Maria Zizka
Maria Zizka is a Berkeley-born food writer who has worked on "The A.O.C. Cookbook," "Where Chefs Eat," and "This Is Camino." She is currently writing the Sqirl cookbook.
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Labneh is a Middle Eastern cheese that has an ultra-creamy, thick texture and a pleasingly tangy flavor. It is also surprisingly simple to make at home.
The Japanese breadcrumbs known as panko are remarkably crunchy and don’t absorb much oil, making them ideal for frying. So grab your ingredient of choice and in a few short minutes you’ll have a summer dinner that doesn’t require turning on the oven.
Most shishito peppers are mild and sweet, with nearly the same level of heat as a bell pepper, but occasionally a rogue one will be fiery enough to surprise you. This quality only makes shishito peppers all the more fun to enjoy during summertime.
Edamame are the immature pea pods of the soybean plant and have a long history in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cuisines where they are sometimes placed on the table as a communal first course. This recipe is one way to recreate that experience at home.
Agua de jamaica is a sweetened tea made from hibiscus flowers and has a tart flavor that can be especially refreshing on a hot day. Therefore, to celebrate the start of summer, Maria Zizka came up with a hibiscus flower cocktail.
Soba noodles, traditionally made from freshly milled buckwheat flour and water, are commonly served two ways: boiled and then chilled, with a flavorful sauce on the side, or served hot in a bowl of dashi-based broth.
Small, round sorghum seeds are used to make gluten-free beer and are also ground to flour for all kinds of gluten-free cooking and baking.
Fresh butter needs nothing more than a crusty loaf of bread and perhaps a sprinkle of flaky salt. Making your own and getting creative with it is simple.
Though the anchovies are small and take up little room in the pantry, they come packed with big flavor.
Vanilla extract is an expensive pantry staple. A tiny bottle of it is likely the most valuable spice you keep in your cupboard, unless you’ve got a stash of saffron.
However you choose to make curry paste, let go of the idea that it will be completely authentic and embrace the creativity and engagement inherent to the process.
Valentine's Day calls for equal measures of romance and fun. This recipe hits both marks.