It’s no secret that BA editors cook a lot for work. So it should come as no surprise that we cook a lot during our off hours too. Here are the recipes we’re whipping up this month to get dinner on the table, to entertain our friends, to satisfy a sweet tooth, to use up leftovers, and everything in between. For even more staff favorites, click here.
July 7
Summery strawberry pie
It happened to me: I was influenced by the Bon Appétit Instagram page. Our social team shared a sunny photo of associate food editor Kendra Vaculin’s Strawberry-Pretzel Ice Cream Pie adorned with jewel-like berries, the ice cream just starting to drip into a pink pool at its edges. I felt an unshakeable urge to make the dessert immediately. My attempt kind of cheated a little—I used a Keebler graham crust that was already lying around. The rest of it was just as easy: I scraped some Bonne Maman strawberry preserve and Häagen-Dazs ice cream onto the crust. —Karen Yuan, culture editor
Sparkling tangawizi
I had family over for dinner and needed a fun bev I could make ahead. As per usual, I wanted something that felt like I put in a lot of effort (without actually needing me to put in the effort), and associate food editor Zaynab Issa’s gingery Sparkling Tangawizi fit the bill perfectly. Z’s version of the sweet and spicy soda is built on an easy (no peeling required!) ginger syrup with added lime juice and sparkling water. I chilled the syrup in a pitcher in my fridge and added ice and a few cans of lime Spindrift to it when it was serving time, but you could also make these right in the glasses. We didn’t spike ours, but you certainly could add gin or whiskey. Whatever way you choose to make it, if you’re a ginger-lover like me, this is the ideal refreshing summer drink. —Sonia Chopra, executive editor
Dramatic lemon loaf
After I bashfully admitted that I had yet to experiment with preserved lemon, associate food editor Kendra Vaculin promptly handed me a jar of New York Shuk’s preserved lemon paste. The first thing I knew I wanted to make was associate food editor Zaynab Issa’s Preserved-Lemon Tea Cake, a recipe that got her a job at BA. First of all, it looks dramatic as hell: A touch of turmeric amps up the color to look not just lemony but whoa, lemony. A simple glaze of milk and powdered sugar drips down the side in chubby droplets. With a sour cream and olive oil base, the cake stays moist and tender. And of course, the lemon flavor sings, with more depth than a standard lemon loaf. Best of all was its ease. Three bowls, a little mixing, and I was done. —Serena Dai, editorial director
Classic Key lime pie
I had a gaggle of house guests over for the holiday weekend, and after consuming copious burgers and hot dogs, we were all very much in-need of something cool, tart, and sweet. One of my friends has been making BA’s Best Key Lime Pie for years, and we used the occasion to put his skills to the test. We roped in our resident born-and-raised Floridian friend to assist, and when all was said and done, he proclaimed our pie the best he’d ever had. It couldn’t have been easier to throw together—the hardest part was waiting for it to chill and set. And while I loved my initial taste, I loved the pie even more after we (yes, accidentally) left it in the freezer overnight. It was creamy, cold, and just tart enough to make my lips pucker. —Alaina Chou, commerce producer
Saucy baby back ribs
Tanya Holland’s cookbook California Soul has fueled many a meal at my home. So it only made sense that she was the subject of a summer entertaining feature in our June/July issue. I tasted the Peach-Pecan Kale Salad With Hot-Honey Vinaigrette featured in the story when our test kitchen was perfecting that recipe, but somehow I never got the memo about the Fig and Mustard Baby Back Ribs. What appealed to me most: The fig jam, spicy mustard, and Worcestershire sauce combo in the BBQ sauce. When the Fourth of July hit, I knew what I was going to grill. My supermarket had all the ingredients, which allowed me to follow the recipe as written. My only adjustment: I baked the ribs for about 90 minutes before glazing and finishing them on the grill. A fantastic balance between sweet, smoky, and (a touch) spicy. —Dawn Davis, editor in chief
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