Picstitch(8)

A few housekeeping points on this fine Friday morning!

First of all, I wanted to let you know that the Recipe Index has been updated for the first time, errr, in over two years. (Ridiculous, I know.) I'm so sorry for having been such a recipe-indexing delinquent. Bringing it up to date made me feel about three pounds lighter. I've been toying with the idea of highlighting my favorite recipes on there – what do you think? Would that be valuable to you?

Also, yesterday I discovered an insane amount of your wonderful, thoughtful comments in the spam comment folder! I have no idea why the spam filter is suddenly being so catankerous, but every last one of those comments was actually written by one of you nice people. Eep! More apologies. They've been restored to their rightful spots and I'll be checking the filter more often now.

Lastly, the blog redesign is trucking right along. Please to note my pride and joy: the navigation bar up there, just below the banner image. Head there whenever you're looking for the Cooking for Hugo posts, or the Archives or the aforementioned Recipe Index, or the link to Berlin on a Platter, among other things. Whee!

Elsewhere,

No less than five people have emailed me to tell me to try this bread recipe. Have you? Is it really that good?

Whenever I need a moment of zen, I head to Jen's blog.

This looks like a nice way to use up cooked brown rice.

Loved this story about a self-made apron (almost) millionaire.

Hol-ee mol-ee. A baking project to throw yourself into.

These anti-theft lunch bags made me laugh.

Have you ever cooked chicken breasts in milk?

Suzanne Goin's new cookbook is finally available for pre-order! I cannot wait to hold that thing in my hot little hands.

And finally, a Tumblr made for me.

Have a lovely weekend, darling friends. Next week I'll be writing to you from Italy!

Posted in

37 responses to “Friday Link Love”

  1. Jennifer Jo Avatar

    I’m not buying that bread recipe. The best foods are the simplest. (But if you make it and say otherwise, I’ll rethink my opinion.)

    Like

  2. Kim A Avatar
    Kim A

    I love your blog and I love the new format. Even though I live in the US, I already read all of your Berlin Blog, and have started from your first post and am reading all your blog posts. Already have found some recipes that I want to try. Keep up the great work.

    Like

  3. Salvegging @ salvegging.blogspot.com Avatar

    Beautiful! May I ask what that tart on the upper left is? : )

    Like

  4. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    I tried that bread recipe, and I HATED it! I tried eating it fresh and as toast, and just couldn’t do it. My husband hated it too.

    Like

  5. Emily K. @ Leaf Parade Avatar

    I make that bread all of the time! Try it — it’s wonderful!
    -Emily K.

    Like

  6. Louisa Avatar
    Louisa

    I’d love to see your favorite recipes highlighted in the index!

    Like

  7. Amy Avatar

    I say yes to the marking of favorites in the recipe index!

    Like

  8. stef Avatar
    stef

    I can’t wait for Suzanne Goin’s new book either–and she’ll be coming to Bookshop Santa Cruz for an event, too! Hope it’s as fun as yours was!

    Like

  9. Katie Avatar
    Katie

    Yes please highlight your favorite recipes!

    Like

  10. Sasha Avatar

    Yes, that bread recipe is really that good! I’m actually surprised to see in the comments that it isn’t praised by all. I make it all the time and it has quite some fans in my neck of the woods. It freezes so well and then is perfect to toast for breakfast. Try it once as is. And then try it with dried apricots or mulberries, toast it, and then it eat with nut butter. So good.
    Speaking of good things, do please highlight your favourite recipes!

    Like

  11. Lillian Avatar
    Lillian

    I always enjoy reading a favorites list! Please include yours.

    Like

  12. Mercedes Avatar

    I saw that bread recipe in the Guardian and wanted to make it, but naturally have not gotten around to sourcing psyllium husks.

    Like

  13. Korena Avatar

    I made the bread and I was all prepared to love it, but 2 (3?) months later I still have half of it stashed in the freezer… Not that it wasn’t decent, but it wasn’t as life-changing as I was hoping, I guess! I love that website though – very whole foods inspiring 🙂

    Like

  14. Charlotte Avatar

    Awww. The pic of Hugo in the sandbox with all the toys took me back about 6 summers…thanks for the whisk down memory lane.

    Like

  15. Mary Avatar

    Hi Luisa,
    Oh how I love the foodslobs. I can so relate! I am – shall we say – a well endowed lady who often has a food stain on the front of her blouse. Given that I am in my mid-50’s now, I just have to laugh at it all. LOL!!! I just think of it as my “drip tray” and the sign of a good meal enjoyed and a life well lived. 🙂
    I love what you are doing with your blog. It looks wonderful. But I always loved your old one too. You have a great eye for simple, sophisticated design.
    Also – I have to share with you that I am reading “My Berlin Kitchen”. I am an incredibly slow reader so I often tire quickly after a page or two of most other books. But with your book, I am reading a chapter every night before bed. When you left Berlin…and Max…my heart was breaking. Thank goodness I read your blog and know that everything turned out OK. 🙂
    Have a wonderful weekend and a great time in Italy. My mom’s family is from the Cernobbio area (way north in Lombardi)…specifically, a little hamlet called Rovenna (not Ravenna in Emilia-Romagna). Oh my! It’s just the cutest, sweetest little place on earth. I really fell in love with the place.
    God bless and have a great trip.
    Love,
    Mary
    PS – Watching Hugo grow really pulls on my heartstrings. You are such a blessed Mom. My son is a teen now and I just can’t believe it. Where did the time go? Those baby days are so precious!

