IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMBRIA ESTATE WINERY

One of our favorite things about bringing people together around a table is discovering all the ways they connect. For one of our final evenings at Cherry Bombe House, we did just that, hosting a dinner with two organizations that share our appreciation for good food, thoughtful farming, and a more sustainable future: Cambria Estate Winery and Amber Waves Farm.

We welcomed a wonderful group of women from our community working across food, agriculture, food waste, and conservation for an evening of conversation, delicious food, and beautiful wines. Our guests included Cambria’s director of brand marketing Rachael Plitch, Amber Waves co-founder Katie Baldwin, One Love Community Fridge founder Asmeret Berhe-Lumax, sustainability educator Dominique Drakeford, and Andi Cross of Billion Oyster Project, among other inspiring members of the Bombesquad.

The event was part of our At the Table dinner series with Cambria—a women-owned, women-led winery in Santa Barbara County, where winemaker Jill Russell creates wines that capture the character of the California coast. Its estate collection includes three wines named for the women behind the winery: Barbara, Katherine, and Julia (for Barbara Banke, and Katherine and Julia Jackson, respectively). These are wines with women’s stories at their roots, quite literally.

For the evening’s menu, we started with sweet pepper butter and tomato jam on brioche, followed by sautéed mushrooms with mushroom mousse, yerba mate broth, fresh herbs, and greens. Next came peppered pork tenderloin with achiote potatoes and sautéed greens, and a finale of melon posset with caramelized white chocolate and edible flowers. Each course had its own Cambria pairing, from the 2025 Txiki White Wine to the 2024 Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay, Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, and Julia’s Vineyard Rosé of Pinot Noir.

We were especially happy to pour the Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay, a wine reflective of the Santa Maria Valley, where ocean fog, warm sunshine, and cool coastal breezes shape the grapes, resulting in a beautifully layered wine, with citrus zest, crisp acidity, and a touch of salinity. Cambria calls it “refrigerated sunshine,” a lovely thing to have in your glass.

Of course, the conversation around the table extended beyond what was on our plates and in our glasses. Sustainability is central to Cambria’s approach to winemaking. Its winery and vineyards are Certified California Sustainable through Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing and hold Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certification, reflecting a commitment to water and energy conservation, biodiversity, and responsible land management.

Each year, Cambria also partners with a nonprofit that shares its commitment to empowering women and creating a more equitable world. This year’s partner is Women’s Earth Alliance, which works alongside women leaders and grassroots organizations to advance environmental solutions and strengthen communities.

It was a fitting partnership for an evening that brought together so many women doing important work at the intersection of food and the environment. And an important reminder that the future of food depends not just on what we grow, make, and serve, but on how we care for the people and places behind it.

Thank you to Cambria Estate Winery and the Amber Waves Farm team for helping us bring everyone to the table.

Discover the world of Cambria

Cambria Estate Winery is offering a special code so you can try their award-winning wines for yourself. Use code CHERRYBOMBE at cambriawines.com for 15% off your order.

Against the grain

The non-profit teaching farm Amber Waves was founded in 2009 by two friends, Katie Baldwin and Amanda Merrow. Over the years, they expanded from seven acres to 45 acres across Amagansett and East Hampton, never losing sight of how essential community is to everything they do, from their apprenticeships to children’s education programs and CSA. Learn more at amberwavesfarm.org.

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you to California Grown, Wonderful Pistachios & Moon Juice for supporting our show

Dreaming of culinary school in Paris? Maybe cover your ears when Serena Wolf starts talking about her time at Le Cordon Bleu. “I would reconsider that dream,” Serena told me during our live Radio Cherry Bombe chat. The cookbook author thought she’d be living out her Julia Child école de cuisine fantasies while roasting chickens and drinking wine. You know, “low-key romantic and fabulous.”

Mais non. “If you want to get up at six and put on your uniform and your hair net and then get yelled at all day, by all means, soldier on with that dream,” she said, laughing.

That’s about as bitchy as Serena gets. She’s cheerful by nature, quick to laugh, and wants to be your kitchen bestie, which is why her latest cookbook is titled You Do You: 100+ Endlessly Adaptable Recipes to Boost Your Culinary Confidence.

Serena and I met years ago at Dame, the British-inspired restaurant in Greenwich Village (co-founded by Patricia Howard!). The occasion was a raucous dinner hosted by Cherry Bombe and the British fashion brand Boden, complete with pub games, a sing-along, and a Sunday roast, albeit on a weeknight. I think about that dinner often. Eden Grinshpan might have led the sing-along.

Anyway, it was nice to catch up with Serena and learn what the mom-to-be has been up to. We talked kitchen substitutions (she’s not a snob about them), dried herbs (not a snob about those either), and her gummy candy preferences (most definitely a snob).

This episode of Radio Cherry Bombe was recorded at Resident in New York City. Give a listen!

Where are my Duran Duran fans at?

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON BOOKSHOP

Serena’s Unstuffed Date Crostini

GET THE RECIPE

And a few other things

• I’m writing this newsletter en route to the Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival in Honolulu. Thank you to Denise Yamaguchi for inviting me. It’s such an honor! I’m definitely stopping by the Kapiʻolani Community College Farmers Market on Saturday.

• I just read that one of my favorite Nashville restaurants, Chef Julia Sullivan’s Henrietta Red, will be closing this April, as the building is up for sale and the lease is ending. Sad news! If you’ve never been, visit while you still have time.

• The talented Chef Jam Sanitchat of Thai Fresh in Austin just launched an online cooking school. Check it out.

• I had a good catchup with Vanessa Ariel of Goldbelly last week. One of their most popular products this time of year? Turducken! Vanessa said if you want one, don’t delay. The appeal? It’s novel, and it’s not the kind of thing that’s easy to make at home! I’ve never had one. Maybe this is the year.

• Bagel & Lox Butter from Butter Girl NYC drops tomorrow. I’m still sad I missed the French Onion Soup Butter.

• I might have to buy this Typology Black Cherry lip balm. I’m helpless in the face of any product named cherry.

• The Luxury Collection x Laila Gohar Advent Calendar with illustrations by Joana Avillez and chocolates by Casa Bosques. So chic!

  ---

  Cherry Bombe’s Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

  Please note, some of our links may earn us a small commission.

Calling all home cooks, cookbook collectors, and recipe lovers! You don’t want to miss our Bombesquad meeting tomorrow, Nov. 4th, with author and New York Times Cooking contributor Melissa Clark. It’s all happening at 3 p.m. EST on Zoom. Bombesquad host Donna Yen will chat with Melissa about the 46 cookbooks she’s written (including her upcoming The Big Book of Dinner), how to make the best Thanksgiving turkey and sides, what rules are worth breaking in the kitchen, and so much more.

The meeting is open to all paid Substack subscribers. If that’s you, register for the Zoom link below. If you’re not a paid subscriber yet, let’s fix that!

