Recipe Mutiny: 11/13/19

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Which Grocery Delivery Service Is Best for You?

Like meal kits, grocery delivery service options have proliferated to the point where we’re spoiled for choices—so determining the best grocery delivery app or online service can be tricky, and varies from person to person. But we’re here to help.

It’s an old saw, yet blatantly true: we must eat to live—ergo, we must procure food. Even urban dwellers can grow some of it at home, but the majority of us have to go grocery shopping. Luckily, we live in an age where we can buy groceries online, from pet food to pantry items, not to mention everything you might need for Thanksgiving dinner.

Many supermarkets offer their own delivery or pick-up options, but there are also a number of other grocery delivery apps and services, each with their own pros and cons. There may not be an overall best grocery delivery service that gets the #GOAT, but there’s definitely one that will appeal most to you.

Here’s an at-a-glance summary. Keep scrolling for more details.

Prime Pantry: included w/ Amazon Prime; free shipping w/ min. order; non-perishables only
Prime Now: included w/ Prime; 2-hour delivery w/ min. order; groceries + select non-perishables from local stores, including Whole Foods
Amazon Fresh: included w/ Amazon Prime (formerly an add-on service); 1-hour delivery available; groceries only, including Whole Foods
Instacart: no membership fee (free 2-hour delivery + ability to shop from multiple stores, including Costco, with paid upgrade); in-app discounts; first delivery free
Google Express: no membership fee; free shipping w/ min. order; same-day shipping available; shop Costco items; non-perishables only
Peapod: limited service area; free delivery for 60 days; next-day delivery available; double manufacturers’ coupons; gas rewards
Shipt: yearly or monthly fee; personal shoppers fill special orders; shop Target; no surge pricing; free delivery on min. order
Jet: no membership fee; free shipping on min. orders; only for non-perishables
Walmart: schedule pickup; delivery available in some areas (with new “Unlimited Delivery” option in some cities); in-store prices
FreshDirect: limited service area; free delivery with paid membership

Prime Pantry

Amazon

Amazon Prime membership confers a whole host of perks, including grocery discounts with Prime Pantry. Unlike Prime Now and Amazon Fresh (read more about them below), Prime Pantry is for stocking your shelves with non-perishable goods like cooking oil, pasta, cereal, and snacks, even pet food, as well as cleaning supplies and other items.

If you want free shipping on Prime Pantry orders, you have two options: pay a $4.99 monthly Prime Pantry membership fee and spend at least $10 on your order, or simply meet the standard order minimum of $35, easy enough to do; otherwise, there’s a flat delivery fee of $5.99. A few other cons: no 2-day shipping, no shipping to dorms (sorry, Prime Student members), and no delivery to Alaska or Hawaii.

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Prime Now

Amazon

If you’re looking for more fresh food in addition to pantry staples, Prime Now may be a good option. It’s included with a regular Prime membership (if you don’t have one of those, you can try a 30-day free trial) and it lets you shop for groceries and many other items like gifts and electronics, from a range of local stores, including Whole Foods. Standard 2-day delivery is free, but you can also get your order delivered within a 2-hour window (for free on orders over $35), or within just 1 hour (for a $7.99 fee); this includes select non-grocery items, so if you need eggs and a printer ink cartridge ASAP, you’re in luck! (But will probably have to place two separate orders since they’ll come from different stores.)

If you prefer to pick up your groceries, you can do so in some locations (at your local Whole Foods) an hour after ordering at no extra cost, or within 30 minutes for a $4.99 service fee. Pick-up and delivery are available between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. 7 days a week. You can also order from local restaurants with Prime Now, but check Amazon’s site to see what’s available in your specific location.

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Amazon Fresh

Amazon

Rounding out Amazon’s grocery options, there’s Amazon Fresh. It’s very similar to Prime Now (in fact, it was expected that the two services would be merged by the end of 2018, though that hasn’t happened yet), but it is exclusively for groceries. Amazon Fresh was formerly an add-on service that cost an extra $14.99 per month but is now free/included with Prime.

If Amazon Fresh is available in your location (you can enter your ZIP code to check), you can get fresh produce, milk, meat, and more—including Whole Foods Market 365 products—delivered within an hour, or whenever is most convenient for you. You can also schedule pick-up if you prefer. All delivery and pick-up options are free in most cases, though exceptions apply (order minimums and rush delivery/pick-up windows). If you’re in New York, according to Amazon’s FAQ, “Customers with a valid SNAP EBT card…receive free access to the Amazon Fresh selection without monthly membership fees.” (The same applies to Prime Pantry.) As with Prime Pantry, Amazon Fresh does not deliver to dorms.

