SALT PIG

Welcome to SALT PIG! This week, we are pushing back against the enshittification of Big Food and talking about what veggies are growing on Lukas’ roof and in Ellie’s backyard. Turns out homegrown food has a wide range of highs and lows: mistakenly planting the proliferative yet dull-as-rocks banana pepper, the verdant joy of clipping your own herbs and lettuces, the diverse findings of chili pepper experiments, and the horrifying, nightmare-inducing girth of a lost cucumber from 2012. Plus, can a ferment get too fermented, or is Ellie just a ninny?Discussed in this episode:Pale in Comparison: What to Know about US Butter (via Radio New Zealand)The Enshittification of Big Food (via Mike Lee) Lukas’ fermented hot sauceLukas’ soupy orzoInstagram | Substack

Welcome to SALT PIG! This week we are talking about eating food outside of home: from the beach to the park, from a car trip to just about every social interaction during COVID. Lukas extolls the virtues of slab sandwiches wrapped in parchment and individual half-pint containers. Ellie makes orzo salad with giardiniera-brine dressing. And we dissect the difference in appeal between a communal trough and a curated sharable spread. (Do you want to share long noodles with anyone??) Plus, hear the genesis story of Lukas’ love affair with oatmeal and one way to get extremely crispy salmon skin. Discussed in this episode:Goodbye Caputo’s…I guess we’ll be making our lard bread at home now. Ellie’s Marinated BeansLukas’ Spicy Marinated Butternut SquashLukas’ Beach LinguineSnacks For DinnerInstagram | Substack

Welcome to SALT PIG! Buckle your seatbelts everyone, because we are about to break the biggest scandal this side of the East River. Or at least in SALT PIG history, in all three months of its existence. Lukas—cookbook writer extraordinaire, vegetable whisperer, bean club acolyte—has a thing AGAINST lentils. WHaaat? But don’t despair! We break down many ways these sometimes-chalky pulses can be prepared and we dissect the root of his ambivalence. Will he find a lentil dish he truly craves? Will Ellie recover from her shock? Listen and find out!Discussed in this episode:Table Manners episode featuring Kristin Scott ThomasMujaddara/mujadra/mujadarah/mejadra recipes from Ottolenghi, from Hot Date! by Rawan Alkhatib, from Naz DerivianFagioli: The Bean Cuisine of Italy by Judith Barrett, and recipe for Pasta con LenticchiDeb Perelman’s My Favorite Lentil SaladCatherine Newman’s Red Lentil FalafelInstagram | Substack

Welcome to SALT PIG! This week, we go beyond the Tupperware drawer of yore to discuss the food storage realities of our kitchens: what containers are best for freezing our ever-present broth, what jars and packaging we wouldn’t dream of recycling, the appeal versus futility of beeswax wraps, and the best receptacles for pawning off leftovers for our husbands’ lunches. It opens up some big life questions, like, why is decanting rice so satisfying? Can gallon-sized ziplocks ever be properly washed, and are they a vice worth keeping? Plus, find out the root of one of Ellie’s romantic fantasies—all we will say here is that it involves a “sugar drawer.” Spicy!Discussed in this episode:We’re not the only ones obsessed with Talenti Gelato containersWeck Jar LidsCambro ContainersSouper CubesSoy Sauce Marinated EggsInstagram | Substack

Welcome to SALT PIG! From a nostalgic walk through of Lukas’ family’s Costco paint can of blue cheese dressing, to the maybe French/maybe made-up habit of Ellie’s family eating salad after the main dish, we break down our early childhood salad experiences. Present day, we love it so: raw, cooked, “signature,” with leaves, with no leaves. Lukas tries to convince Ellie to revisit broccoli salads, Ellie tries to convince her husband that her vinaigrette isn’t “too sour” (though maybe it is), and no one will convince either of us that salad plates are worth the space in the dishwasher. Discussed in this episode:A pretty good rundown of some of the cultural forces behind when salad appears during a mealHetty Lui McKinnon, queen of fun and filling saladsBroccoli salads galore: Lukas’ Picnic Broccoli Salad, a classic Southern Broccoli Salad, Melissa Clark’s Broccoli Salad with Garlic and SesameMaggie Hoffman’s interview with Fermín Núñez, in which Mexican cuisine makes us “authors of our own bite”Veggie Craft, the protein pasta that Lukas mentionsInstagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! Given our perpetual professional exposure to wellness culture, this week we discuss what healthier cooking means in our kitchens on a day-to-day basis. Topics range from food hangovers in your 40s and the power of data from wearables, to the pleasures of raw vegetables and the previously scorned superfoods we now consider everyday ingredients. Even when you are enthusiastic about healthier eating, making it stick can be challenging. It comes back to the question we ask ourselves after every vacation: how can we feel nourished but still enjoy every bite?Discussed in this episode:Nine Vegetables that are Healthier for You When CookedJeanine Donofrio’s Pressure Cooker Brown RiceMichael Pollan’s In Defense of FoodLukas’ Charred Scallion Tofu MeatballsEllie’s Green SauceEveryone is extremely into sleep scoresInstagram | Substack