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON

PRE-ORDER ON BOOKSHOP

Have a question for Melissa? Drop in the comments below or ask during the meeting’s Q&A portion. We’ll do virtual networking at the end for those who want to stick around and meet other members and Team Cherry Bombe.

Read more

I love the flavor of a traditional bacon-wrapped stuffed date, but I’ve always found the date-to-cheese ratio a bit off, and the bacon on the outside often errs on the side of chewy versus crisp. Featuring a whipped goat cheese spread with a moderate amount of chopped dates, crispy bacon, and plenty of fresh rosemary and black pepper, these crostini solve all my stuffed date quibbles and are always the first thing to disappear at any party. (It feels important albeit mildly inappropriate to warn you that people tend to audibly moan upon their first bite.)

—Serena Wolf

Don’t miss Serena’s book!

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON BOOKSHOP

Ingredients

Makes about 24 crostini

For the topping

• 6 slices bacon

• 4 ounces cream cheese

• 4 ounces goat cheese

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped

• 2½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, divided

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste

• Pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the crostini

• 1 baguette (at least 12 inches long)

• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Method

Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top.

Place the bacon slices on the prepared wire rack, leaving a little bit of space between each one. (If you don’t have a wire rack, don’t stress. Just bake the bacon directly on the foil-lined baking sheet.) Bake on the lower rack in the oven for 18 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bacon and the fat content, until browned and crisped. (Different brands of bacon cook at different rates, so keep a close eye on it!) Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Dab the excess grease on top of the bacon with some paper towels and let the bacon cool to room temperature. It will continue to crisp as it cools, so don’t rush it.

Meanwhile, slice the baguette on a slight bias into ½-inch pieces. You’ll need about 24 slices for this recipe; save any leftover baguette for another use. Arrange the baguette slices on a second rimmed baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with olive oil. Transfer to the upper rack of the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, just until lightly golden on top and crisped. Sprinkle the tops of the crostini with a pinch of salt.

Add the cream cheese, goat cheese, olive oil, dates, 1½ teaspoons of the rosemary, pepper, and salt to a food processor and process for 60 to 90 seconds, or until everything is well combined and the cheese is nice and spreadable. (There will still be little pieces of dates studding the spread, which is a good thing.) Crumble 3 bacon slices into the processor and pulse a few times just until incorporated.

Finely chop the remaining 3 bacon slices and toss with the remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary. You can do this right on your cutting board or in a small bowl.

Spread each crostini generously with the cheese spread and sprinkle with a tiny bit of the bacon and rosemary mixture. Finish with a little more pepper if you like and serve immediately.

You Do You

To keep this vegetarian, omit the bacon. Combine ¼ cup chopped roasted and salted pistachios with 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary and sprinkle on top of the crostini. (No need to replace the bacon in the spread itself. It’s delicious without.)

If you’re not into goat cheese, you can sub feta or simply use all cream cheese. Use plant-based cheeses if necessary.

No dates? Try adding 3 tablespoons chopped golden raisins or 2 tablespoons fig jam instead.

Fresh thyme is a great substitute for rosemary. If you need to use dried herbs, use about ¾ teaspoon to start and add extra to taste.

To save time, feel free to use store-bought crostini or a favorite cracker. Use a gluten-free baguette or crackers if necessary.

Want to prep ahead? The crostini can be made and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, and both the cheese spread and bacon topping can be prepped and stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Remove the cheese from the fridge about 30 minutes before assembling the crostini to allow it to come up to room temperature, and re-crisp the bacon topping in a small skillet over medium heat for a minute or two before sprinkling on the crostini.

From You Do You: 100+ Endlessly Adaptable Recipes to Boost Your Culinary Confidence by Serena Wolf. Reprinted by permission of BenBella Books.

photos by Melanie Dunea
makeup by Cheyenne Pellicoro for Jones Road Beauty
hair by Sam Leonardi for Art Department

A human baby takes 40 weeks to gestate. A cookbook baby? Let’s say you have a genius idea and you’ve already secured a deal with a publisher, we’re still talking 104 weeks, if not more. Melissa Clark has done this an astounding 46 times and, amazingly, has lost none of her enthusiasm for the process. “I cook all day for my job, and still, at the end of it, I can’t wait to cook for myself or my family,” she writes in the foreword to her latest production, The Big Book of Dinner: Recipes and Rules (and How to Break Them), out Nov. 17th. “Putting the puzzle pieces together is part of the fun, a nightly game that ends in deliciousness.”

It’s a sentiment she echoes in person. “Cooking is my happy place,” she says, smiling, and you believe her completely. The word fun comes up multiple times during our chat—at a local coffee shop, herbal tea for her—even when we’re talking about The Big Book of Dinner, which at 448 pages lives up to its title and took almost twice as long to complete as Melissa expected. “It’s because I was reinventing all of the recipes I had already done. I took every recipe apart and put it back together,” she explains. “When I negotiated the contract to do the book, I thought I could do it in two years. It took me three and a half.”

Read more

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Presented by Fisher & Paykel and California Prunes

When Caroline Schiff was a young kiddo, she wanted a sweet treat, so she opened her Winnie the Pooh cookbook and made lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust. It should come as no surprise that she also wanted to make and pack her lunch for school—aged cheddar and mustard on whole wheat!—and soon after, bake her own birthday cakes.

Because some people are called to the kitchen.

Caroline is one of those folks. When she was the executive pastry chef at Gage and Tollner, she made her name on her pitch-perfect classic desserts: baked Alaska, malted chocolate tart, ice cream sundae. “I finally figured out, okay, This is the world I wanna live in, and these are the desserts I wanna eat every day.”

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON BOOKSHOP

Her belief in having dessert every day is the mission of her wonderful new cookbook, Daily Dessert: Treats on Repeat—out now!—a collection of oh-so-Caroline recipes for everyday baking, with an especially robust single-serving chapter. “It’s this idea of just baking for joy,” said Caroline, “Baking because you want to, not necessarily for any other reason.” She points out that other countries have afternoon tea and rituals that include a daily cookie or baked good, and what a delicious tradition that is. Her flavors are nostalgic, playful, surprising, irresistible. A hot pecan butterscotch blondie for one! You need that.

This week on She’s My Cherry Pie, Caroline tells host about how she begged Sohui Kim for a job that turned into a lifelong mentorship, her upcoming diner in NYC, and most importantly, the recipe for her Giant Sticky Cinnamon Bun.

GET THE RECIPE

Shop the show & more

• Signed copies alert! Daily Dessert: Treats on Repeat

• Caroline started baking as a kid thanks to the lemon bars in the Winnie-the-Pooh Cookbook (too cute)

• Check out her first book, The Sweet Side of Sourdough, for creative ways to play with your sourdough starter

• For your giant cinnamon roll, you’ll need a 10-inch cake pan and cinnamon—Caroline loves the good stuff from Spicewalla

• We can’t get over the fact that she has a vintage persimmon orange KitchenAid

Tip of the week

• Make your cinnamon roll the night before you want it for breakfast because the flavor will only get better during an overnight rest in the fridge.

