Chris Morocco

“The zeitgeist tells us that we 'should' prefer dark chocolate much the same as we should prefer wine, coffee, and whiskey with flavor profiles that run toward the extreme. But sometimes I just want to eat something accessible and enjoyable without embarking on a cerebral tasting exercise.”

“A pastry crust is arguably the least healthy (and most time-consuming) part of a quiche. Replacing pastry with richly browned chunks of sweet potato creates a similar buttery contrast and a satisfying bite.”

“Boneless skinless chicken breasts don't give a damn about their bad reputation. They don't care that you think of them as pale, dry, and rubbery.”

“A day at the beach with my kids is one of the least relaxing activities I can think of.”

“Pepper mills (aka pepper grinders) rank just behind knives as primary causes of horrific kitchen accidents, according to an unofficial study that occurred in my life experience.”

“I am not someone who ever feels bad about eating a big bowl of pasta for dinner.”

“Molokhia as a dish can take many forms, but usually involves a braised meat.”

“I thought my early attempts at cooking tofu went well, but, in hindsight, I realize that's because I was cooking for hungry, vegetarian college students.”

“I don't want to hack my dinner, and I don't want to disrupt my cookware. I just want to cook tasty food like everyone else, using cookware that works. But if someone comes along with a product that is genuinely better, well, I'm all ears.”

“Cooking at home has made my pantry work harder than ever, and I'm constantly turning to ingredients that I know will add maximum taste-bud payoff with minimal fuss.”

“My favorite Hodo Soy product is the firm tofu, a dense cryovac-ed block that isn't packed in water like most store-bought tofu and, therefore, doesn't need to be pressed before using (what a revelation!). It's nutty and mild with a firm - never spongy - consistency.”

“Remember in 'Goodfellas' when Joe Pesci stops by his mom's house to get a knife but within minutes is served a full-on red-sauce dinner despite his mom having been asleep when he arrived? That is the constant state of preparedness that only a freezer can get you.”

“My pantry pastas fall somewhere in the middle of the time spectrum. They're simple, streamlined, and flexible, with unfussy yet massively flavorful sauces that come together in the time it takes to boil water and cook pasta.”

“My grandmother, Erminia 'Minnie' Morocco, treated cookies like a form of currency.”

“I cook 364 days of the year. The one day I don't? Thanksgiving.”

“When I was a kid, brown rice felt like punishment. Like the ever-increasing amount of whole wheat flour that would appear in my mom's pancakes and waffles, brown rice with dinner felt like we had done something really wrong.”

“I love bread and would happily eat it for every meal of the day.”

“A normal conversation between my uncles about whether or not the lamb is done will come across as a shouting match between four guys all doing their best to impersonate Tony Soprano.”

“Snapper is pretty forgiving for a white fish. The skin crisps up beautifully, which holds it together.”