№ 87: On My Own (For Tonight)

WATCH THE EPISODE HEREOn February 26, I hopped on a Substack live, started talking, and didn’t stop for an hour. Here are the links to the recipes, equipment, cookbooks, and people I mentioned. Hope to see you next time.IN THIS EPISODEHighlights & “Must-Listen” Moments00:00 — Welcome & agenda: We are trying out a new desktop live format. I share the agenda for the evening, including St. Patrick’s Day prep, a skillet showdown, and an exclusive 2026 cookbook sneak peek!03:08 — St. Patrick’s Day prep: I give a rundown of my foolproof homemade corned beef method. You can find the cure and cook kit at World Spice. The secrets to success are rinsing the meat well, cooking it low and slow, and always slicing against the grain.06:06 — Beyond corned beef: We explore other Irish classics from the site. The chocolate Guinness cake is incredibly moist with a cream cheese brown butter frosting. We also talk Irish latkes, beef and Guinness pie, and homemade Irish cream.10:01 — The great skillet debate: I explain why I made the switch from my Le Creuset nonstick to the Misen carbon steel pan. The Misen gets more nonstick over time, lets you use metal utensils, and avoids the forever chemicals found in traditional nonstick pans.14:24 — Book 1: Cookies by Vaughn Vreeland: We dive into a brilliant new cookbook featuring the greatest hits of NYT cookies. It even kicks off with my adapted 36-hour Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookie recipe!18:52 — Book 2: Who Put the Beef into Wellington? by James Winter: We check out a fantastic, photo-free deep dive into the food history behind classic dishes like Chicken Kiev and Waldorf Salad. It makes the absolute perfect hostess gift.22:31 — Book 3: Loaf Tin Bakes by Flavie Millet-Jeanon: I confess my love for baking and share this gorgeous book dedicated entirely to loaf cakes. It features genius techniques like hidden tubes of filling, which inspired me to buy a square Pullman pan for an upcoming triple lemon loaf cake.28:51 — Book 4: Centerpiece by Helen Graham: Even though I am notoriously vegetable-averse, this stunning, vegetable-forward book blew me away. Endorsed by Ottolenghi, it features incredible Middle Eastern and North African flavors.32:53 — Book 5: The Book of Pizza by King Arthur Baking Company: This is my absolute favorite of the bunch. It covers every pizza style imaginable, from New Haven clam to Detroit, with incredible photography and helpful QR codes.44:12 — Shoutout to Olga’s Basque cheesecake: I give a quick recommendation for a fantastic e-zine by our friend Olga all about Basque cheesecake. It’s phenomenally easy to bake without a water bath.45:45 — Lisbon recommendations: Answering a viewer’s question about Lisbon, I share my love for Pasteis de Belém and the incredible Time Out Lisbon market, specifically Pap’Açorda.51:59 — Portuguese food history: I drop a fun fact about how the Portuguese deep-fried green bean dish, peixinhos da horta, introduced the tempura technique to Japan!St. Patrick’s Day & My Corned Beef Cure + Cook KitRecipesSlow Cooker Irish Beef StewHomemade PastramiCorned Beef HashTwice-Baked Potatoes with Corned BeefBeef and Guinness PieCowboy Steaks with Guinness SaucePan Boxty ~ Irish Potato PancakesIrish Soda BreadGuinness Ice Cream FloatChocolate Guinness CakeMy Corned Beef Cure + Cook KitThe Gear: Le Creuset vs. Misen NonstickMisen Nonstick SkilletThe 2026 Cookbook Sneak PeekCookies by Vaughn VreelandPublished October 2025Book of Pizza by King Arthur Baking Company:Coming in April 2026.Centerpiece by Helen GrahamComing in April 2026Loaf Tin Bakes by Flavie Millet-JoannonComing April 2026Who Put the Beef into Wellington? by James WinterComing in May 2026Substackers MentionedHistorian in the Kitchen (review of Vaughn Vreeland’s “Cookies”)Olga Koutseridi (who has the e-zine about Basque cheesecake) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidleite.substack.com