Fresh baked news

• A look back at Martha’s iconic costumes

• We’ll take one of everything at Constellation Inspiration’s Halloween cafe

• The spooky season meets madeleines, doughnuts, croissants & cake

• Susan Alexandra x Anthropologie

• Harry Styles knows what’s up! From Lucie cake spotted at his show.

• Tomorrow is National Buy a Cookbook Day! Learn more about its creator, Jenna Helwig, on Radio Cherry Bombe.

This recipe was a complete accident. I was testing the all-purpose yeasted dough for this book, employing it in various applications, and one day had some scraps left over. I always hate to let good dough go to waste, so I figured I'd futz with it and bake it off in whatever form made sense. How bad could it be? With thin strips left over from trimming dough, it seemed easy enough to wrap it all up with a little cinnamon and brown sugar. I shaped it in the pan and, once proofed, popped it into the oven. Well, what happened was a very happy accident. Flipping it out of the pan, it was a stunning, dramatic spiral, and the brown sugar had seeped down and liquefied, resulting in a giant sticky bun situation. It was glorious, and I decided I had to hone it, record the proper measurements, and get the recipe into this book. It's a mesmerizing and dramatic breakfast table centerpiece, and, sliced into wedges, is fit for a crowd.

—Caroline Schiff

Don’t miss Caroline’s new book!

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON BOOKSHOP

Ingredients

Makes one 10-inch (25-centimeter) sticky bun

For the filling:

• ¾ cup (1½ sticks/170 grams) unsalted butter, melted

• 1½ cups (320 grams) lightly packed dark brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the bun:

• 1 single-batch All-Purpose Enriched Yeasted Dough (recipe below), chilled

• All-purpose flour, for rolling

• Flaky salt, to garnish

Method

Make the filling: In a small mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Mix with a spatula until it forms a uniform paste.

Assemble the bun: Cover the bottom of a 10-inch (25-centimeter) round cake pan with half of the filling in an even layer and lightly pack it. Set aside.

Remove the dough from the fridge and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 12 by 18-inch (30.5 by 46-centimeter) rectangle. Spread the remaining filling all over the dough in an even layer.

With a large knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into strips 12 inches long by 1 inch wide (30.5 by 2.5 centimeters). Roll one strip of dough up into a mini cinnamon bun shape and place it in the center of the pan. Pick up another strip of dough and begin to wrap it around the center bun. Continue wrapping the strips of dough around the ever-growing round bun until you’ve used all the dough. You’ll have a large spiral of dough. Cover the bun loosely with a piece of plastic and set it in a warm spot to proof until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. While the bun proofs, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack set in the middle.

Once doubled in size, transfer the bun to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a heatproof surface. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes, and then place a serving platter, inverted, on top of the pan. Using oven mitts or dry kitchen towels, quickly invert the bun, and use a spatula to scrape any filling off the bottom of the pan, drizzling it over the bun. Top with a sprinkle of flaky salt and slice it into warm, gooey wedges, keeping any leftovers in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 days.

All-Purpose Enriched Yeasted Dough

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) whole milk

• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) buttermilk

• 1 packet (7 grams) instant yeast

• 4 tablespoons (55 grams) unsalted butter, softened

• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar

• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 large egg

• 1 large yolk

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (255 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more if needed

Method

In a small saucepan over low heat, gently heat the milk and buttermilk until warm to the touch, like a lukewarm bath. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the yeast, and whisk to break up any lumps. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, and then add the butter, sugar, salt, eggs, yolks, and flour. Turn the mixer on medium speed and mix until the dough is smooth and bounces back when gently poked, 20 to 25 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula after the first 10 minutes to make sure everything is getting incorporated. If the dough feels very sticky and isn’t forming a ball after 20 minutes, add a little additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, letting the dough mix for 1 minute before adding more until it comes together.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with plastic. Let it proof at room temperature until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. When doubled in size, gently deflate the dough with your hand, cover with plastic, and transfer to the fridge to chill for 3 to 6 hours, until firm and cold to the touch. Proceed with your desired recipe as instructed.

From Daily Dessert: Treats on Repeat by Caroline Schiff. Reprinted by permission of Abrams.

The Bombesquad scoop

• Make ghost toast! Or start carving a pumpkin wine cooler!

• Planning an Ina costume? Here’s how she ties her signature scarves.

• So that’s how you make Zuni Café’s famous roast chicken

• And this roast chicken lover might have won Halloween

• The Sports Bar’s first franchise is opening in St. Louis on 11/13. Next up, world domination.

• Sibling-run Mama Teav’s launched three killer stir-fry sauces

• Samah Dada’s back with a fresh Matchaful collab. We need that date-caramel matcha!

• We loved The London Plane in Seattle and were so sad when it closed. Any fans out there? The restaurant lives on in The London Plane Flower & Cook Book. Don’t miss the special celebration at Vivienne’s Culinary Books in Portland, Oregon, with author Katherine Anderson on 11/5.

• Yvonne Lin teaches us how to make a whole new kind of Cookie Monster costume

• Get festive with Fishwife’s new mermaid ornament

The Jenna Helwig files

Real Simple food director and Substacker just published her first novel, The Foreign Correspondent’s Wife, and she joins host Kerry Diamond on this week’s Radio Cherry Bombe to talk all about it. Jenna explains how Julia Child inspired the murder mystery, set in post-World War II Paris. She also shares writing advice, tips for building a newsletter audience, and how she created a national cookbook holiday.

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Presented by Whole Foods Market, Haven Well Within, and Barilla

To the moon!

Also, on this week’s Radio Cherry Bombe, Amanda Chantal Bacon, founder of the wellness brand Moon Juice. The chef-turned-entrepreneur joined us for a live podcast recording at Cherry Bombe House in NYC to talk about her early days in the wellness space, working for Chef Suzanne Goin, and knowing when to pivot your business.

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

The martini edit

Battling the boys’ club, knowing your worth, and taking pride in your work were a few of the topics at our Mentor/Mentee drinks industry event in NYC, held at Cherry Bombe House. Dive in for more takeaways from our powerhouse panelists (above) Natasha David, Nikki McCutcheon, and Lynnette Marrero.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Presented by Ketel One Vodka

Recipe of the week

“There are many things that the French do better, and mashed potatoes is one of them,” writes Erin French. This Dijon Potato Purée recipe from her new cookbook, The Lost Kitchen Volume 3: Seize the Supper, certainly makes a compelling case.

GET THE RECIPE

Cherry Bombe checklist

🍒 Thinking of opening a restaurant? You’ll want to read this first.

🍒 Cherry Bombe cover star Melissa Clark is the special guest at our Member Meeting on 11/4 at 3 p.m. EST. If you’re a paid Substack subscriber, don’t forget to sign up!

🍒 Rachel Gurjar’s on the latest ep of our baking pod

🍒 Moon Juice gave us a special code for you! Use code CHERRY for 35% off your first SuperCell subscription at moonjuice.com.

