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AUTHOR: Cathy Erway
PUBLISHER: 10 Speed Press
ABOUT: A cookbook of 50 recipes that combines everyone’s favorite protein with the ease of cooking all on one pan, from a James Beard Award–winning food writer and TASTE contributor Cathy Erway.
RECIPE CONTRIBUTOR: Jenn de la Vega, “spatchcock chicken with ginger, garlic, and green papaya,” page 51.
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Fourthwall (preferred!)
AUTHOR: Jenn de la Vega
PUBLISHER: Page Street Publishing, distributed by MacMillan. Member of 1% for the Planet. 1% of sales go to environmental charities each year.
DESCRIPTION: If ever there was a cookbook on a particular food from a certain region, most people would associate competition-worthy barbecue from a Southern chef. Chef and caterer Jenn de la Vega is out to change your mind about that. Known on the competition circuit and for her blog, Randwiches, Jenn creates uniquely flavorful and approachable barbecue.
Make eccentric, yet mouth-watering barbecue with or without a smoker, including the specialty side dishes, sauces and pickles that go along with them. This competition cook goes one step further to provide recipes for what to do with the leftovers, too. This book has 100 recipes and 60 photos.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jenn de la Vega is editor-at-large of Put A Egg On It: Tasty Zine! and runs Randwiches, an award-winning experimental food blog and catering service. Jenn loves talking about food situations, digital art and technology. She has appeared on Guy’s Grocery Games on Food Network and ChefShock with Justin Warner on Twitch.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Colin Clark
“Jenn is the kind of author who makes you feel like you are winning just because you have the privilege of reading her text. Compound that with the fact that you can cook her food... and you feel like a leprechaun mounted on a gilded unicorn somehow snowboarding down a rainbow with an edible pot of gold, or chili, awaiting you at the final destination.” — Justin Warner, Food Network Judge & author of "The Laws of Cooking: And How to Break Them."
"These cravetastique, flavorful recipes are making me salivate! Jenn is a consummate expert in the field of crave-able dishes and this book is chock full of them. I can randomly open it to any page, make that dish, and then feel satisfied from head-to-toe.”— Lisa Q. Fetterman, CEO and Founder of Nomiku, Bestselling Author of "Sous Vide at Home"
"I'm a big fan of Jenn de la Vega's food and have enjoyed cheering her on for years. Her genuine enthusiasm for making and sharing food is undeniable – if it's all about how you play the game, Jenn is constantly winning.” —Adam J. Kurtz, bestselling artist & author of “Pick Me Up”
"Jenn's approach to cooking is a source of inspiration; she has the ability to spin comfort food classics and elevate them into something totally new. Additionally, her recipes are easy to follow, and include classic techniques that are simplified for the home cook. Whether you are just learning to cook, or have been at it for years, this book has something for everyone!”— Molly Adams, Senior Food Editor of The FeedFeed
Austin Statesman "Recipe of the Week: Chicken Mole That Will Impress Your Guests"
Brooklyn Magazine, "What's in a menu? The Intersection of Feels & Foods."
Greenpointers "Showdown: BBQ, Takedowns & Cooking In Greenpoint With Jenn de la Vega"
Jameson Fink "Wines to Match with Black Bean and Pepita Balls"
Mountain Democrat - “Grill like a champ with ‘Showdown’ cookbook’s bold flavors”
When I first encountered North Carolina whole hog barbeque, I couldn’t exactly explain why I immediately loved it. Was it because every large family event I had been to involved a whole pig? Birthdays, graduations, weddings, funerals. Or was it the thin, vinegar-style bbq sauce that was generously doused onto the pork?
It hit me, yes. Growing up, we had tall, skinny bottles of vinegar steeped with chilis and garlic. As I traveled around the Philippines, every dining table had ramekins of calamansi, chili, and garlic to make your own. Sawsawan is the secret to consuming tons of fried pork and grilled fish. The acidity dances with the fatty molecules on your tongue to cleanse and ready you for more. Try it with lechon kawali, fried chicken, or even French fries.
