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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Welcome to SALT PIG! Where are we on the kitchen cleanliness spectrum? And what actually matters when it comes to keeping the germs at bay? We discuss gloves in the kitchen, festering sponges, dishes in the sink, the folly of designating dishtowels for different purposes, and more. We get deep into Ellie’s scarcity mindset and Lukas’ performative cleaning. Plus when you love a cutting board, (how to) treat it well.

Discussed in this episode:

• How Black Gloves Took Over Cooking Videos (via Eater)
• Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
• Ikea kitchen towels
• Submerging wood cutting boards in mineral oil (via Reddit)
• The Garlic Powder Bias (via Ellie)

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Welcome to Salt Pig! Dinner must be made most nights, but sometimes you have no plan or ingredients lined up. We’re there often! This week, Lukas and Ellie describe some of their solutions to last-minute meals—both the odd and the obvious—and some surprise ingredients that get us over the line. Plus, is it gross or just wildly efficient to squeeze citrus with your bare hands? Asking for a friend.

Discussed in this episode:

• Lotus Foods Brown Rice and Millet Ramen
• Lukas’ House Slaw and One-Pan Pasta & Beans with Asparagus
• Catherine Newman’s 2-Ingredient Slaw
• The Caramelized Fish Sauce Tuna that Lukas has mentioned before

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Welcome to Salt Pig! This week, we're celebrating the glory of tap water. Ellie and Lukas break down the numerous ways that water is one of the most useful ingredients in our cooking and helpful tool in the kitchen—from controlling temperature in a pan and dispersing flavor, to making the purest-tasting soups, risottos, and more. Plus, catch Ellie’s quick lemon spaghetti and Lukas’ hot take on leftover pasta. Join us, and if you enjoy — please like and subscribe!

Discussed in this episode:

• Via Carota's Insalata Verde
• Does Pasta Water Thicken the Sauce? by Nik Sharma
• Gabrielle Hamilton's Endive Salad in the Puntarelle Style

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Welcome to Salt Pig! Does our society’s penchant for using recipes broaden the horizons of home cooks, or constrain them? This week, Lukas and Ellie discuss who recipes are written for, what a successful recipe is, and what to do when a finished recipe needs something beyond the page. Plus a hand’s-off technique that is balm to one’s often-overcooked sockeye salmon. Join us, and if you enjoy — please like and subscribe!

Discussed in this episode:

• Calabrian Chili Peppers, the BIG jar
• Samin Nosrat’s Scallion Pancake and Scrambled Egg Tacos
• The New York Times No-Recipe Recipes
• When Did Following Recipes Become a Personal Failure? by Laura Shapiro

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Welcome to Salt Pig! What do Alice Waters, Ellie’s ex-boyfriend, and everybody’s militant neighbor have in common? They all clean their cast iron pans differently than Lukas and Ellie do. We discuss the ways this versatile pan works for us, from searing and baking, to grilling and camping, and how to get and keep that satiny patina. Also covered: ambitious vacation packing, re-using bacon fat, and how Lonesome Dove may have scooped all of our food topics. Join us!

Mentioned in this week's episode:

• Sourdough Biscuits from Lonesome Dove
• War and Peace
• Cafe Vienna
• Casa de Mozzarella

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