Cyd - Food with friends: the art of simple gatherings

Copyright 2016 by Leela Cyd

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

www.crownpublishing.com

www.clarksonpotter.com

CLARKSON POTTER is a trademark and POTTER with colophon is a registered trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

ISBN9780804187091

eBook ISBN9780804187107

Photographs by Leela Cyd

Food styling by Ayda Rabana

Cover design by La Tricia Watford

Cover photographs by Leela Cyd

v4.1

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For Cissy and Richard, my mom and dad

The best food you will ever cook is simple, yet somehow special. It should only involve basic techniques, ingredients at their peak of freshness, and a touch of whimsy. Dont wait to plan a dinner party of complicated, unfamiliar, or fussy dishes; meals with friends can be a singular, delicious bitelike a tahini bun youve set in motion moments before (easy when you have a stocked pantry), a slice of blueberry mascarpone crostata (its rough edges are infinitely forgiving), or a salad mostly composed of flowers (everyone will gasp with glee). In our busy lives, where time is limited and digital connections take priority, preparing a small, delectable morsel and inviting a friend or two over to taste it (and linger) is a purposeful return to something tactile, sumptuous, and realplus its so much fun.

When it comes to creating happy memories, I believe more is more. So lets make these little moments happen, where we gather to celebrate the small stuff, the ups and downs, the ordinary and extraordinary, and set the table with our good china and thrift store glasses mismatching in imperfect harmony. And lets do it on a bright spring morning, a midweek night, or a Sunday afternoon. Theres never a perfect timeso get started now with your joyful, tasty life!

If your intention, like mine, is to refine the art of hanging out, this book is for you. My collection of recipes and tips will show you how to turn an everyday necessityeatinginto an intentional gesture that sparks creativity, where a piece of toast can transport eaters across oceans to a bustling marketplace and a simple homemade soda bread bursting with candied walnuts, Turkish figs, and fennel will surely elevate your mood.

For whatever reason, Ive always lived and breathed a messy, yet artful take on life: as a little girl I changed costumes five times a day (from ballet tutus to hand-me-down overalls), I hosted tea parties with all of my friends (both real and imaginary), and set the family table with loads of flowers plucked from our garden. I was born with an unrelenting need to lavish attention on my loved ones. My keenly observant parents channeled this interest by assigning me the task of planning and cooking feastsboth everyday and extravagant affairsinsisting I keep a journal of my menus and hiring me to bake for every holiday. Their crazy friends took me on as well, and I was merrily catering my first wedding at the age of seventeen!

My family and I followed a very basic philosophywe kept our shared family dinners sacred. No matter the schedule-juggling of basketball practices, dance rehearsals, and my parents demanding careers, we always stopped everything and ate together. As an adult, I realize the lasting impact that this daily ritual had on all of us: My brother, Nick, and I are now the lead cooks in our households. We just cant help ourselveswe find joy in feeding our friends, spouses, and, hopefully, one day our own kids.

When we were not at home eating together, my brother and I were lucky enough to travel the world as our photographer-dads assistant. He and I took turns going along for the rideSpain and Morocco instead of the last few months of third grade, Laos and Myanmar during Christmas break at age eleven, South India at sixteen, Tunisia and Rome while I studied history in my first year of art school. We saw the world and learned early on that food and laughter are a universal language and the most valuable currency for making new friends.

When I met my husband, David, in a performance art class, we immediately started saving for a lifetime of adventure. Dirt-cheap noodles and tacos taste pretty good when you have your eye (and belly) on Greece, the Netherlands, and England. We traipsed throughout these gorgeous countries, gulping down the art, culture, and food. Mutually bitten by wanderlust, we started to save up for living abroad for several months at a time: southern India, Vietnam, and Turkey.

Now I find myself traveling internationally for work teaching workshops and photographing hotels, chefs, and artisans. Between capturing images of each new locale, I seek out the grannies, the chatty shop owners, and the mustachioed uncles in the back of the hole-in-the-wall restaurants for cooking lessons. Spicy dahl with curry leaves and lime, sizzling sheeps cheese pide (pizza) in a brick oven, and mushroom spring rolls. all are dazzling dishes Ive learned at the side of someone who was just cookingbusiness as usual. Through these experiences, I learned that talking about food is the gateway to talking about anything. In about an hour (or sometimes within five minutes!), I get a window into another way of life: the gossip, traditions, hopes, and dreams are as exciting as the food is delicious.

This book is a collection of recipes Ive gathered during my travels while shooting culinary stories and throughout my childhood in my familys sunny California kitchen. The six chapters, Breakfast & Brunch, Teatime, Happy Hour, Potlucks & Picnics, Desserts, and Tiny Takeaways, organize the recipes in the way I love to gather with friends using fresh, in-season ingredients whenever possible. (My emphasis for such is less on being healthy and more on expressing your creativity with food that looks and tastes good.) My hope is that my words, tips, and colorful images inspire you to live better in the moment and help you stop putting have fun on your to-do list.

Its experiences and laughs that matter most, not the most perfectly executed food, so relax a little, embrace the imperfect, and set off on a festive journey with fanciful tasty treats (just make sure to pack a few for the road).

You never know whos going to stop by or what last-minute friend fete you may be invited to, so fresh, organic produce, eggs, dairy, and good olive oil are all important to have on hand, but equally critical are the following secret ingredientsflavor boosters that quickly elevate simple cooking.

Always try to have one hard cheese such as Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, great for finely grating onto a kale salad or atop al dente pasta; one soft decadent ingredient to spin into a dessert (like cream cheese or mascarpone); and a solid salty Cheddar from Britain or nubbin of a French-style Comt to shred and scatter atop warmed lentils or to serve whole with jams and a baguette.