She uses Maldon sea salt flakes in many of her recipes for a delicious sweet-savory contrast, and her family is firmly on board. Big fans. Loyal constituency.

She still owes me her chocolate chip cookie recipe topped with Maldon salt, but it has not arrived on my phone yet. No problem though because it gives me a good reason to feature her or the recipe in the future :)

🥧✨

My illustration of her and sweet Kaia. Recipe and other photos follow.

Zoomed in :)

Recipe source: Celebrating Sweets by Allison Mattina

Recipe overview

Pie crust: You can use a store bought pie crust or homemade 9-inch pie crust. No need to prebake the crust. Keep it in the fridge (if homemade) or freezer (if frozen) before adding the filling.

Filling: This pecan pie filling contains no corn syrup and it is dark, rich, and flavorful. It’s made with a combination of maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, eggs, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Cook the filling on the stovetop for just a few minutes. Cool briefly, then pour into the pie crust along with pecans and chocolate chips.

Bake: Bake the pie in the center to lower third of the oven for about 45 minutes.

Topping: Serve the pie as is or top with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, flaky sea salt, ice cream, or chocolate shavings.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Cooling: 5 hours

Total Time: 6 hours, 15 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

Pie crust (or use your favorite 9-inch deep dish unbaked pie crust*):

• ▢1 ¼ cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough

• ▢1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• ▢½ teaspoon salt

• ▢½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• ▢¼ cup ice water, plus more, if needed

Filling:

• ▢6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• ▢1 cup packed brown sugar

• ▢½ cup pure maple syrup

• ▢1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• ▢½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ▢3 large eggs

• ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ▢1½ cups chopped pecans

• ▢½ cup bittersweet/dark chocolate chips

• ▢non-stick baking spray

• ▢flaky finishing salt, optional

Instructions

Pie crust:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour, doing so until the butter is broken down into pea-sized pieces. Add ¼ cup ice water and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough starts coming together. Then use your hands to bring the dough together. If necessary, add another tablespoon of cold water. The dough should just be sticking together. Try not to overwork it.

• Transfer the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten it into a disc and wrap it up. Roll the edges of the crust on the countertop (like a wheel) to smooth out the edges. Transfer to your refrigerator for 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

• Let the pie crust sit at room temperature for several minutes until it is no longer rock-hard, but still cold (this will depend on how long it was the fridge). Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is a 12-13 inch circle.

• Lightly spritz a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with non-stick spray, then transfer the crust to the pie plate. Trim and fold/crimp the excess crust around the edges. Place the crust in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center to lower third of the oven.

• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth and combined. Bring the mixture to a low simmer (bubbles forming around the perimeter of the pan), then remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a bowl to cool for 15 minutes.

• Add eggs and extract to the syrup mixture, whisking until combined.

• Sprinkle the chopped pecans and chocolate chips into the bottom of the uncooked pie crust. Pour the syrup mixture over the pecans, rearranging the pecans if necessary (most the nuts and chocolate chips will float to the top).

• Lightly spritz a piece of foil with non-stick spray. Cover the pie with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then continue baking for another 15-25 minutes, until the edges are set but the center of the pie is still a bit jiggly (like gelatin). Sprinkle the top of the pie with a few sprinkles of flaky finishing salt (my sister likes Maldon sea salt flakes). Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely; it will firm up as it cools. I like to serve this pie at room temperature.

Maldon sea salt, ready for it’s closeup 🧑🏻‍🎨

Ever have one of those days when you feel a little worn out? Maybe the project you’re working on needs a reboot, nothing seems to land no matter how long you look at it, or your energy just isn’t clicking with the universe 😮‍💨✨?

100% okay. Let the day be imperfect. Give yourself some grace and step away for a little bit. Journal, paint, or indulge in whatever interest brings you calm.

I decided to make tiramisu. Sweet but not too sweet. An Italian dessert stacked with layers of yumminess.

