As much as I love to make fancy desserts, I prefer to eat slightly more, er, pedestrian ones. When it comes to sugary treats, give me the greatest hits. Chocolate and caramel make my heart sing, an entire bag of wine gums is my idea of luxury, and chocolate and peanut butter? Well, I can’t think of anything better. When it comes to dessert, I don’t show up to be challenged, I show up to play. I want something that is simple and pleasurable. Something over-the-top but blissfully familiar. I want something like these Peanut Butter Sesame Bars.
I really struggled to arrive at a title for this particular recipe. Mostly because this isn’t really a single recipe. It’s actually five, which admittedly is a little over-the-top. But I am nothing if I am not that, so really this Latke Platter is very on-brand for me. This platter features a lot more than just latkes. There is Beet Horseradish Hummus, Dill Labneh, Gin-Cured Salmon, and Vanilla Bean Applesauce. Yes, there was absolutely no way in any universe that I was going to pack all of that into a clean title. But hey, grazing boards are by nature difficult to cleanly explain or sum up. The format is all about variety after all. Clearly, there’s a lot to cover here, so let’s get to it.
The best part of summer? Chips, dips, and the like become dinner food. In the summer, snacking is king. It makes perfect sense. When we aren’t held to a schedule, I believe humans are natural-born grazers. When there is sun to soak up, who wants to spend time in front of a stove? Almost every crop and piece of produce is at its peak and the less is more approach is the most successful. And when heatwaves roll in, a plate of spaghetti and meatballs isn’t top of mind for anyone. What is far more likely to capture the imagination? Beer, fridge cold hummus, torn pita bread, and this Whipped Feta with Watermelon Salad.
Of all the things to love about summer, pasta salads easily make my top 10. I think they are the perfect food. They have all the carby comfort of a hot bowl of mac and cheese in February. But they are also capable of being as crisp and refreshing as a bowl of coleslaw. And pasta is just as versatile in a salad bowl as it is in a skillet. It can take on any fruit and veggie you throw at it. Soak in any dressing your imagination can dream up. And cozy up to any main event on your dinner plate. Or, if your me, pasta salad can dominate your dinner plate. Today’s Tirokafteri Pasta Salad is capable of delivering a full-meal-deal experience but it can also play nice with others.