This is a basic mixture, so feel free to experiment by adding a little sugar, chopped onion, dried fruits, soy sauce, and/or calamansi juice. Swap out the vinegar if you don’t have white vinegar; rice vinegar will yield a mellow sauce, while balsamic will be sweet. If you can’t find Thai bird chilis, sub in 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. This was part of my dinner with Lara Heintz, check out the full menu.
Sawsawan
Makes 1 cup
| Things you'll need: | |
| 1 cup white vinegar 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns |
1 bay leaf 2 garlic cloves, sliced 1-2 Thai bird chilis |
In a clean jar or plastic container with a lid, mix 1 cup white vinegar with ½ teaspoon crushed black peppercorns, a bay leaf, 2 cloves sliced garlic, and 1 or 2 sliced Thai chili peppers.
Let the mixture marinate at room temperature for up to 2 hours and then store in the fridge for 3 days before using.
When the sauce runs low, you can keep adding vinegar and aromatics to keep it steeping. Make sure all the elements stay submerged and you’ll be good to go.
Did you try this recipe? Let me know on social media by tagging @Randwiches.
Lauren Gardner observes the food videos.
In 2018, I put together an exhibition called MASARAP at Babycastles Gallery. Masarap is Tagalog for 'delicious.’ I used this two-week takeover to explore the complicated origins of comfort food as well as the ways we play with what we eat. Read about it here.
As seen in…
BLUE PLATE is a frustrating and confusing experience. Delectable food porn plays on the table in front of you and you’re unable to pick up the fork to enjoy it. At first, it’s enjoyable to watch. You can touch the place where the plates appear but you cannot eat it.
Will it provoke you to seek out that specific dish? Will it make you hungry? How will you relieve this stress?
BLUE PLATE is…
Small projector pointing downward
108 crowdsourced food porn videos from Eggcentennial and Super Nacho Bowl
Tablecloth
Fork and knife
Glue
For more of my artwork, visit my portfolio.
In 2018, I put together an exhibition called MASARAP at Babycastles Gallery. Masarap is Tagalog for 'delicious.’ I used this two-week takeover to explore the complicated origins of comfort food as well as the ways we play with what we eat. Read about it here.
As seen in…
KUMMERSPECK translates to ‘grief bacon.’ These soft breakfast items were created to bring comfort and relief. They can be touched and rearranged any which way on its blue plate. Visitors were encouraged to remove shoes while engaging with this meal.
KUMMERSPECK is
Hand-sewn white tablecloth fried egg blanket with microbead yolk.
Felt bacon with crinkly bubblewrap pockets you can “fry” yourself.
Embroidery floss-stiched chenille Swiss cheese slice.
Foam blue plate special.
Blue check tablecloth setting.
For more of my artwork, visit my portfolio.
I worked with Claire Matern to help Local Roots refresh their website for their fall CSA. Every season, their inventory changes, so we needed to showcase the latest offerings as well as a few simple recipe ideas.
Pork chops are pretty easy to master at home. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan (like it has a metal handle and not a plastic one), you can still complete this dish on the stovetop. Just watch the temperature! And if you do go the way of the oven, don’t forget the handle will be very hot.
In the case you can’t find fresh plums right now, a dollop of apricot jam or sweet chili sauce will do just as nicely.
Pork Chops with Plums and Sage
Serves 2
| Things you'll need: | |
| 2 Local Roots pork chops Salt and pepper, to taste |
2 plums, pitted 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 leaves fresh sage, stems removed |
Pat the completely defrosted pork chops with a paper towel.
Drizzle the olive oil onto the pork chops and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a cast-iron or oven-safe pan on high on the stove.
Sear the pork chop on both sides for 2 minutes to brown the outside.
Place the pan in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Continue to cook the pork chop until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (for medium).
Transfer the pork chop to a plate to rest.
(Not pictured) Using the pan juices, saute the sage leaves for 1 to 2 minutes and pour onto the pork chops.
Serve alongside sliced plums.
Let me know if you try this recipe out!
If you'd like a discount on Local Roots subscriptions, enter the code RANDWICHES at checkout.
I heard about this amazing event called Queer Soup Night, you pay a suggested donation and eat as much soup as you want. What an idea!
