It is official, TIMT is four years old today!
As a one year old, I was pretty meek about the celebration. No one but my mom and a handful of friends had seen the blog. Maybe I ate cake by myself directly from the cake stand, but I didn’t tell anyone about it.
At two years old, I got a bit more excited about getting older and wiser. The blog had shed its Tumblr and WordPress template to become this beautiful website with the help of Also.
When the blog turned three years old, I had a bit of a curveball thrown my way. We gained an additional human being who made cooking, photographing, and writing just a tad bit more difficult, but eventually, I settled into a new routine.
And of course this year, on the blog’s fourth birthday, I get to reflect on all that I accomplished and ate, as well as the things that just miserably failed. Also I believe last year I promised to document the miserable fails. I failed at that as well.
So instead, let’s talk about the good stuff—the best of each category. Volume took a hit this year as in addition to that human being I’ve been keeping alive, I also started a full time job at Zapier. So in the interest of not calling everything “the best,” I’ve scaled back. These truly are the best, from Jason’s perspective. Tomorrow, I’ll post my choices (and where there is overlap, you know its solid).
Top Three Breakfasts
03. Mascarpone, Peach, and Chamomile Stuffed French Toast – Decadence done right, we used Quince and Apple‘s jam to make this amazing french toast. Also, we’re completely addicted to everything Quince and Apple makes, and they’re not paying me anything to say that.
02. Persimmon Tart – a fun way to eat that rare winter fruit. Great for breakfast and dessert too.
01. Salmon and Leek Quiche with Capers – Savory breakfast is usually the way to go, and if you’re feeling fancy, make this quiche.
Number One Appetizer
01. Caramelized Onion and Ricotta Tarte Soleil – it’s not only beautiful it’s also one of those appetizers that disappears at a party before anything else does.
Top Three Salads
03. Massaged Kale Salad with Blood Orange and Pomegranate – this year we discovered that massaging kale is a thing. We did a lot of massaging.
02. Smoky Beet and Lentil Salad – For a salad that keeps well and travels well, this can’t be beet (pun intended).
01. Massaged Kale Salad with Pickled Cherry and Kohlrabi – See above re: massaged kale.
Top Five Main Dishes
05. General Tso’s Cauliflower – for a lighter, vegetarian version of the famous General Tso’s chicken, try this recipe.
04. Pork Roulade with Mushrooms, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Olives – A totally fancy yet not complicated dish that looks great on a platter.
03. Cod and Potatoes with Romesco Sauce – Super simple, very flavorful, and perfect when you’ve collected too many red peppers that you don’t know what to do with (hint: always make romesco).
02. Grilled Trout with Eggplants and Leeks – This dish is our go to summer grill out with friends and family meal. It impresses every time.
01. Grilled Chicken Thighs with Ramp and Rhubarb Chutney – it’s hard to do chicken on the grill and not have it dry out. The combination of this rub + chutney is definitely a winner.
Top Three Side Dishes
03. Wisconsin Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, and Cranberry Stuffing – Because it’s almost Thanksgiving which means it’s acceptable to start eating stuffing.
02. Wild Rice with Kale, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Gruyere – and another fall inspired dish, this one is a great vegetarian main dish or a side to a nice piece of turkey, chicken, or pork.
01. Braised Kuri Squash with Shishito Peppers – a totally delicious, unexpected combination of flavors.
Top Three Desserts
03. Pumpkin Ginger Ice Cream – this one takes a bit of dedication (start with a whole pumpkin) but ends magically.
02. Medjool Date and Walnut Ice Cream – we sampled date ice cream in Miami and then couldn’t resist making a homemade version.
01. Blackberry Granitas – the simplest, least hands-on recipe that ends in dessert.
Stay tuned for another round-up tomorrow!
Happy Anniversary Vicky! Thank you for sharing all this goodness with your readers and serving as inspiration to others. Cheers! :)
writes @5SensespalateThanks so much, Sujhey! Coming from you, that’s especially gratifying :)
writes Vicky