Please note, some of our links may earn us a small commission.

Welcome to the latest installment of So You Want to Open a Restaurant. Thank you to Square for supporting our series. Do you know a future restaurateur? Forward this Substack to them!

For this month’s installment, I wanted to talk to someone who had survived restaurants. Someone who made it to the other side and didn’t wind up broke or broken! So I called my friend, the celebrated restaurateur Martha Hoover.

Here at Cherry Bombe, we’ve loved Martha since the beginning. We covered her daughter’s wedding in the very first issue of our magazine and ran the recipe for Martha’s coq au vin served at the reception. Inspired by her accomplishments, we’ve featured Martha over the years on our podcast, at our Jubilee conferences, and on our Power List.

She’s a trailblazer and a fierce feminist. After law school, she helped launch the sex crimes division of the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office in Indianapolis in the 1980s—the second sex crimes division in the entire country. Can you imagine?

“[That experience] taught me which bridges to cross, which bridges to build, and which bridges to burn. And that has been kind of a motto of mine since then,” Martha told Jess Ekstrom recently on the Making It podcast.

One day, Martha found herself thinking about food. Why did Indianapolis have zero farm-to-table establishments, yet was surrounded by farms? She wanted a place where she could bring her young family and know exactly what they were eating, so she decided to get into the restaurant business. In 1989, with no experience, a $75,000 bank loan, and fierce determination, she opened Cafe Patachou. The menu was simple—items like tomato-artichoke soup, omelettes, all made from scratch. “I needed to have things on the menu that were accessible to me if I needed to be the chef,” she told me.

“Wait,” I said. “You were the chef sometimes?”

“Back in the early days, yes! I was wearing a ton of hats.”

Martha had a knack for the business and started laying the groundwork for what would become a thriving restaurant group, Won’t Stop Hospitality. In 2017, Eater named her Restaurant Empire Builder of the Year. Over her 36 years in the business, Martha opened 18 restaurants, including the original Cafe Patachou, Napolese pizzeria, Crispy Bird fast-casual fried chicken, Apocalypse Burger, Petite Chou bistro and wine bar, and Bar One Fourteen. She started The Patachou Foundation to fight hunger, and funded it in part with sales from her Public Greens restaurants. (Today, the foundation is known as A Longer Table.) She worked on building a strong company culture, launched an emergency relief fund for her team, and insisted on rigorous employee training.

In 2024, Martha sold a majority stake in her company, but, of course, her story doesn’t end there. Today, she’s working on a number of projects (more below) and remains keenly interested in the hospitality industry. Martha always has wisdom to share, so I was eager to sit down with her and get some advice for you. We got breakfast at Raf’s, the chic eatery owned by twins Jennifer and Nicole Vitagliano of Elizabeth Street Hospitality, and immediately started talking about her lessons learned. Whether you’re working on your first restaurant, or are established in another field, Martha’s counsel will serve you well.

HOW DID YOU MAKE IT WORK?

I had no capital. What made it work truly was extreme focus, discipline, and a point of view that maintained its relevancy for over 36 years. I also had the benefit of opening a restaurant before food was “born”—you’ve heard me say that before. There was no social media. People had to find out about me through old-fashioned word of mouth, which meant I was allowed to learn slowly.

In 2027, when you open a restaurant, it’s like opening a Broadway show. Back in 1989, I literally turned on my lights and unlocked my door and prayed that one person would walk in.

THIS IS NOT A PASSION PROJECT

Restaurants are a combination of military operations and ballet, and you have to sit right in the middle to do it correctly. There’s an art form to it, but at the end of the day, you have to understand these are businesses. Restaurants are not passion projects. They’re businesses. You have to be profitable. You have to be disciplined and focused.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS HIRING

Every position is critical. I never hired just to fill a role or to fill a position. Organizations can fail due to one poor hire.

Someone told me this the other day. They said ‘Talent is hard to retain, but mediocrity sticks around for years.’ There’s some truth to that.

You have to be crystal clear about your expectations for performance, and you have to be crystal clear about your non-negotiables.

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

You will know if your location is the right one because the market will tell you. Location is absolutely critical. In a city like New York, you have a natural density. In a city like Indianapolis, you don’t have always have the density of population needed.

You have to consider convenience. In Indianapolis, for example, people are used to driving everywhere, and expect to pull up and park right in front.

When I opened in 1989, no one was dining outside; now, you have to have a significant patio or sidewalk presence. They act as a billboard for people walking or driving by.

DON’T WEAR A MILLION HATS

In the early days, I was wearing a ton of hats. You can’t grow your business if you’re the one wearing every hat. I knew from the get-go what I was good at and what I was not good at.

WHAT’S YOUR PURPOSE AND POV?

Having a point of view was critical, as was transparency about our practices, transparency about our sources. In the beginning, I didn’t know I was running a values-aligned organization. I didn’t know that purpose was so critical. It’s what got customers engaged. It’s what got staff engaged.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

I start paying attention before I even open the front door. I want to know how everything is leading up to my experience. I’m looking at how the patio is maintained, the parking lot. Once inside, am I engaged right away? The vibe of the restaurant is critically important. What’s the lighting like? Do the lightbulbs match? The music? How many dirty tables are there?

Are the people at the host stand paying attention, or are they on their phones, or typing away at their computer?

The bathrooms are great tells. I truly believe that. Make sure the bathroom is remarkably well kept. Not just that it’s clean. I pay attention to the hand soap, how I dry my hands. These are all touches of hospitality. I even check out the light fixtures and vents. Don’t laugh. You know you do it, too!

Hey, Cowgirl

Martha’s next project is a packaged goods company called Second Rodeo by Martha Hoover. “Actually, this is my 50th rodeo,” she said, laughing. “I’m an experienced rodeo rider.” Her CPG line will focus on the pantry products you use over and over, like granola and coffee. Martha and her team are currently at work on the rollout, and they introduced the company to the world this week on Instagram.

“Women my age don’t want to be invisible,” Martha told me. “They’re used to being productive, and want to stay productive. Not all of us want to play pickleball all day.”

A few other things!

• Don’t miss my Radio Cherry Bombe interview with Rasheeda Purdie, founder of Ramen by Ra. It’s a masterclass in brand building, attention to detail, and being ready when the luck happens, as Ina Garten would put it. Thanks to Square for connecting us! Visit Rasheeda’s ramen shop in the East Village. Her bacon, egg & cheese ramen is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.

• If you have the Mom’s the Bombe issue of Cherry Bombe Magazine, check out Martha’s review of her daughter Sarah’s book, The Motherload. “This book is brave and bracing, tender and tough,” she wrote. “Mostly, it is deeply human. It made me laugh, wince, and reflect. It reminded me that motherhood is not about perfection or performance. It is an extreme identity shift.”

