Welcome to SALT PIG! From a nostalgic walk through of Lukas’ family’s Costco paint can of blue cheese dressing, to the maybe French/maybe made-up habit of Ellie’s family eating salad after the main dish, we break down our early childhood salad experiences. Present day, we love it so: raw, cooked, “signature,” with leaves, with no leaves. Lukas tries to convince Ellie to revisit broccoli salads, Ellie tries to convince her husband that her vinaigrette isn’t “too sour” (though maybe it is), and no one will convince either of us that salad plates are worth the space in the dishwasher.

Discussed in this episode:

• A pretty good rundown of some of the cultural forces behind when salad appears during a meal
• Hetty Lui McKinnon, queen of fun and filling salads
• Broccoli salads galore: Lukas’ Picnic Broccoli Salad, a classic Southern Broccoli Salad, Melissa Clark’s Broccoli Salad with Garlic and Sesame
• Veggie Craft, the protein pasta that Lukas mentions

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Welcome to Salt Pig! Given our perpetual professional exposure to wellness culture, this week we discuss what healthier cooking means in our kitchens on a day-to-day basis. Topics range from food hangovers in your 40s and the power of data from wearables, to the pleasures of raw vegetables and the previously scorned superfoods we now consider everyday ingredients. Even when you are enthusiastic about healthier eating, making it stick can be challenging. It comes back to the question we ask ourselves after every vacation: how can we feel nourished but still enjoy every bite?

Discussed in this episode:

• Nine Vegetables that are Healthier for You When Cooked
• Jeanine Donofrio’s Pressure Cooker Brown Rice
• Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food
• Lukas’ Charred Scallion Tofu Meatballs
• Ellie’s Green Sauce
• Everyone is extremely into sleep scores

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Welcome to Salt Pig! To mark a dozen episodes(!), this week we have cookbook writer Jenny Rosenstrach joining us as our first ever SALT PIG guest. We discuss all the food we give our friends and family when they have had a baby, are going through something, or just because. From practical dinners and surprising treats, to weird concoctions that need a home, we compile ideas for gifting homemade and storebought food for the ones we love. We cover packaging, too: Jenny buys cellophane bags and shops from her designated gift closet (we knew she was a pro), Lukas keeps it classy (most of the time) with parchment and twine, and Ellie finds out that upcycling cottage cheese containers, while environmentally noble, really ruins the vibe. And be sure to subscribe to Jenny’s Substack newsletter if you haven’t already!

Discussed in this episode:

• Salt Lick Nationwide Delivery via Goldbelly
• Kari Kari Chili Crisp
• Jenny’s I’ll-Miss-You Granola
• Homemade Vanilla Extract
• Zingermans Coffee Cake Trio
• Tasteful Biodegradable Containers
• Batched Cocktail Details from Brooks Reitz
• Lukas’ Blueberry-Almond Smoothie
• The I Hate to Cook Cookbook by Peg Bracken
• Jenny’s Three-Bean Chili

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