Live Life Deliciously with Tara Teaspoon

July 6, 2020
Bench aka Teaspoon, former food editor for Martha Stewart’s Living and Ladies Home Journal, debuts with a stylish cookbook aimed at cooks who “have a passion for feeding people.” Bench begins with a chapter called “Bites, Dips, and Snacks,” which includes burrata with grilled peaches and orange zest chimichurri; a Little Italy antipasto board; and an innovative grapefruit guacamole. “Salads, Bowls, and Dressings” features a salad of butter lettuce, fig, and ricotta, as well as an assortment of vinaigrettes and dressings. Sides include variations on roasted vegetables and a mac and cheese adorned with caramelized onions; a chapter on weeknight cooking showcases chicken and biscuits, while “Meals for Gathering” offers Moroccan kebabs with chermoula sauce (a “party-table centerpiece”), as well as a showstopping three-foot “Never-Ending Party-Sub” that feeds 14 people. For Bench, preparation is key: she lists her go-to equipment (food processor, microplane, stand mixer) and introduces “new pantry staples” (sumac, ponzu, multiple vinegars). Throughout, Bench provides valuable serving and storage suggestions, swaps, and presentation ideas. These tempting, flexible recipes will go a long way in helping home cooks expand their repertoire.