Holiday 2020

We have all spent a considerable amount of time in the kitchen this year. Food has been a source of creativity, an expression of love, and a source of comfort as we have endured the hardships this year has had. As each day brought more news and uncertainty - the one thing we could count on and look forward to was our kitchen.

"Anyone who's a chef, who loves food, ultimately knows that all that matters is: 'Is it good? Does it give pleasure?”.
- Anthony Bourdain

Sometimes the best things in life are the simple things, like warm bread and a bite of cheese that you close your eyes to enjoy fully. When our days in quarantine seemed to have no end, we turned to these simple things for our escape in the form of Pao de Queijo, or Brazilian Cheese Bread. Breaking bread together is one of the most unifying experiences we as humans can share. I hope these simple recipes help us to feel more united as we enjoy the holidays from a distance this year.

Pao de Queijo
12 Servings

• 1 heaping tablespoon freshly minced garlic

• 1 cup olive oil or butter

• Ingredients 2/3 cup broth or water

• 2/3 cup milk of your choice

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• 4 cups tapioca flour (can be found at whole foods, sprouts, or here)

• 1 heaping cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 4 beaten eggs

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Step 2: Grab a large saucepan, garlic, and butter (or olive oil if you’re using that). I like to gently warm my pan on medium heat before adding the ingredients. You don’t want the pan too hot or else it will burn. Add your butter and garlic. We are making garlic brown butter here, so stay close to the pan as this process moves quickly. Once the butter is melted, and the garlic is almost brown, grab a whisk and whisk away while leaving on the heat. Whisk until your butter turns a light golden brown and immediately add in your milk, broth, and salt and turn up the heat high. When the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat immediately, and stir in tapioca flour until smooth. Set aside to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 3: Stir the cheese and egg into the tapioca mixture until well combined; the mixture will be chunky like cottage cheese. Drop rounded, 1/4 cup-sized balls of the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Step 4: Bake in preheated oven until the tops are lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes.

On the other hand, there were days when cooking became a chore. Another evening spent at the grocery store, another pile of dishes. For nights like these, we ate this one “meal” a dozen ways, homemade crackers. Simple, quick, and when presented right, we could almost pretend we were being served an appetizer out at a restaurant. The options for pairing are endless. We tried hummus, soft cheese, hard cheese, a hearty marinara sauce, or by themselves. I can’t wait to see how you all make this recipe your own.

Homemade Flatbread Crackers
12 servings

• 3 cup all purpose flour

• 4 teaspoons fresh herbs of choice (I use rosemary and thyme)

• 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste – as written, it will be pretty peppery)

• 2 teaspoon sea salt

• 2 teaspoon sugar

• 4 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup cold water

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pulse the flour, herbs, pepper, salt, sugar, and olive oil in the food processor until evenly distributed (or mix by hand, like we do!)
Step 2: Add the water and pulse just until the dough starts to stick together (about 10 seconds). Remove the dough, press together gently with your hands to form a single ball, and cut into four pieces. Let the dough rest for about 15-20 minutes.

Step 3: Roll out each piece of dough as thin as you possibly can. If you don’t have a roller, grab a wine bottle. If the dough starts to shrink up, let it rest a little longer. You want the dough to get very, very thin. Once it’s rolled, place it on a piece of parchment paper and transfer to a baking sheet or a baking stone.
Step 4: Bake for 5-7 minutes, but check periodically to ensure it’s not getting too brown – flip each cracker piece and bake another 5 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the crackers sit in the oven for 1-2 hours to really dry out and get crispy. Or if you are impatient like us, we eat them straight out of the oven when the edges are crispy, and the inside is soft.

Aside from all the beautiful meals we have been able to enjoy together, quarantine has allowed us to create a new life for ourselves. As we are writing this, it is November, the sun is shining, and it’s a warm 73F (23C) outside. We have officially moved back to California, a move we always felt we were years away from. André recently accepted a new position at an LA agency, and this was the catalyst for our move. The challenges of this year have brought opportunities that we are grateful for. With remote work becoming the norm, who knows where we will end up in 2021. For now, we are grateful for opportunity, time spent together, and we know that anywhere we go - “home is wherever I am with you.” 
We hope the end of the year brings every one of you the same hope and gratitude that we share.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
With love, André and Julia.