcast on your favorite platform and please keep Beth in mind for any photography projects as a gal has got to pay her bills!
If you have a question and want it to be featured on the podcast please email either the question or a voice memo to letsgoonafoodadventure@gmail.com. Are you on instagram? Tag me in your food adventures, @letsgoonafoodadventure. Do you want to work together with food and product photography, drop me a line here!
xoxo
Beth
Holiday Cooking/Hosting Advice and Last Minute Gift Ideas
Season 3, Episode 15: I took notes so you didn’t have to…. So grab your apron and let's get into it!
I can’t believe it’s December!?!? I love this month for so many reasons. I love the holidays, the fact that I get to celebrate so many birthdays for people I love dearly including myself and the joy that’s floating in the air every where you go but man oh man can this also be a super stressful and sad time for so many as well. The holidays can stir up memories from the past of loved ones that aren’t with us anymore, trauma we’ve experienced and also highlighting those who hard times financially as it’s a holiday season that can really add up. So to those of you out there struggling my heart goes out to you and just know that you aren’t alone and if you need a hand please ask because we are all here to help in any way we can.
Today’s episode I thought it would be fun to do a little bit of troubleshooting some hosting and cooking blunders and tips as well as few last minute gift ideas for those in your life who love being in the kitchen!
When it comes to hosting and cooking a holiday event/meal there’s a lot of opportunities for things to go wrong and ALL of us experience things going horribly wrong many times over when we are hosting and cooking. There’s no way around it, we are human…shit happens. Below is a list of some helpful tips and tricks if things do go off the rails…
Undercooked Food - Ok so here’s my advice, if you pull something out of the oven or off the stove and realize it’s undercooked, fear not, it can be saved. Put it back on the stove and oven at the temperature it should be cooking at, if you need to add a tiny bit of liquid to it, great, if not then just keep an eye on it and check the temperature of the food aiming for 165F for poultry/pork and about 150F for beef. If people are already sitting at the table when this happens then I suggest either playing a game like making everyone do the “12 days of christmas” or “two truths and a lie” to stall for time and then maybe serve the salad or soup first, then put everything else out. Stall for time!!
Overcooked Food - ok depending what this is, you can add a little fat, stock, gravy etc to the protein. Sauces are your friend to help cover up an overcooked protein for sure. If it’s overcooked veggies, depending on how badly this are overcooked you could either make a quick soup or a fritter.
Over Salted Food - Ok if it’s a soup or sauce…a scrubbed, peeled raw potato sliced in half is your best friend here. Pop it in the sauce or soup and let it do its thing for like 20 mins. Taste it, if it needs more time great, if you don’t have more time and it’s still a little salty or if it’s a protein or vegetable, ACID Is your best friend here. Think lemon, lime, vinegars etc. A little squeeze to finish the dish should make a difference. Last but not least sugar also can help but not be appropriate for the dish.
Cold Food - Ok so the best thing I can suggest is once everything is done and you have a little time or things cooked too quickly and now you’re just waiting for people to arrive. Setting your oven to AS LOW AS IT CAN GO is the best thing you can do. Like 225 or 250F, put the dishes in the oven and keep an eye on things so they don’t overcook or dry out. If things are cooking too much then turn the oven off and just leave the door shut. Or you can put a wooden spoon in the oven door to let a little of the heat escape for a few minutes too and then shut the door. Either way you should be good to go and if you need to reheat the food and people are already sitting down then go back to example one..STALL and play a game!!!
Now Gift Ideas!!!! I LOVE giving cookbooks to people! I think they make great gifts, offer inspiration and support those creatives who pour their heart and soul into making them, like myself! I know I have mentioned MANY cookbooks this year that I love and this is just adding to that list!
Now on to more gift ideas!!
Le Creuset and Staub
Happy Holidays to everyone who is celebrating and have a cozy and safe day with the ones you love!
Beth Fuller is a Boston based Food, Product and Lifestyle Photographer. One of the best ways to support the podcast and Beth is to write a review wherever you listen, like the podcast on your favorite platform and please keep Beth in mind for any photography projects as a gal has got to pay her bills!
If you have a question and want it to be featured on the podcast please email either the question or a voice memo to letsgoonafoodadventure@gmail.com. Are you on instagram? Tag me in your food adventures, @letsgoonafoodadventure. Do you want to work together with food and product photography, drop me a line here!
xoxo
Beth
Thanksgiving Questions
Season 3, Episode 14: I took notes so you didn’t have to…. So grab your apron and let's get into it!
Take a deep breath and say with me, “It’s only food….It’s only food….” It really is only food. We put so much pressure on ourselves to “get it perfect” during the holidays when we are hosting such large events and honestly no one really is going to judge you if your rolls are bought from your favorite bakery or if you decide to use a local restaurant and get a wonderful takeaway style thanksgiving dinner that you just heat up. But if you want to do some cooking I have you covered. Just remember to give yourself permission to make these are easy, fun and joyful as possible but if you’re not having fun doing this then what’s the point! I feel like cooking and food should be fun so put on your favorite playlist and let’s do this!
So you want to make killer mashed potatoes, you need a few things..like a potato ricer or a food mill. You’re also going to want to heat up the dairy, butter and aromatics on the stove before you mix them into the cooked and drained potatoes. Never put these in cold. You’ll have a better result while everything is hot and don’t forget to season the water you’re boiling the potatoes in with some salt. It’s a great way to impart more flavor into the dish.
Need a few side dish ideas…
Brussel Sprout Salad from Half Baked Harvest, from her most recent cookbook….here’s a different version you can find on her site but totally get the book!!
To Stuff or not to stuff….that is the question! Honestly I wouldn’t stuff your turkey for the single fear that it can get overcooked while you are trying to bring the stuffing up to temp, which has to be 165F or over. Does the turkey impart yummy flavors into the stuffing while it’s baking inside of it? Sure…but again it’s NOT WORTH OVER COOKING YOUR TURKEY! The other solution is you would pull the turkey once it’s to temp and then unstuffed the bird while it’s resting, put the stuffing in a baking dish and then bake the stuffing until it’s at 165….IT’S NOT WORTH IT!!! Bake the two separately and just used really really good stock and flavors in with the stuffing.
Speaking of stuffing….or dressing…and you don’t want to make a carb filled dreamboat side dish and would rather live more carb free….First, Why, oh why would you want to do that to yourself?!? Kidding kidding…honestly I get it. Here’s a few ideas that are stuffing but less carby than the traditional versions.
Pie crust troubles?? I love Erin McDowell’s recipe and suggestions
Happy Holidays to everyone who is celebrating and have a cozy and safe day with the ones you love!
Beth Fuller is a Boston based Food, Product and Lifestyle Photographer. One of the best ways to support the podcast and Beth is to write a review wherever you listen, like the podcast on your favorite platform and please keep Beth in mind for any photography projects as a gal has got to pay her bills!
If you have a question and want it to be featured on the podcast please email either the question or a voice memo to letsgoonafoodadventure@gmail.com. Are you on instagram? Tag me in your food adventures, @letsgoonafoodadventure. Do you want to work together with food and product photography, drop me a line here! !
xoxo
Beth