    Like

  16. Monica Avatar
    Monica

    Oh my gosh. I read through a little too quickly and thought that said have you ever cooked chicken in breast milk. I’m so glad I read it wrong!

    Like

  17. Annie Avatar
    Annie

    The picture of Hugo in the sandbox – oh my. Up on his knees, peering over the edge at the bigger kids aloft on swings. Thank you for sharing this, and all the rest.

    Like

  18. Stephanie Avatar
    Stephanie

    Oh, please please please highlight your favorite recipes! There are so many, and I want to try them all, but concentrating on your faves would be a good start!

    Like

  19. Elizabeth Mars Avatar

    My friend made the life changing loaf of bread, it was a bit like eating cold porridge bread and she now has an enormous bag of chia seeds she is trying to use up. I’d rather eat Ella’s brown rice with carrots for brekkie, that does look delicious.

    Like

  20. emily Avatar
    emily

    The bread is that good. Toasted with a bitter marmalade and some butter… Coconut oil and salt and paper… untoasted with peanut butter and bananas. To dip in soup. To eat on a plate in the bath.

    Like

  21. Cassady Avatar
    Cassady

    I had high expectations foe the life changing loaf of bread but have to admit to being a bit disappointed. If Ii’m going to eat bread, I’d still prefer a hearty loaf over this one.
    Please do highlight your favorite recipes — with so many on here, would go a long way towards digging out the best ones!

    Like

  22. orcagna Avatar
    orcagna

    Re. The Bread, I had a lot of fun hunting down the ingredients. Chia was easy to find at the local health store, but psyllium husks were a challenge – I finally found them at a pharmacy (they are called Flohsamenschalen over here). The recipe needs some serious editing, the first try to turn the bread out of the pan produced quite a mess. So if you try it, be prepared to bake it for a much longer time than given in the recipe, both before and after turning it out.
    The taste is not bad, but not quite… like bread. As my husband kindly put it: “If you think of it as a huge energy bar, it’s quite ok!” And I’m sure birds would love it.
    And I guess a lot of your readers are looking forward to your ideas on what to do with all that chia and psyllium…

    Like

  23. mai Avatar
    mai

    What a beautiful re-design! Thank you for putting time into it, I love it! And LOVE the navigation bar at the top! And yes yes yes – please let us know your favorites. It would be so helpful to narrow the list down a little bit to get jump-started whenever a cook’s block hits.

    Like

  24. Denise | Chez Danisse Avatar

    Yes, I have made the bread multiple times and LOVE it. The carrot ginger brown rice looks delicious. What is the lovely pie/tart up top? It looks scrumptious.

    Like

  25. Jess Avatar
    Jess

    Life-changing bread definitely needs longer bake time and if I try it again (since I found a canister of husks with ease), I think I will line the regular pan with parchment paper (no silicone in my arsenal). As is, it seems rather like a moist birdseed cake….On the other hand, chia seeds can easily disappear in all kinds of baked goods, muffins, etc, – I use a teaspoon in my morning smoothie!

    Like

  26. Leah Avatar

    The bread is super yummy. I make it every week now. Totally try it Luisa!

    Like

  27. Leah Avatar

    oh and i love your dress! where did you get it?

    Like

  28. jenny Avatar

    I have the same red Bensimons. That’s all I wanted to say. 🙂

    Like

  29. Luisa Avatar

    It’s Kim Boyce’s cornmeal tart with rhubarb-hibiscus compote from Good to the Grain.

    Like

  30. Luisa Avatar

    Thank you, Mary!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the book… Yes, everything did turn out alright! 🙂 xoxox

    Like

  31. Luisa Avatar

    Thanks! A.P.C.

    Like

  32. Luisa Avatar

    It’s Kim Boyce’s cornmeal tart with rhubarb-hibiscus compote from Good to the Grain.

    Like

  33. Lucy T. Avatar

    I have been making that bread fairly regularly. I would never let it stand in for real bread all the time but it’s very good and so full of good stuff—one slice will keep you going all morning. I admit that I have played around with the recipe to reduce the flax a bit (used golden flax and subbed in sesame seeds for half of it) and I like that version a lot better. Just not a huge fan of flax flavour or texture.

    Like

  34. Jenn B Avatar
    Jenn B

    I tried that bread and it was…. interesting. The hubby hated it. It’s not “bread” per se – it’s toasted nuts and seeds. I suppose it would be good as an open-faced sandwich with cream cheese and various toppings but for a sandwich? No. Next time, I’m going to try it with oat flour instead of all rolled oats. Maybe that’ll give it a little less “texture”.

    Like

  35. Chloe Avatar
    Chloe

    I knew which bread you were referring to before I even clicked on the link – it is to die for! Have you made it yet? xxx

    Like

Leave a reply to Cassady Cancel reply