Queer Soup Night is a Brooklyn-born queer party with soup at its center.
Each event raises money for a community org, highlights the talent of queer chefs, and nourishes our community by gathering in an atmosphere of authentic inclusiveness.
Our mission is to strengthen local queer communities across the country through sharing space, sharing food and contributing to something bigger than ourselves.
We believe that we are strongest when we are joyful and generous, together.
I just had to be involved somehow. I immediately emailed Liz Alpern and volunteered my help. It took some scheduling but I was asked to contribute a soup to a pride weekend collaboration with Nighthawk Cinema. If you’ve never been, it’s a movie theater where you can order dinner and drinks from the bar. That night, the plan was to screen the movie But I’m a Cheerleader, one of my favorites!
The soup I decided to serve is tinola, a Filipino chicken soup with green papaya, arugula, and ginger. It’s a comforting soup when you’re feeling bad. When unripe, green papaya is boiled, it acts a lot like potato. Usually, the soup is garnished with chili leaves or moringa, but arugula is spicy enough in a pinch. I poached a dozen chickens and pulled the meat off the bones. Then I threw the carcasses back into the broth to keep releasing that wonderful flavor. I spent the day before in the Nighthawk kitchens with chef Blessing and chef Stewart. We had so much fun.
Emily helped me serve up our small bowls of tinola to a hungry crowd. Afterward, we enjoyed the screening and were treated to a surprise Q&A with director Jamie Babbit.
Want to collaborate on an event? I’m down to plan in Oakland and Brooklyn.
I met Paul Lanzi in college. He was a computer science major and later, cybersecurity wizard by day. I did not know that he had a deep passion for long exposure photography. We caught up on one of my business trips out to the Bay Area in 2018. I picked up groceries to play with styling and was surprised to see he had set up a small light painting studio in the garage!
We took turns moving different colors of finger lights across the backdrop and through the dishes before the shutter clicked. I’ve never collaborated like this and it was really exciting to light my dishes in a new way.
I love how ethereal some of the photos came out.
My very first Kickstarter project had nothing to do with food. In 2013, I was the publicist (and boom operator) for Minecraft: The Story of Mojang documentary. My friends at 2 Player Productions were responsible for documenting a lot of the chip music scene around the world and I went along for the ride when they decided to document how video games were made. Their first project was ambitious: head to Stockholm to meet with Notch as he formed his first company around the runaway hit Minecraft. We couldn’t have produced this film without the generous backing of our community through Kickstarter.
From then, I made it a habit to support creators through what little money I had to spare and at the very least, a kind, encouraging word.
Since my stint as a Creator in Residence last year, I’ve kept the Kickstarter family very close through cooking. I was thrilled when I was asked to make a surprise lunch for their 10th anniversary.
This menu is so so special to me. It’s the result of many years of testing, honing and tasting.
| Kickstarter 10th Anniversary Menu: | |
| Adobo pulled pork Lexington bbq tempeh Bourbon cherry ribs Smoked mushroom and cabbage Wasabi and black sesame potato salad | Potato rolls Rice and bean stuffed poblanos Carolina bbq sauce Kansas City bbq sauce Spicy bananacue sauce |
I was also very moved when I found out that Kickstarter made 10th anniversary commemorative pins inspired by my Eggcentennial project.
Photos by Filip Wolak for Kickstarter.
If you have questions about running a Kickstarter project, hit me up!
All of the menu items are available for your next event. Fill out my inquiry form to get started.
I had the pleasure of catering the release party for The Moth’s newest book Occasional Magic. The last time I worked with this wonderful nonprofit, they were just settling into their new offices in the financial district of Manhattan. They have since expanded to the rest of the floor with gorgeously designed workspaces and a recording studio.
My team and I had a blast! I created a custom cocktail called the Love Potion: rose and citrus simple syrup mixed with vodka and ginger beer. Just lovely!
Here’s the menu from that night:
Pickle plates
Charcuterie boards
Cheese boards
Crudités with miso hummus and labneh
Creamy cheeseburger sliders
Buttermilk chicken skewers with kale pesto
Vegan vegetable pies with sesame
Looking to host a party like this? Please get in touch!
