This past week, food had become an all-consuming hobby (pun-intended).

It all started when I went down the rabbit hole of Bon Appetit’s Gourmet Makes Youtube series, in which pastry chef Claire Saffitz attempts to reverse-engineer common snack foods. The concept itself is already entertaining, and it’s made even better by the fact that the dynamic in the BA test kitchen is really supportive, collaborative, and creative. (Seriously, working there must be a dream.)

Watching this series has given me a real culinary kick (even more than usual, at least), but it’s been a challenge trying to nourish this interest with a less-than-ideal kitchen. Mine is pretty restrictive—eyeballing it, there’s less than 15 square feet of space to move. Counter space is basically nonexistent. There’s no dishwasher. The oven was made in 2001 and ranges from being 50-125 degrees off. My Dyson often works overtime because the built-in fan just…doesn’t. 😩

But despite these obstacles, I’ve managed to make some pretty yummy food this week! I made Mark Bittman’s brownies from How To Cook Everything twice (my first batch was pretty burnt, but second time’s the charm!).

I also made apple chips out of gala apples! These were plain and simple, with no added sugar or cinnamon. I try not to indulge in uni-taskers, but oh how I longed for an apple corer while slicing these…

For dinner—after all, can’t eat Grubhub leftovers/Chef Boyardee forever, though what a LIFE that’d be—I made roasted yams (#KeepThePeel), garlic-y mushrooms, and oregano-seasoned chicken with shallots. On a side note, I wish this dish had had more color than just that random splash of orange! It’s quite beige.

During the interim between brownie batches, I’d indulge in a Klondike bar for dessert. Last weekend I added a box of these to my Instacart order on a whim and haven’t regretted it one bit. I forgot how good these were!

I’ve also been reading How To Taste by Becky Selengut and often catch myself thinking of ways to make more daring and delicious food (my current ideas revolve around acidity, which I always neglect!).

When we’re no longer under quarantine, I would LOVE to enroll in a weekend cooking class. But until then, looks like my humble kitchen will be a place of casual (and frequent!!) experimentation. 👩🏻‍🍳