To mark a dozen episodes(!), this week we have cookbook writer Jenny Rosenstrach joining us as our first ever SALT PIG guest. We discuss all the food we give our friends and family when they have had a baby, are going through something, hosting us, or just because: practical dinners, surprising treats, weird concoctions that need a home, and more. It turns out packaging has a major impact too: Jenny buys cellophane bags and shops from her designated gift closet (we knew she was a pro), Lukas keeps it classy (most of the time) with parchment and twine, and Ellie finds out that upcycling cottage cheese containers, while environmentally noble, really ruins the vibe. Discussed in this episode:Salt Lick Nationwide Delivery via GoldbellyKari Kari Chili CrispJenny’s I’ll-Miss-You GranolaHomemade Vanilla ExtractZingermans Coffee Cake TrioTasteful Biodegradable ContainersBatched Cocktail Details from Brooks ReitzLukas’ Blueberry-Almond SmoothieThe I Hate to Cook Cookbook by Peg BrackenJenny’s Three-Bean ChiliInstagram | Substack

Welcome to SALT PIG! Where are we on the kitchen cleanliness spectrum? And what actually matters when it comes to keeping the germs at bay? We discuss gloves in the kitchen, festering sponges, dishes in the sink, the folly of designating dishtowels for different purposes, and more. We get deep into Ellie’s scarcity mindset and Lukas’ performative cleaning. Plus when you love a cutting board, (how to) treat it well.Discussed in this episode:How Black Gloves Took Over Cooking Videos (via Eater)Sweetbitter by Stephanie DanlerIkea kitchen towelsSubmerging wood cutting boards in mineral oil (via Reddit)The Garlic Powder Bias (via Ellie)Instagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! Dinner must be made most nights, but sometimes you have no plan or ingredients lined up. We’re there often! This week, Lukas and Ellie describe some of their solutions to last-minute meals—both the odd and the obvious—and some surprise ingredients that get us over the line. Plus, is it gross or just wildly efficient to squeeze citrus with your bare hands? Asking for a friend. Discussed in this episode:Lotus Foods Brown Rice and Millet RamenLukas’ House Slaw and One-Pan Pasta & Beans with AsparagusCatherine Newman’s 2-Ingredient SlawThe Caramelized Fish Sauce Tuna that Lukas has mentioned beforeInstagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! This week, we're celebrating the glory of tap water. Ellie and Lukas break down the numerous ways that water is one of the most useful ingredients in our cooking and helpful tool in the kitchen—from controlling temperature in a pan and dispersing flavor, to making the purest-tasting soups, risottos, and more. Plus, catch Ellie’s quick lemon spaghetti and Lukas’ hot take on leftover pasta. Join us, and if you enjoy — please like and subscribe!Discussed in this episode:Via Carota's Insalata Verde Does Pasta Water Thicken the Sauce? by Nik SharmaGabrielle Hamilton's Endive Salad in the Puntarelle StyleInstagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! Does our society’s penchant for using recipes broaden the horizons of home cooks, or constrain them? This week, Lukas and Ellie discuss who recipes are written for, what a successful recipe is, and what to do when a finished recipe needs something beyond the page. Plus a hand’s-off technique that is balm to one’s often-overcooked sockeye salmon. Join us, and if you enjoy — please like and subscribe!Discussed in this episode:Calabrian Chili Peppers, the BIG jarSamin Nosrat’s Scallion Pancake and Scrambled Egg TacosThe New York Times No-Recipe RecipesWhen Did Following Recipes Become a Personal Failure? by Laura ShapiroInstagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! What do Alice Waters, Ellie’s ex-boyfriend, and everybody’s militant neighbor have in common? They all clean their cast iron pans differently than Lukas and Ellie do. We discuss  the ways this versatile pan works for us, from searing and