What does âfeel-good foodâ mean? It depends on who you ask. Thatâs why each month our Feel-Good Food Planâwith delicious recipes and a few wild cardsâis hosted by someone new. This month cookbook author Casey Elsass shares how food keeps him connected.
I grew up in New England, where fall is a personality trait. When I was little, we would go to a farm in rural New Hampshire that offered hayrides and the best apple cake Iâve ever had in my life. We didnât keep this ritual to ourselvesâany visiting family, friends from my class, or various houseguests that stopped by were invited along with the promise of a great cake. It was a way of saying come with us, be a part of this. Thatâs what feel-good food means to me: something delicious, yes, but also something that creates connection.
This idea runs through my new cookbook, What Can I Bring?: Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life. Itâs 75 of my best answers (aka recipes) to that simple-yet-stressful question weâve all had to ask. These are dishes you can tuck in your tote and bring along to any gathering to shareâdips, breads, salads, drinks, and, of course, sweets. But really itâs a book about getting together, making community, and spending time with the people you love.
When the air gets chilly and the apples are ripe for the picking, this Easy Apple Cake is all I want to eat. The batter starts simply, with sour cream for tenderness, cinnamon, and diced apples, plus a crunchy topping of chopped walnuts and brown sugar. But the curveball here is a splash of apple cider vinegar, which not only adds a tangy apple flavor, but also gives the cake a lofty, fluffy lift. To me, a snackable cake like this one is the best kind of food for well-being. Itâs about joy and generosity, but itâs also about feeding your peopleâand yourselfâin a way that makes everyone feel welcome.
More Feel-Good Finds for the Month
The pro-level pan
If youâre going to bake this cakeâor really any cake with a delicate toppingâyou want a springform pan. This Nordic Ware version is leakproof and releases like a dream. I once left mine at a friendâs apartment and just let him keep it, and then I did it again at another friendâs apartment. (Call me the springform fairy.) For those keeping count, Iâm now on my third pan, so you can believe me when I tell you: I am brand-loyal! If youâre the type to bring dessert to a dinner party, this pan will make you look like a pro every single time.
Nordic Ware 9″ Spring Form Pan
The album I have on repeat
This album has gone triple platinum on my record playerâmy boyfriend hasnât banned it yet, but Iâm probably on thin ice. When Iâm baking, I love to listen to something chill and soothing with melodies I can hum along to. This gentle, dreamy album feels like Fleet Foxes decided to make a classic â70s Brazilian rock album. Itâs not background noiseâitâs the kind of music that reminds you to slow down and actually enjoy the process. Every cake deserves a good soundtrack, and this one is all thanks to Timmy B.
My favorite game
The only thing I love more than a great dessert is a great game night. Iâm basically running an MLM for Monopoly Dealâevery single person Iâve taught it to has immediately ordered their own deck. For the uninitiated, itâs Monopoly as a card game, and one trillion times more cutthroat. Or at least thatâs how I like to play it. Itâs the perfect thing to pull out with dessertâand the fastest way to discover the silent killer in your friend group.
Next Time
Decemberâs Feel-Good Food Plan will be hosted by our editor in chief Jamila Robinson, whoâs sharing her active and nourishing wintertime routine. Until next time!