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Instacart

Instacart delivers from a variety of grocery stores (it depends, as always, on where you’re located), and in some areas also delivers from liquor stores, pet stores, and pharmacies. You can even order from Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale through Instacart, without needing to have a membership at those brick-and-mortar stores (though the same items will cost you more than they would in-store for members)—so it’s potentially comparable to Amazon’s Prime grocery options, without the annual fee.

You can upgrade to Instacart Express ($99/year or $9.99/month) in order to get free 2-hour delivery on orders over $35 and to be able to shop from multiple stores in the same order. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay delivery and service fees on all orders ($3.99-$5.99), and those may be higher during busier periods. While they don’t honor in-store coupons, there are often in-app discounts on various items. New users get their first order delivered free.

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Google Express

Google

Google Express is sort of like a hybrid of Instacart and Prime Pantry; there’s no membership fee required, and you can order from various stores, including Target, Best Buy, and Costco (with the same member price caveat, though some items do go on sale at times), but you can’t get any perishables. If you meet the minimum order amount ($25 or $35 depending on the store you choose), you get free shipping. You may be able to get same-day shipping, but not always (depending on when you place your order), and they use companies like FedEx, UPS, and OnTrac for their deliveries.Shop Now

Peapod

Peapod isn’t available in as many regions, but if you are in their delivery zones (several mid-Atlantic and northeastern states, plus Chicago and nearby metro areas), you can rack up major savings. They double manufacturers’ coupons up to $0.99, and offer a full 60 days of free delivery (with promo code 60DAYSFREE, which also gets you $20 off your first order, with a $75 order minimum); after that, you can buy a Pod Pass to get free delivery if you wish. Otherwise, the delivery fee is calculated based on your order total. Rather than sending shoppers into various stores for you, orders are fulfilled at Peapod warehouses, and you can schedule delivery up to two weeks in advance, if you like to plan ahead.

You can’t get 2-hour delivery as with most other services, but you can get it as soon as next-day—or schedule a pickup at certain local stores. Peapod also offers its own meal kits, and in some markets where Peapod is affiliated with Giant and Stop & Shop stores, you can even earn gas rewards points with your purchases. A couple other nifty features: You can type a grocery list into their notepad and populate items in your cart, or use the Shopping Genius feature to auto-fill your online cart with items you regularly purchase.

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Shipt

Shipt is pretty similar to Instacart, with a less widespread range and a requirement that you do purchase a membership to use the app, at $99/year or $14/month. The benefit is that you basically have a personal shopper who you can text with specific instructions and requests, so you get exactly what you want. You can even order items that aren’t listed in the app but that you know the store carries. They deliver from Target as well as Kroger and Meijer grocery stores and CVS. There’s also never any surge pricing, and no delivery charge on orders over $35 (otherwise, delivery will be about $7).Shop Now

Jet

Jet

Jet is owned by Walmart and is similar to Google Express, in that there’s no membership fee, there’s free shipping on orders over $35 (otherwise, it’s $5.99 for delivery), and you can only order non-perishable goods. They offer their own line of “Uniquely J” branded items (like sauces, condiments, coffee, and snacks), and have a real-time savings engine that indicates items you can add to your order to lower the total price. You can pay less for items you know you won’t want to return (like toilet paper or your favorite granola bars) by opting out of the free return option.

They offer same-day delivery in select areas of New York, but you can order from anywhere in the continental U.S. if you don’t mind waiting a few days.

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Walmart

Walmart recently debuted a new Delivery Unlimited option available in select markets (they expect it to be available in over 50 percent of the country by the end of 2019); for a fee of $98 per year or $12.95 per month, you get unlimited Walmart grocery deliveries right to your door. Sign up for a free 15-day trial if you’re on the fence (and if it’s available in your location).

You can also order Walmart groceries (and anything else on the site or mobile app) online and pick up your completed order at your convenience anywhere in the country. While it may not be quite as easy as home delivery, it’s still quicker than shopping yourself, and means there’s no extra fee. Either way, prices are always the same as in-store, and same-day pickup service is available. While it’s not as widely available right now, Walmart’s InHome delivery service will stock your fridge when you’re not home.

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FreshDirect

FreshDirect only delivers to parts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, D.C., and a few other areas (some, like the Hamptons, only seasonally), but they’re a great option if you live in one of those places. In addition to all the usual grocery store items like fresh vegetables, meat, dairy, dry goods, and home care supplies, they offer their own line of meals (both meal kits and fully prepared foods), as well as farmshare boxes. These farmshare boxes are just like what you would get if you joined a CSA, but with no long-term commitment; get fresh produce from local farms, including eggs and cheese in some areas.