In case you missed it

• What Danny Meyer Wants Future Restaurateurs to Know

• PR 101 for the New Restaurateur

• “I’m Never Going to Open a Restaurant” with Lana Lagomarsini

• Gosh, I Needed a Mentor

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

As a diehard New Yorker, I used to be completely mystified by L.A. Did everything revolve around Hollywood? Who could sit in traffic for that long? Did everyone move there to become famous? Did anyone eat carbs? My thinking was very myopic regarding the bustling metropolis.

Pre-Cherry Bombe, I was there for work when I heard about this interesting shop in Venice Beach called Moon Juice. I knew nothing about the neighborhood, but I headed over and discovered a cool place with quirky cottages, bright pink bougainvillea, and lots of laid-back folks. The original Moon Juice, with its mosaic stone storefront, was minimalist inside with baskets of activated nut snacks and refrigerated shelves filled with surprising juice blends like Fennel Frond & Herb and Burdock Daikon Citrine. There were also smoothies made with raw sprouted almonds. (RIP, Mint Chip. I still think about you fondly.) I had no idea almond milk was a thing.

I was hooked, and Moon Juice introduced me to this whole part of L.A. I knew nothing about—hippie, healthy, spiritual, sensual, and 100% dedicated to a better way of living. I eventually got to know the founder, Amanda Chantal Bacon. When I started Cherry Bombe, it was a no-brainer to feature her. I was thrilled to reconnect with her recently at our Cherry Bombe House pop-up at Resident in the Meatpacking District. Amanda joined me for a live podcast recording and we talked about her time at culinary school, her autoimmune disorder, working for Chef Suzanne Goin, the healing journey that led to Moon Juice, and her anti-anti-aging stance. We also talked about the realities of running a very-hands-on small business, and pivoting Moon Juice to where it is today.

It’s amazing to see what the brand has become with its Super Supplements, adaptogens, cellular waters, and skincare, and how Amanda’s earliest ideas are now mainstream. No one rolls their eyes when she talks about vegan milks or adaptogenic mushrooms but they did back then! Today’s episode is a must-listen if you’re taking care of yourself and taking care of business.

Aging is a pleasure

Amanda and Moon Juice recently launched a new product called SuperCell, which was inspired by a simple but powerful phrase: Aging is a pleasure. Something we can all agree on!

As Amanda explained in the episode, stress, toxins, alcohol, sugar, and lack of sleep can cause oxidative stress, the root cause of cellular aging, so Moon Juice lauched SuperCell as a four-in-one antioxidant designed to protect cells. We can’t eliminate every stressor in our lives, but we can give our bodies a little extra support along the way. Amanda and the Moon Juice team passed on a special code. Enjoy 35% off your first subscription with code CHERRY at checkout. Learn more at moonjuice.com. And thank you to Moon Juice for gifting all the attendees of our live podcast recording!

And a few other things

• Amanda mentioned one of her earliest mentors, Chef Suzanne Goin. If you’re in L.A., be sure to check out Suzanne’s beloved spot, A.O.C.

• Did someone say marshmallows? (Yes, Amanda did!) There’s a healthy marshmallow trend going on. Check out Feral Futures’ Maple Mallows with collagen.

• Moon Juice superfans. Do you have The Moon Juice Cookbook: Cook Cosmically for Body, Beauty, and Consciousness?

• Thank you to everyone who came to Kings Theatre in Brooklyn for the kickoff of Ina’s Simply Ina cookbook tour. It was an absolute honor to interview Ina and I hope you all had as much fun as I did.

• Next stop on my talking tour is the 16th Annual Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival! It’s a long way to travel, but I’m so excited to meet the Hawai’i Bombesquad. If you’re based there, let me know. Maybe we can meet up. And I’d love to know your food recos.

• Don’t miss our cover star Melissa Clark on tour for her latest, The Big Book of Dinner. She’s making stops everywhere from the Catskills to Costa Mesa.

  ---

  Please note, some of our links may earn us a small commission.

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Thank you to Whole Foods, Barilla & Haven Well Within for supporting our show

If you’re the kind of person who loves a project, today’s episode of Radio Cherry Bombe is for you. has written five cookbooks, has a day job at Real Simple, does The Cookbookery Collective here on Substack, and just published her debut novel, The Foreign Correspondent’s Wife. Oh, and she’s launching a national holiday on Sunday, Nov. 1, National Buy a Cookbook Day.

Jenna takes all her activities in stride. She matter-of-factly explained her writing process for the novel, which she did on spec—meaning she wrote it without a deal. Her cookbook agent, Sharon Bowers of Folio, had started representing fiction writers, which gave Jenna the confidence to go for it with her murder-mystery set in post-World War II Paris. “I will confess that if I had to go out and query agents all over again, I don’t know if I would have had the guts to do it,” she told me.

The book was inspired by Jenna’s life and interests—her love of Paris, Julia Child’s My Life in France, her time in culinary school, even the Nancy Drew books she read when she was younger. (Do kids still read Nancy Drew? I’m guessing they’ve moved on.) Jenna’s a delight, so be sure to give a listen.

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON BOOKSHOP.ORG

Erin French in Chicago

I interviewed the always-inspiring Erin French of The Lost Kitchen on Friday about her new cookbook, Seize the Supper. It’s her most beautiful and soulful book yet. (That said, if you haven’t read her memoir, read that first!)

I showed up at the venue, Everybody’s Coffee in Chicago, with lots of notes and questions scribbled on my cards. Right before we went on stage, Erin whispered to me, “Let’s go deep. No surface questions.” I gulped and looked at a full page of questions I would immediately be scrapping.

We talked about her relationship with her dad (to whom her book is dedicated), therapy, starting over, the poetry that comes through in her book’s menu titles—”The Sound of Snow,” “Oh To Be Barefoot,” “A Dinner for the Dahlias”—and why she doesn’t call herself a chef. It was a great conversation, and I’m grateful to Erin for trusting me with her story. Thank you to everyone who said hi afterwards, and to Chicago’s Amouze Mousse for the treats.

Some Erin wisdom

• Try a dollop of Dijon mustard in your mashed potatoes. (Just last week, Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja told us to put a dollop of Dijon in our chicken salad. Dijon is having a moment.) Get Erin’s recipe here.

• If you’re going to be cooking on the road or at someone else’s house, travel with an oven thermometer

• She loves flipping through old Nigel Slater cookbooks for a creative recharge

• “The kitchen is a beautiful place to make mistakes,” she said

• And two beauty/fashion nuggets because Erin always looks great. She loves the Bari pants from Apiece Apart (female-founded brand!) and calls them her “expo” pants. If you’ve worked the line, you know what that means. You can also find the Bari pants on lots of resale sites. And Erin loves Clinique Lipstick in Surprise.

A few other things

• I’m interviewing Ina Garten tomorrow night in Brooklyn for the kickoff of her Simply Ina cookbook tour. Have I mentioned that already? I’m finalizing my list of questions, so if you have anything you want me to ask Ina, let me know!

• Don’t miss our favorite Ina episodes from Radio Cherry Bombe. I’m very fond of the chat Ina and Stanley Tucci did for us back in 2021 for our virtual Julia Jubilee.

