Fun fact: baking is one of Zaddy’s favorite hobbies. Not only was he whipping up delicious cookies during quarantine (like millions of other people), but he even woke up at odd hours of the night to feed his sourdough “mother”— a habit that kind of freaked Colleen out tbh. Needless to say, the lad is serious about his biscuits, and has yet to slow down his baking roll in 2022.
Because Zad is always on the lookout for new recipes and books about food, we reached out to the homie / epic cook / talented author Sanaë Lemoine for some recommendations. Not only is Sanaë a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellow, but her debut novel The Margot Affair is unsurprisingly an incredible read. Sanaë has also worked as a recipe writer and cookbook editor — so for this installment of Booze & Books, it felt fitting to have her not only suggest great food-related reads, but also share some tasty treats that pair well with each Zaddy’s flavor. Keep reading for Sanaë’s book recommendations and snack recipes!
Some of my favorite writing incorporates food in unexpected ways. Here are three books I cannot stop thinking about:
Small bites to be enjoyed with Zaddy’s drinks—mix and match as you wish!
Endives with Labneh, Olive oil, and Smoked Chili Flakes
3 endives
1 cup labneh, at room temperature
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, to taste
Smoked chili flakes, such as this from Daphnis and Chloe, to taste
Separate the leaves from the endives, trimming the stem with a sharp knife as you go. In a shallow bowl or a plate, spread the labneh using the back of a spoon to create little dips. Drizzle the olive oil over the labneh. Sprinkle with the salt and chili flakes. Serve with the endive leaves for dipping.
Eggs with Mayonnaise and Furikake
3 large eggs
Kewpie mayonnaise, to taste
Furikake, to taste
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a vigorous simmer. Using a large spoon, gently lower the eggs into the water. Wait for 30 seconds, then gently stir the eggs for a few seconds. Set a timer for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice and cold water. When the timer rings, transfer the eggs to the ice water bath. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel the eggs and cut into 4 wedges. Arrange on a plate. (The yolk will be quite runny at 7 minutes. If you prefer a firmer yolk, cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.)
Squeeze a bit of mayonnaise onto each piece of egg, then sprinkle with furikake.
Warm Dates with Manchego
6 Medjool dates
6 teaspoons crumbled Manchego cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper. Remove the pits from the dates. Fill the dates with the crumbled Manchego. Place on the prepared sheet pan and lightly drizzle with the olive oil.
Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt and serve warm.
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