As with most other services, you can upgrade to a paid membership (see pricing tiers here) in order to get free delivery, as well as special offers and discounts. If you’re in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens, check out their little sister service FoodKick too (it includes alcohol delivery).

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Get $50 off your first order of $99 or more with code WELCOME19

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UberEats

Since Uber Eats no longer delivers from Walmart, you can’t get your groceries from them, but they do, of course, deliver from all sorts of restaurants. So on those days when you don’t want to cook at all (and since your magically delivered groceries still won’t cook themselves—yet), it’s a great backup choice!Order Now

Another Alternative: Meal Kits

A happy medium between grocery delivery and takeout is the meal kit option—get fresh ingredients delivered to your door in just the quantities you need, with instructions on what to make with them and exactly how to do it, so dinner is easy and comparatively low effort, but still healthy and homemade. Check out Guide.com’s favorite meal kits, CNET’s meal kit recommendations, and our review of 5 popular meal kits—and if you want fully prepared foods with a healthy bent, see our Sakara detox meal delivery service review. As with grocery delivery, there are a wealth of meal kit options out there, but these guides will help you figure out which one is best for you.

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15 Canned Sardine Hacks for a Better Snack

Usually canned sardines are thought of as a last resort for when you can’t be bothered to cook, if not relegated to apocalypse food, but we urge you to reconsider. The small, oily, silvery fish are inexpensive, easy to prepare, and loaded with things that are good for you, like omega-3 fatty acids and calcium. They’re also delicious! So here are 15 creative serving suggestions for canned sardines.

Portuguese Sardine Salad

This recipe from chef George Mendes of Michelin-starred Aldea in New York, is a great fresh and healthy option that combines multiple textures and flavors (sweet, smoky, salty, tangy, herbaceous, and a little funky) for a perfectly balanced lunch. Check out the chef’s book, “My Portugal,” for more of his recipes.

Ingredients:

2-4 red bell peppers, washed and thoroughly dried
romaine lettuce hearts, washed and thoroughly dried
fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, washed and thoroughly dried
extra-virgin olive oil (chef Mendes likes Casa Migmag)
sherry vinegar
smoked paprika (chef Mendes likes La Dalia)
1 can Portuguese sardines (chef Mendes likes the Porthos brand; Bela is another good Portuguese brand)
salt
freshly ground white pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Toss the whole peppers with olive oil and a generous sprinkle of salt, then roast on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes, or until charred, turning about every 5 minutes. (Alternatively, blister the peppers over hot coals or an open flame.)

3. Place peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for 15 minutes to further soften them and loosen their skins.

4. Use a spoon or the back of a knife to scrape most of the blackened skin off the peppers, but leave a few specks on for a smoky flavor. Cut off the stem end of the peppers and slice them in half lengthwise, then remove the veins and seeds. Cut the flesh into strips, mimicking the shape of the sardine filets.

5. Place the strips of pepper in a bowl and add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, and 2-3 tablespoons of sherry vinegar. Sprinkle in some smoked paprika to taste, mix well, and reserve. The chef recommends making these 1 to 2 days in advance, but if you’re short on time, as little as 5-10 minutes will do.

6. When ready to assemble the salad, slice the romaine into bite-size pieces and mix with whole parsley leaves to taste (as many or as few as you like).

7. Drain sardines and cut in half lengthwise, then remove and discard the bones and excess skin if you prefer (leave them be if you like a more rustic preparation). Roughly cut sardines into small pieces and mix with the lettuce and parsley. Add some of the juice from the pickled roasted peppers and mix again to coat.

8. On a plate, make a base layer of pickled roasted peppers, layer the lettuce-herb-sardine mixture on top, and finish with another drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of sherry vinegar, sea salt, and freshly ground white pepper, plus a few more pepper strips for a pop of color.

Porthos Portuguese Vintage Sardines Crate, $24.99 at World Market

Five tins of fine Portuguese sardines packed in different oils and tomato sauces.

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Fisherman’s Eggs

Chowhound

Try this easy and very tasty idea, adapted from “The Silver Spoon,” for breakfast, or pair it with a leafy salad for a quick supper.

Ingredients:

1 can sardines
1 small shallot, slices
few sprigs fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
freshly cracked black pepper
kosher salt
4 eggs
toast and hot sauce, to serve

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 500°F and preheat an ovenproof serving dish for five minutes.

2. Place the sardines, sliced shallot, chopped parsley, and chopped garlic in the warm dish. Add some black pepper and put the dish back in the oven for six minutes.