• Stop the presses! A new Harry Styles video just dropped. Can someone explain this video to me?

• Don’t forget the Haven Well Within special offer for the Bombesquad. Get $25 off  your Haven Well Within order with code CHERRYBOMBE. Valid thru 11/15. Thank you, Haven!

• Le Creuset is on sale at Williams Sonoma

• Our next Bombesquad Meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 4th, at 3 p.m. on Zoom with… author, NYT Cooking recipe guru, and Cherry Bombe cover star Melissa Clark! Sign up here.

There are many things that the French do better, and mashed potatoes is one of them. Their version, pommes puree, is the creamy, dreamy version of the more rustic American mash. It barely requires any more effort (only where it really counts) and elevates a starchy side to a sophisticated-feeling—though equally cozy—place. What really makes it shine is first infusing the cream with thyme and bay leaves, then folding in Dijon for just the right amount of vinegary punch.

—Erin French

Don’t miss Erin’s newest cookbook

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON BOOKSHOP

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup whole milk

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 3 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled

• 2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for serving

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Maldon salt (optional)

Method

In a small saucepan, combine the cream, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a slow simmer over medium heat, then turn off the heat. Let the mixture steep, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes, then strain and discard the bay leaves and thyme.

While the milk steeps, add the potatoes and garlic cloves to a large pot. Cover with cold water, add the kosher salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes.

Working in batches, if necessary, work the potatoes through a food mill fitted with the finest screen. Alternatively, you could use a ricer. (See Cook’s Note.)

Return the potatoes to the pot and place them over low heat. Stir in the butter and mustard, followed by half of the steeped cream. Continue gradually folding in more cream until the potatoes barely hold a peak. Taste for salt, adding a good pinch more if needed, then a few cracks of pepper.

Mound the potatoes into a serving crock and nestle an extra tablespoon of butter in the top to melt on the way to the dinner table. Sprinkle with a little Maldon salt, if you like.

COOK’S NOTE: For an extra-silky, very special puree, pass the riced potatoes through a fine-mesh sieve with a rubber spatula (or use a chinois, if you have one). A little extra sweat will go a long way!

From The Lost Kitchen Volume 3: Seize the Supper by Erin French. Reprinted by permission of Celadon Books, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

Please note, some of our links may earn us a small commission.

November Member Meeting
Wednesday, Nov. 4th
3 to 4 p.m. EST
On Zoom

Have you registered for our November Bombesquad Meeting? It’s open to paid Substack subscribers, and we would love for you to join us! Our special guest is Melissa Clark, so get ready for a spirited conversation about recipes, cookbooks, and the upcoming holidays. We’ll be talking turkey…

Read more

We’re so excited because Radio Cherry Bombe host Kerry Diamond is interviewing Ina Garten on Tuesday, Oct. 27th, at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn for the first stop on the Simply Ina cookbook tour. Only a few tickets are left, so get yours here! And if you have a question for Ina, drop it in the comments here and Kerry might ask it from the stage.

Ina is a big hero of ours at Cherry Bombe HQ and she’s been a special guest on Radio Cherry Bombe over the years. (We even dedicated an entire issue of our print magazine to her.) In celebration of her new book and book tour, we’re rounding up every episode of Radio Cherry Bombe she’s been on.

🩷 Ina on Her New Memoir, Jeffrey, The Barefoot Contessa Days, and Childless Cat Ladies

• Listen on Apple Podcasts

• Listen on Spotify

• Get a copy of her memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens

🩷 Ina Dishes on Dinnertime, Family Meals, and Holidays in Paris

• Listen on Apple Podcasts

• Listen on Spotify

• Get a copy of Go-To Dinners

🩷 Ina & Stanley Tucci on Julia Child and the Making of Julie & Julia

• Listen on Apple Podcasts

• Listen on Spotify

• Get a copy of Barefoot in Paris

🩷 Ina and the Comfort Food We Need

• Listen on Apple Podcasts

• Listen on Spotify

• Get a copy of Modern Comfort Food

Don’t miss our Ina issue

We dedicated an entire issue of our print magazine to The Barefoot Contessa. Don’t miss the essays, recipes, gorgeous photos & more.

ORDER YOUR COPY

Please note, some of our links may earn us a small commission.

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

LISTEN ON APPLE

Presented by California Prunes

When Rachel Gurjar was growing up in Mumbai, India, her mother made ghee cakes in her pressure cooker because they didn’t have a conventional oven. “It works!” said Rachel, who wrote her own version for her new cookbook, East to East: Recipes and Stories from Mumbai to New York.

Rachel moved to New York to go to the CIA, but was slightly disheartened by the Francophile curriculum. She realized, “I don’t know if I want to cook this way for the rest of my life,” so she had to explore her own path, finding her way from restaurants to catering to food media as an associate food editor at Bon Appétit. She found her voice in recipes that erupt in color and flavor, referencing Indian flavors and taking them for a Brooklyn spin. Highly recommend her Cardamom-Rose Bhang…

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON BOOKSHOP

Her debut cookbook blends her Indian upbringing and New York adulthood, energized with creativity and color. Think Dirty Chai Espresso Martinis and Cardamom Sticky Toffee Cake (want, want). She walks She’s My Cherry Pie host through her Butte Ka Keese Corn Bread, inspired by a beloved Indian street food from Indore, topped with a layer of caramelized jalapeños.

“I wanted people to know all of the different ways to be an immigrant,” she tells Jessie. “Just because you cook, that doesn’t mean that’s the only thing you get to do.” We can’t wait to see what’s next.

Follow Rachel on her cookbook tour here!

Rachel’s Butte Ka Keese Corn Bread

GET THE RECIPE

Shop the show & more

• Pick up a signed copy of East to East

• Rachel swears by metal bowls when baking because you don’t have to worry about banging them around

• Making cornmeal? Splurge on heirloom cornmeal for even more flavor.

• East Fork just launched bakeware! And we’re eyeing this pie plate for Thanksgiving.

Tip of the week

• Avoid pre-shredded cheese in baked goods like cornbread, because it’s already coated in cornstarch and can create a gloopy texture.

Fresh baked news

• We 🩷 Dorie and Joanne in the kitchen

• Drew Barrymore will host the Pillsbury Bake-Off Classic

• Does chocolate taste different now?

• Happy birthday, Elbow Bread!

• Bon Bon Bon Chocolate x Sister Pie

• Jessie in convo with author Jenna Helwig on 10/27 in NYC

• Say less: Pumpkin & miso cookie butter loaf cake

“There is nothing worse than dry corn bread!” I’ve heard this sentiment over and over again whenever the topic comes up. Similar to creamed corn, butte ka keese is a beloved street food and a common snack in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. It’s made from fresh, grated corn cooked with spices like cumin, coriander, and chiles, and the natural milk of the corn makes the end result creamy. I used this method of incorporating corn instead of whole kernels, and it worked out beautifully, resulting in the most satisfyingly moist and cheesy corn bread. With sweetness and heat from the jalapeños, it gets a salty, savory richness that perfectly complements the caramelized topping from the addition of Cheddar cheese. Don’t stress about flipping the bread; trust me, you’ve got this. The reward? A golden, caramelized corn crust that’s worth every bit of effort.