Tira — pull
Mi — me
Su — up

And there you have it. Every now and then, take it easy 🤎

Tiramisu video & a very good recipe from @zaynab_issa

INGREDIENTS
3 large, fresh, pasteurized eggs, separated
500g mascarpone
1/2 tsp diamond crystal kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
7oz ladyfingers
1 cup very good, strong coffee
1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder

METHOD
Add egg yolks, mascarpone, and salt to a medium bowl and mix to combine. This is easiest if the mascarpone is at room temp.

Beat egg whites in a large bowl with electric beaters or in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high. When the the whites begin to get frothy, gradually stream in the sugar. Continue mixing until stiff peaks form and the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Add yolk mixture to egg whites and fold until completely incorporated.

Dip each lady finger into the coffee and place in an even layer in the bottom of a 8.5x10.5 inch dish. Add 1/2 the mascarpone mixture over top and spread in an ever layer. Repeat one more time to use all the coffee, biscuits, and cream. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight.

Dust with cocoa powder and serve.

♡ 🍨 ☕️

And just because @nasa creeps into my feed sometimes—Mars in beautiful tiramisu colors:

Potato Chips: Love at First Sight

Picture this: Saratoga Springs, New York, 1853. A customer at Moon’s Lake House keeps sending back his fried potatoes—too thick, too soggy, too something. After the third complaint, Chef George Crum, exhausted, decides to make a point. He slices the potatoes paper-thin, fries them until they crunch, and showers them with salt.

George wasn’t aiming for a culinary breakthrough; he was trying to teach a customer a lesson. But when the plate hit the table, the “picky” customer loved them. And just like that, the potato chip was born—an everyday joy that began with annoyance.

Champagne: Stars in a Glass

Champagne’s origin is just as accidental—I loved this one because of what Dom Pérignon supposedly said. In 17th century Champagne, France, winemakers kept struggling with bottles that wouldn’t stop fermenting. The wine kept popping corks and fizzing. This was not the plan.

Enter Dom Pérignon, the monk credited—at least in legend—with helping refine the bubbly drink. After tasting one of these unpredictable wines, he reportedly said, “Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!”

🍾 🥂

Finding Joy in Everyday

To the crunchy, salty, unplanned.
To the bubbles we didn’t expect.
To the stars in our glass and the chips in our bowl,
And to all the happy accidents that make life interesting.
Let’s raise a glass (and maybe a chip) to life’s tiny discoveries.

-Author: Me, powered by a combo of Trader Joe’s Salt & Pepper chips and crisp sparkles.

Pop the cork. Snack ideas incoming. All pair well with champagne (crisp, high acidity or chardonnay-focused), martinis, or Italian soda (zero proof).

Alison Roman’s Caviar on Chips, casual and yummy

Ingredients

• Potato Chips: Use plain, high-quality, lightly salted chips. Thick-cut chips work well for stability and crunch.

• Crème Fraîche or Sour Cream: A small amount for creaminess and a slight tang.

• Caviar or Salmon/Trout Roe: Choose a type you enjoy. Roman’s uses caviar or trout roe.

• Optional Garnishes:

  • Finely grated lemon zest

  • Chopped fresh chives or dill

  • Flaky sea salt (if needed)

Instructions: The preparation is straightforward:

1. Select Chips: Go through the bag and find the flattest, most intact chips for serving.

2. Add Cream: Place a small dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream on each chip using a small spoon or pastry bag.

3. Top with Caviar: Add a small spoonful of caviar or roe on top of the cream.

4. Garnish: Optional: sprinkle with a pinch of lemon zest, fresh herbs, or flaky sea salt.

5. Serve Immediately: The chips can get soggy quickly, so serve them right away. Crunchy, salty, and creamy in one bite.

Other Simple, No-Cook Options (from New York Times Cooking)

For additional minimal effort snacks, these French apéro were featured in NYT: simple, salty snacks that require no cooking.

• Olives and Salted Nuts A bowl of high-quality marinated olives (with garlic and lemon zest) and salted nuts.

• Potato Chips Salty, crunchy, classic potato chips are simple and easy.

• Cheese and Cured Meat Board A selection of a few good cheeses (like Brie or Parmesan) and cured meats (prosciutto, salami) served with crackers or a baguette.