baking, to grilling and camping, and how to get and keep that satiny patina. Also covered: ambitious vacation packing, re-using bacon fat, and how Lonesome Dove may have scooped all of our food topics. Join us!Mentioned in this week's episode: Sourdough Biscuits from Lonesome DoveWar and PeaceCafe ViennaCasa de Mozzarella Instagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! This week, we are talking about coffee culture, tea rituals, and all the surprising hot concoctions we drink now as people in our forties. Tune in for Lukas’ gleeful goodbye to his fancy burr grinder and Ellie’s awkward intro to the Seattle Freeze. Pop quiz: Which enthusiastic teen in a big scarf was the first person in line at the first ever Starbucks in Boise, Idaho?? Join us!Mentioned in this episode:Oxo Coffee GrinderDandy Blend Coffee AlternativeStash Earl Grey Double Bergamot TeaHeidi Swanson's Turmeric TeaCCF Tea (via Sapna Punjab's Dal Chawal)And here's Lukas's Ginger-Lime Tonic: Grate a bunch of fresh ginger into a pitcher, squeeze the juice of several limes over it. Cover with boiling water and steep for a few minutes, then drink (straining out the solids as you pour) all day. Sweeten it with honey if you like.  Instagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! This week Ellie and Lukas discuss the convenience foods that we love and the ones we snub. Indian jarred sauces and Trader Joe’s frozen treats are in, but Italian jarred sauces and pre-chopped produce is out. Turns out we are full of contradictions and biased as hell. Plus, are tech companies behind everything? Join us!A Very Good Tomato Sauce (by Alison Roman)Brooklyn Delhi (maker of Tomato Achaar and Cashew Korma)Trader Joe’s Thai Vegetable Gyoza and Orange ChickenFreedom with a Side of Guilt: How Food Delivery Is Reshaping Mealtime (New York Times)Instagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! This week Ellie and Lukas discuss our sourdough bread baking journeys and all the practical and existential questions it provokes: How many starters has Ellie killed? Can you bake sourdough without being consumed with fussiness? How far is too far when experimenting with sourdough discard? What is a “real” baker anyhow?? Join us! Discussed in this episode:Il Buco: Stories and Recipes by Donna Lennard with Joshua David SteinTartine Bread by Chad RobertsonThe Perfect Loaf by Maurizio LeoKing Arthur Baking's Sourdough Discard CrackersKing Arthur Baking's Sourdough Granola (and Lukas' adaptation) Alexandra Stafford's website Alexandra CooksLukas' Bread Machine Cookbook Instagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! This week Lukas and Ellie detail all the ways we love spinach, and all the ways we hate cleaning it. Plus Lukas shares his secret ingredient for smoothies and Ellie discloses her favorite 3-minute home lunch. Join us! For more information and to get in touch, visit saltpig.substack.com.Mentioned in this episode: Noah Galuten’s Health SludgeLukas’ Smoothie Formula Everyone’s Table by Gregory GourdetCaramelized Fish Sauce Tuna   Instagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! This week Ellie and Lukas discuss all things dishwashers, which uncovers some personal compulsions. Plus Ellie has a broth disaster and Lukas throws something surprising into the waffle iron for dinner. Join us! For more information and to get in touch, visit saltpig.substack.com.Mentioned in this episode: Deep Cleaning Your DishwasherWhy running a dishwasher even twice a day is better than hand washing dishes Instagram | Substack

Welcome to Salt Pig! This week, Lukas and Ellie talk about food waste. We discuss the absurd lengths we go to to repurpose ingredients like milk that was left out overnight, leftover cranberry sauce, or even two precious spoonfuls of restaurant biryani. Plus, we debate the pros and cons of following recipes to a T or going rogue. Join us! For more information and to get in touch, visit saltpig.substack.com.Instagram | Substack