—Rachel Gurjar

Don’t miss Rachel’s debut cookbook!

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON BOOKSHOP

Ingredients

Makes 6 to 8 servings

• ½ cup (113 grams) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (160 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

• 2 jalapeños, stemmed and thinly sliced

• 1¼ cups (175 grams) medium-grind yellow cornmeal

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 2 eggs

• ⅔ cup (140 grams) grated corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)

• ½ cup (100 grams) light brown sugar

• ½ cup (120 grams) sour cream

• 8 ounces (230 grams) sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded

• ¾ cup (180 milliliters) whole milk

• ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch (20 or 23 cm) cake pan and dust it with flour; tap out any excess. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Add the sliced jalapeños to the prepared pan and spread them out to the edges in an even layer.

To a large bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated corn, brown sugar, ½ cup (113 grams) of the butter, and the sour cream until combined. Add the Cheddar and stir to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture; stir with a whisk or wooden spoon until combined. Add the milk and stir until incorporated and no dry streaks remain. Set aside.

To a small pot over medium heat, add the granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture is thickened and beginning to turn deep amber in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Gently swirl the pot and remove from the heat. Immediately pour the caramel evenly over the jalapeños in the pan, then pour the batter over the caramel and use an offset spatula to smooth out the surface.

Bake the corn bread until golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack, brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter on top, and let the corn bread cool in the pan.

Run an offset spatula around the edges of the corn bread to loosen. Set a platter upside down over the pan and flip over to release the corn bread. Carefully remove the pan and peel away the parchment paper. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and warm in the microwave for 10 seconds before serving.

From East to East: Recipes and Stories from Mumbai to New York by Rachel Gurjar, © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Chronicle Books.

The Bombesquad scoop

• Before you see the Marie Antoinette doc, make sure to see the original. The pastry scenes remain unmatched!

• And don’t miss the Making Marie Antoinette companion BTS photo book

• There’s also a Marie Antoinette exhibit at Versailles. And speaking of Versailles, Molly Wilkinson is opening a cafe and coffee shop in town. Bonne chance, Molly!

• Laila Gohar’s sugar chandelier is fit for a palace

• Princess cake vibes, no baking required. Light up Flamingo Estate’s Prinsesstårta Candle.

• Calling all chefs—King in NYC is hiring

• Hershey the movie hits theaters Nov. 25th. Bring snacks.

• Radio Cherry Bombe’s Kerry Diamond is interviewing Ina in Brooklyn for the kickoff of her Simply Ina cookbook tour. Snag a ticket and let us know if you have a question for Ina!

• Going to see Wicker this weekend? Overcome with the desire to weave your own baskets? Check out the kits from Underwater Weaving Studio by Erin and Peggy Pollard.

Ayesha Nurdjaja on the pod!

You can’t help but love Ayesha Nurdjaja. She’s the powerhouse chef behind Shuka and Shukette, two of New York City’s hottest restaurants. Ayesha joins host for a conversation about her debut cookbook, Mediterranean All the Way, her new cooking show, and how determination and grit led to her first restaurant job.

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you to Whole Foods Market, Barilla & Wonderful Pistachios for supporting Radio Cherry Bombe

Radio by Ra

Rasheeda Purdie is the culinary sensation who took her shop Ramen by Ra to cult status with crave-worthy bowls like her signature bacon, egg, and cheese ramen. The former fashion stylist stopped by Cherry Bombe House for a live podcast recording with host . They chat career pivots, why attention to detail matters, and working with Michelle Obama and Beyoncé.

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

Thank you to Barilla, Square & Haven Well Within for supporting Radio Cherry Bombe

Kitchen of the month

Designed for a family of avid art collectors, Temple House in Melbourne blurs the line between home and gallery. In the kitchen, statement islands draped in emerald marble create a sense of grandeur, while Fisher & Paykel’s minimalist luxury appliances ensure everyday functionality. CoolDrawers are seamlessly integrated into the islands, with an oven and induction cooktop positioned opposite. It’s a space worthy of the influences that guided architect James Reid of J. Kidman: cathedrals, basilicas, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House, and architect Jørn Utzon’s Can Lis home in Mallorca.

For more design inspiration and the ultimate kitchen solutions, visit Fisher & Paykel.

Presented by Fisher & Paykel

Paso Robles rules!

The second stop in our Supper Club Series with Whole Foods Market took place at the beautiful Halter Ranch in Paso Robles, California. We celebrated Brita Lundberg of the Lundberg rice family, Stephanie Painter, Jill Giacomini Basch, and Sarela Herrada—four women leading the charge in the regenerative agriculture movement. They also shared their grocery shopping hacks and the one thing they wish everyone knew about food!

Recipe of the week

Chocolate might not be the first ingredient that comes to mind when you think of roasted sweet potatoes. But that unexpected twist is what makes this Sweet Potato with Feta Butter recipe from Ayesha Nurdjaja’s Mediterranean All the Way all the more spectacular. The chocolate shavings cut the sweetness and lend what she describes as a “deeply savory accent.”

GET THE RECIPE

Cherry Bombe checklist

🥧 She’s My Cherry Pie host is interviewing writer about her new culinary school murder mystery, The Foreign Correspondent’s Wife, in NYC on 10/27

🍪 Help us find America’s Best Cookie!

🧈 gets nerdy about biscuits on our baking pod

🩷 Check out the Cherry Bombe Cookbook, with the iconic pink cover, at your favorite bookstore

Please note, some of our links may earn us a small commission.

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Thank you to Barilla, Square & Haven Well Within for supporting our show

Promise me one thing. If you are going to be anywhere near the East Village, plan a visit to Ramen by Ra, the cult eatery from fashion stylist-turned-culinary sensation Rasheeda Purdie. It’s not an easy rez to get, but it’s worth the effort. New reservations are released on Resy at 9 a.m. on the 1st and 15th of every month. Mark your calendars. (You can also try the Notify option on the Resy app.) Good luck!

This way, you’ll get to try Rasheeda’s inventive breakfast ramen flavors, including Maple & Soy Egg, Everything Egg Drop, Lox, and the aforementioned Bacon, Egg & Cheese. I promise it is worth the effort.

Rasheeda is my guest on the latest Radio Cherry Bombe. We chatted live at Cherry Bombe House and I loved getting to know her. She started out in fashion (with Betsey Johnson! Any original Betsey fans out there?) and even worked with First Lady Michelle Obama and Beyoncé when she was a stylist at the Henri Bendel department store (another blast from the past). She pivoted to food, went to culinary school at age 30, and became a viral sensation with her ramen during the pandemic before opening her shop.