P.S. ♡ Here are the holiday cards I made from last week’s post. I used craft paper cardstock.

Which brings us here: if cities could walk into a bar and order a drink, here’s who’s sipping what:

Los Angeles → Sidecar: Bright and sunny on the surface, with a mysterious undertone.

Boston → Whiskey Sour: Tart, no-nonsense.

Chicago → Negroni: Classic, balanced, and warmer than the winter.

Denver → Old Fashioned: Woodsy, outdoorsy, ready for a forest.

Miami → Paloma: Bold and dancing out of the glass.

New York → Manhattan: Well-read, never subtle.

San Francisco → Daiquiri: Chill but ready to debate rum ratios ‘til last call.

Seattle → Espresso Martini: Caffeinated and pulling an all-nighter to write code.

Death & Co recipes + my illustrations. Enjoy and happy sipping :)

DAIQUIRI

2 ounces Flor de Caña Extra-Dry White Rum

1 ounce lime juice

1/2 ounce cane sugar syrup*

Garnish: 1 lime wedge

Shake all the ingredients with rice, then strain into a coupe. Garnish with a lime wedge.

*Cane Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of organic cane sugar (often labeled “evaporated cane juice”; note that this is different from turbinado sugar) with 1 cup of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and without bringing to a boil, until the sugar is dissolved.

ESPRESSO MARTINI

2 ounces vodka
1½ ounces Death & Co x Jack Rudy Coffee Syrup
Garnish: 3 coffee beans

Shake all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with the coffee beans.

MANHATTAN

2 1/2 ounces Rittenhouse 100 Rye

3/4 ounce House Sweet Vermouth*

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Garnish: 1 brandished cherry

Stir all the ingredients over ice, then strain into a coupe. Garnish with the cherry

*House Sweet Vermouth: 1 part Dolin Rouge Vermouth, 1 part Punt e Mes

NEGRONI

1 1/2 ounces Tanqueray London Dry Gin

1 ounce Campari

1 ounce House Sweet Vermouth*

Garnish: 1 orange twist

Stir all the ingredients over ice, then strain into a double rocks glass. Garnish with the orange twist.

*House Sweet Vermouth: 1 part Dolin Rouge Vermouth, 1 part Punt e Mes

OLD FASHIONED

2 ounces Elijah Craig Bourbon

1 teaspoon demerara syrup

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

1 dash Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters

Lemon and orange peel, for garnishing

Add all ingredients, except for citrus peels, in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled.

Strain into a drinking glass with a big ice cube. Garnish with a lemon and orange peel.

PALOMA

Juice of half a lime

2 oz Tequila

1/2 oz Grapefruit juice

1/2 oz Simple syrup*

Grapefruit Soda

Rim a highball glass with salt. Combine lime juice, tequila, grapefruit juice and simple syrup in a shaker. Shake over ice. Strain into highball over ice. Top with grapefruit soda. Garnish with a lime wheel.

*Simple Syrup: Combine equal parts (preferably by weight, but you can also use measuring cups) of superfine sugar and warm water in a container. Shake or stir until the sugar is dissolved.

SIDECAR

2 ounces Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac

1/2 ounce Cointreau

3/4 ounce lemon juice

1/4 ounce cane sugar syrup*

Garnish: 1 orange twist

Shake all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a coupe. Garnish with the orange twist.

*Cane Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of organic cane sugar (often labeled “evaporated cane juice”; note that this is different from turbinado sugar) with 1 cup of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and without bringing to a boil, until the sugar is dissolved.

WHISKEY SOUR

2 ounces Buffalo Trace Bourbon

3/4 ounce lemon juice

3/4 ounce simple syrup*

1 egg white

Garnish: 1 dash Angostura Bitters and 1 orange crescent and cherry flag

Dry shake all the ingredients, then shake again with ice. Double strain into a double rocks glass over 1 large ice cube. Add a dash of bitters on top and garnish with the orange and cherry flag.

*Simple Syrup: Combine equal parts (preferably by weight, but you can also use measuring cups) of superfine sugar and warm water in a container. Shake or stir until the sugar is dissolved.