3. Remove the dish from the oven, break four eggs into a bowl, and pour them gently on top of the sardine mixture. Season with salt and pepper and put the dish back in the oven for seven minutes, until the egg whites are cooked but still jiggly.

4. Remove the dish and let it sit for five minutes (the eggs keep on cooking even out of the oven). Set out with toast and hot sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Smoked Sardine Pâté

Chowhound

Cottage cheese and yogurt give this healthy spread a tangy flavor that complements the sardines’ smoky essence. Spread it on brown bread, like Chowhound’s Chris Rochelle and his wife Rachel do, with pickles and watercress for a quick lunch.

Ingredients:

2 cans smoked sardines
7 ounces cottage cheese
7 ounces plain Greek yogurt
juice from half a lemon
cayenne pepper
bread or crackers to serve

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, combine the smoked sardines, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice.

2. Blend until just smooth and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve on bread or crackers dusted with cayenne pepper. Makes enough for 6.

Sardine Fritters in Lettuce Leaves with Sriracha-Soy Sauce

Chowhound

These sardine fritters are perfect for a dinner with friends. Serve them with a Sriracha-soy sauce (inspired by chef Stuart Brioza).

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Sriracha
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
butter lettuce
2 cans sardines
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
vegetable oil for frying

1. To make the sauce, whisk the Sriracha, soy sauce, and fresh lime juice together in a small bowl.

2. Select a handful of leaves from a head of butter lettuce; wash and dry them and set aside.

3. To make the fritters, mix together the sardines, eggs, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl.

4. Heat about an inch of vegetable oil in a large saucepan till it spits when you put a test crumb in. Make small balls (approximately 1 inch in diameter) of the sardine mixture and fry for three to four minutes until golden brown, turning them occasionally with tongs.

5. Place the fritters on a plate with a kitchen towel underneath to absorb the oil. To serve, place in the lettuce leaves with the Sriracha-soy sauce drizzled on top and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serves 4.

Sardine-Arugula Pizza

sardine pizza recipe with arugula and peppers

Chowhound

This pizza, from Chowhound’s former photographer Chris Rochelle, isn’t just delicious any time of the day; it’s healthy, too.

Ingredients:

1 ball pizza dough (store-bought, or make our Basic Pizza Dough recipe)
pizza sauce (like our Basic Pizza Sauce recipe)
handful arugula
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 sweet peppers, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, hopped
1 can sardines, drained and halved lengthwise
crushed red pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F.

2. Roll out the pizza dough on a flour-dusted baking tray and brush on a thin layer of sauce. On top, place a large handful of arugula, the sliced onions and peppers, the garlic, and the halved sardines.

3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and liberally apply crushed red pepper flakes. Serves 4.

Seanuts

Chowhound

These “seanuts” were inspired by our Oaxacan Chile-Lime Peanuts recipe. Put them out for your next cocktail party.

Ingredients:

2 cans sardines, drained and chopped
2 pounds peanuts
10 cloves garlic, unpeeled
6 tablespoons peanut oil
4 arbol chiles, crushed
3 tablespoons finely grated lime zest
4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons sugar

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle.

2. Toss together the chopped sardines, peanuts, unpeeled garlic cloves, peanut oil, and crushed arbol chiles until nuts are evenly coated. Spread out on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast, shaking and stirring the pan halfway through, until the nuts are toasted and beginning to crack open, about 25 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large, heatproof bowl. Toss with the lime zest, kosher salt, and sugar and serve. Makes 10 to 15 servings as a snack.

Sardine Squares

Chowhound

Yet another reason to keep puff pastry around: so that you can throw together Chris Rochelle’s sardine flatbreads in under 30 minutes. Serve them with aperitifs or cocktails.

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) sheet of puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tablespoon capers
3 anchovies
2 sardines, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
black olives, cut into quarters

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat for five minutes, stirring until softened. Stir in three tablespoons of tomato purée, cook for a few minutes more, then remove from heat. Stir in the capers, anchovies, and sardines.

3. Roll out the thawed puff pastry and cut it into 16 little squares. Brush egg wash on each square and place a tablespoon of the sardine mixture in the middle of each square.

4. Bake for 15 minutes. Garnish with quartered black olives. Makes 16 squares.

Sardine-Dill Fish Cakes

Chowhound

These budget-friendly fish cakes, developed by Chris Rochelle, stand in nicely as a light lunch or dinner when served with a salad.