There are so many business and personal lessons to take away from Rasheeda’s inspiring story. Paying attention and attention to detail will get you far, as she’s proved. I hope you all give a listen to the episode.

And a few other things

• One of my favorite Chicago chefs, Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde, is expanding with Trattoria Lo So, set to open in Spring 2027. Bailey Sullivan has been tapped as executive chef.

• Cornelia Sühr is the new chef at The White Barn Inn of Kennebunk, Maine. Congrats, Cornelia!

• I met up with April Garguilo, founder of the amazing Vintner’s Daughter skincare, yesterday at the Conti Communications holiday preview. (I’m skincare obsessed, which you may or may not know, and her Active Botanical Serum is one of my faves.) April literally is a vintner’s daughter. Her family has Garguilo Vineyards in Napa Valley, and she’s still involved in the wine side of the business. She said that this year’s harvest was “beautiful and celebratory,” which was nice to hear.

• Speaking of skincare, did you know avocado oil is an amazing swap for body lotion? I have super dry skin and have been using Marianne’s Regenerative Organic Certified Avocado Oil. Not a paid endorsement! I just love the stuff.

• We’re still looking for America’s best cookie! Any submissions? Let us know in the comments below or on our IG post. Almost 1,000 folks have spoken!

• I love when our former interns crush it. You can spot Chayil Hyland, a junior recipe developer at HelloFresh, in their cooking videos! And Grace Reynoso, who performs under the name urfriendgrace, just dropped a music video for her new song, Persephone. Proud of you both!

• Happy pub week to Jenna Helwig. After writing cookbooks, Jenna has penned her first novel, The Foreign Correspondent’s Wife. I stopped by her book launch to wish her well and eat some cake! Jenna’s on Monday’s pod, so stay tuned.

• Our friends at Haven Well Within have a special offer for you. Get $25 off  your Haven Well Within order with code CHERRYBOMBE. Valid 10/21 to 11/15. And they have a big sale right now, too. Thanks, Haven!

  ---

  Cherry Bombe’s Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is definitely a pinch-me moment. I’m excited to share with everyone that I’m interviewing Ina Garten next week in Brooklyn for the first stop on her Simply Ina cookbook tour. It’s taking place on Tuesday, Oct. 27th, at Kings Theatre. (Why Brooklyn? Good question! Maybe because Ina was born in Brooklyn. I’ll ask.)

I’ve been lucky to interview Ina a few times over the years on Radio Cherry Bombe and we even did an entire issue of Cherry Bombe Magazine dedicated to her. Ina’s always amazing to talk to—funny, warm, sassy, and no-nonsense. But I have to confess I’m a little nervous. So I’m doing what I always do to calm my nerves before a big interview—lots of homework! I’m in the midst of my Ina deep dive and listening to interviews she’s done and revisiting my Ina cookbook collection.

One of the things I love most about Ina is her curiosity and adventurous spirit. She’s not fearless, as she’s admitted, but she’s willing to jump into the deep end and see what happens. As most of you know, Ina took over The Barefoot Contessa gourmet food shop in the Hamptons at age 30, having never run a shop or been to the Hamptons. And this year, at age 78, she became a podcaster with the launch of Happy Hour with Ina Garten. I hope you’ve listened to her delightful conversations with the likes of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sofia Coppola, and Nathan Lane. She’s a natural interviewer.

Simply Ina drops today. Her first cookbook in four years, Simply Ina is a perfect book for our busy times. As she makes clear throughout the pages, Ina wants you to give yourself some grace in the kitchen (and beyond), and she shares lots of shortcuts in recipes such as Mushroom & Gruyère Bread Pudding, made with Pepperidge Farm cubed stuffing (I’m taking notes for Thanksgiving), and Raspberry Cheesecake, made with a store-bought cheesecake! I’ve already bookmarked lots of dishes, like Easy Butternut Squash & Apple Soup and Charlie Bird’s Autumn Salad. (Charlie Bird salad cult members, IYKYK.)

There are a few tickets left for the Kings Theatre evening. Please let me know if you’re coming. And if you have any questions you’d like me to ask Ina, leave them in the comments below. I’d love to ask some of your questions live on stage. Wish me luck, and I promise I’ll be ready when the luck happens!

xoxo
Kerry

Check out Simply Ina

SHOP ON AMAZON

SHOP ON BOOKSHOP.ORG

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Thank you to Barilla, Whole Foods & Wonderful for supporting our show

On today’s pod, Ayesha Nurdjaja tells us in her big-hearted Brooklyn way that she has a recipe for everyone in her new cookbook, Mediterranean All the Way: Bold Flavors, Built to Share.

The chef of Shuka and Shukette speaks with as much fire and spice as she cooks with—which is aplenty. Her conversation with host Kerry Diamond on the latest Radio Cherry Bombe traces:

• Her early hot dog truck days

• Maxxing out her first credit card on a Maltese named Spanky

• How she showed up to work at Lidia Bastianich’s Felidia until they relented and actually hired her. (They would only hire women to work in pastry!)

• Her fantasy of being a DJ just to shoot confetti cannons into a crowd

• Her upcoming cooking show, Flavor Bomb

And some cooking thoughts:

• Whipped feta is a little black dress

• Pomegranate molasses belongs on your next batch of wings

• Garlic powder doesn’t taste like garlic, it’s its own thing!

• Don’t call it “small plates,” but she does love to “rip and dip”

It’s such a fun listen, and Ayesha may be the only guest in Radio Cherry Bombe history who beeps herself after cursing, lol. It also may inspire you to write down the three things you care about the most to find out where your true passion lies. For Ayesha, that was: Music. Diamonds. Cooking. It led her to culinary school, the “front row at the opera” of restaurant kitchens, and now, a cookbook that captures her favorite dishes and flavors for all of us to rip and dip into. Bombesquad, this one’s a sparkler.

Don’t miss Ayesha’s debut book, out 10/20

BUY ON AMAZON

BUY ON BOOKSHOP

And make her Sweet Potatoes With Feta Butter & Chocolate!

Ayesha takes the classic roasted sweet potato “from denim jacket to formal tux” with this recipe from Mediterranean All the Way. Her secret is adding whipped feta butter, scallions, and shaved chocolate to balance the sweetness—and we need to try it immediately!

GET THE RECIPE

Calling all cookies!

We need your help, Bombesquad! We’re working on a special project and want to know your favorite bakery cookie. Let us know in the comments below. Tell us the cookie and the bakery, and where they’re located. Stay tuned for more!

Don’t miss our next Bombesquad Meeting

Our guest is Melissa Clark, cookbook queen and NYT Cooking recipe guru, and it’s taking place Wednesday, Nov. 4th, at 3 p.m. EST on Zoom. Melissa will be interviewed by the Bombesquad’s Donna Yen and we’ll leave plenty of time for audience Q&A so you can ask all your Thanksgiving recipe questions.

If you’re a paid Substack subscriber, click here and be sure to register. If you’d like to join, check out our monthly and annual subscriptions here. Hope to see you on the 4th!