Newsletter: Family cooking with Williams Sonoma + A family of cooks – 3 generations of Latin American cooking

Home cooking from the Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen

“My life’s purpose has remained the same since the moment Williams Sonoma opened: to share with others the pleasure of cooking.”
Chuck Williams – founder of Williams Sonoma

Williams Sonoma At Home Favorites is the latest book from Williams Sonoma – a selection of over 110 recipes from this trusted kitchen brand. These are tempting, nourishing, approachable dishes to enjoy cooking and eating with family and friends.

The book is written by three Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen chefs who each bring complementary approaches to the table. Head chef Belle English shares her latest take on much-loved comfort foods. Devon Francis brings her Californian devotion to balance and fresh, local ingredients. And Lena Wu tackles global cuisine, spice and new flavor combinations. The result is a book jam-packed with good things to eat, for every occasion, at any time of day.

Start your day with Farmer’s Market Frittata, then try Sausage and Kale Minestrone for a warming and nutritious lunch. Thrill guests at supper with Chermoula Chicken Thighs with Roasted Grapes and Shallots, with some Roasted Broccoli Caesar with Corn Nuts for the vegetarians, or as a side dish. There is no shortage of tempting options for dessert – try a Winter Citrus Upside-Down Cake.

Find all 110+ recipes from Williams Sonoma At Home Favorites

Pictured above: Winter Citrus Upside-Down Cake from Wililiam Sonoma At Home Favourites

Three generations of Mexican cooking

This week we are delighted to welcome La Comida del Barrio: Latin-American Cooking in the USA to ckbk. This 2003 cookbook was the debut title from chef Aarón Sánchez, who is now known to millions in his role as a judge on the US edition of Masterchef.

Aarón was born into a family of culinary pioneers whose fame spans three generations. His mother Zarela Martinez has been at the centre of Mexican cooking in the US for decades via her restaurant Zarela’s in New York City, and thanks to her many best-selling books (many of which are on ckbk). Meanwhile Zarela's mother, and Aaron's grandmother, Aida Gabilondo, was one of the very first authors to bring authentic Mexican recipes to an American audience with her groundbreaking 1986 book Mexican Family Cooking, which remains in print to this day.

Chef Sánchez's book looks at the melting pot that is Latin American food, as found on America's streets and in America's kitchens. The recipes are organised by venue – the market stall, the neighbourhood café, the bakery – and the book showcases the lives and tastes of the communities who live, work and eat in the barrio. Try Cuban Black Beans and Rice, Tortilla Soup from Mexico, or the wonderfully named Drunken Chicken (another Mexican dish) which was a favorite on the menu at Zarela’s.

Last minute Thanksgiving prep

Last week we brought you all you need to plan for the big feast. This week let’s focus on sides, cooking for smaller numbers, and what to do with all that leftover Turkey!

We’ve got a fantastic selection of Thanksgiving Sides that Make the Meal. From classics like these Candied Sweet Potatoes, to fresh new ideas – try this Persimmon Salad – all recipes to complete your feast.

If you are looking to create a celebratory meal for smaller numbers, our Small-Scale Thanksgiving Feast collection has recipes to help you scale things back with no loss of the wow factor.

Try this Saucy Turkey Breast, with Banana Pecan Caramel Brioche Tarts for dessert.

How to Give New Life to Turkey Leftovers? We’ve got you covered with recipes for a Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Hash, The Turkey Club sandwich, and Bubble and Squeak Cakes for all those leftover potatoes.

New ckbk feature – dark mode

Many people prefer dark mode because it is easier on the eyes, and with modern OLED screens dark mode can even extend your phone’s battery life. So we are pleased to announce that the latest release of ckbk includes full support for dark mode.

To configure dark mode, just go to the new Appearance tab in ckbk settings. By default, ckbk will follow your system theme setting. This means that if (for example) you set your system to change from light to dark mode according to a schedule, ckbk will follow that schedule too. But you can also tell ckbk to always use Light mode, or always use Dark mode.

Ingredient spotlight: Passion fruit

The passion fruit is the fruit of a plant native to tropical America, South East Asia and Australia. The fruit itself has a brittle shell, which becomes wrinkled when ripe.

The edible inside is made up of a sharp, fruity, yellow-orange flesh, filled with small dark edible seeds.

Due to its intense bright taste, passion fruit works well with a variety of other flavors. Made into a juice, jelly or curd it can be enjoyed without the slightly gritty texture of the seeds.

Try Passionfruit Tarts with Soft Meringue, or sip a Passion Fruit Margarita. For these and ten more recipes making the most of this zingy fruit, explore our collection of 12 Ways With Passion Fruit.