Ingredients:

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
2 cans sardines, drained and chopped
1 cup spring onions, chopped
1/4 bunch fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more for coating cakes
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 egg, beaten
olive oil

Instructions:

1. Coarsely chop and boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and mash.

2. Add the sardines, spring onions, dill, flour, garlic, lemon peel, and 1 cup panko. Season with salt and pepper, then mix in the egg. Shape the mixture into six 3-inch cakes. Coat with panko breadcrumbs.

3. In a nonstick frying pan, add two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the fish cakes about three at a time, turning them over until they’re golden brown and crispy. Makes 6 cakes.

Sardine Po’ Boy

Chowhound

Chowhound citycupcake loves to stuff sardines into a po’ boy-style sandwich.

Ingredients:

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small onion, sliced
1 can sardines in tomato sauce
capers, to taste
Sriracha mayonnaise (mixed to taste)
crusty French bread
garnishes of your choice (cilantro, parsley, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, etc.)

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onion until soft, then add the sardines in their tomato sauce and some capers to taste. Stir until heated through.

2. Cool slightly, then stir in the eggs. Spread the Sriracha mayonnaise onto the bread, then spoon the sardine mixture on top, and add whatever garnishes you like. Makes 1 sandwich, which goes great with a beer.

Ecuadoran-Style Sardines

Chowhound

Chowhound qtprof loves to do with sardines as they do in Ecuador.

Ingredients:

1 can sardines in tomato sauce
1 medium-large russet potato
1/2 red onion, diced
juice from 1/2 lemon
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix onion, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Boil potato until tender, then slice almost in half horizontally.

3. Fill with sardines in their tomato sauce and the onion relish. Serves 1.

Sardine Toasts

Chowhound

Here’s a simple open-faced sandwich idea from Chowhound eloflin.

Ingredients:

1 can sardines in extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
minced red bell pepper
black olives, sliced
English cucumber, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
whole wheat toast

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the sardines and their oil with the herbes de Provence, bell pepper, and olives. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

2. Top a slice of whole-wheat toast with the marinated sardines and vegetables with some of the herbed oil.

3. Let the oil soak into the toast for a few minutes, then top with thin-sliced English cucumbers. Drizzle with a little additional oil and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste. Makes 1.

Broiled Sardines with Infused Oil

Chowhound

A simple serving idea, from Chris Rochelle.

Ingredients:

1 can sardines in olive oil
herbs, spices, and aromatics of your choice (think: rosemary sprigs and capers; lemons slices with garlic; sliced jalapeños; chile flakes; whatever you like!)
crackers for serving

Instructions:

1. Remove the lid from the can of sardines and insert the herbs, spices, and aromatics of your choice. (You’ll probably need to drain some of the oil so it’s not too full, but make sure the flavoring elements are completely submerged.)

2. Broil for a few minutes in the can before serving with crackers. Serves 1.

The Brown Sardine

Chowhound

Avocado toast pales in comparison to our version, inspired by Alton Brown.

Ingredients:

1 can of sardines, drained
1/2 avocado, sliced
sliced jalapeño (fresh or pickled)
dark rye bread
fresh lime wedges

Instructions:

1. Arrange avocado slices, canned sardines, and sliced jalapeño on a piece of dark rye bread. Squeeze lime on top. Serves 1.

Sardine and Fennel Pasta

Chowhound

Chowhound foodieseattlelady submitted this perfect pasta idea with fennel and sardines.

Ingredients:

2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and sliced, fronds reserved and chopped for garnish
2 cans sardines, drained
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper
chile flakes to taste
1 cup toasted breadcrumbs
1 box pasta like bucatini

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, sauté fennel in olive oil with garlic, black pepper, and chile flakes until tender.

3. Add sardines and stir them in, breaking up roughly with the spoon. Stir in the toasted breadcrumbs.

4. Drain cooked pasta and stir in the sauce. Portion into bowls and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.

Sardine, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Bacon Club Sandwich

Chowhound

This recipe, developed by Sarah Karnasiewicz, is a surprisingly balanced take on a classic club sandwich combines the bold flavors of sardines with bacon, arugula, and sun-dried tomato butter. The recipe makes 4 sandwiches, each stacked tall on three pieces of toasty bread. Get our Sardine, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Bacon Club Sandwich recipe.

2019 Sustainability Note: Historically, sardines have been one of the most sustainable fish around; for years, The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program listed Pacific sardines as a “best choice” due to their abundance and high production rate, but sardine numbers have been alarmingly low in more recent years. For that reason, you may want to try substituting mackerel until sardine stocks start to rise again; luckily, they’re similar in health benefits, cost, and taste, and their populations are doing well right now.

Original story by Chris Rochelle, updated by Susannah Chen and Jen Wheeler.

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The Best Tips to Prevent a Hangover

We’ve all been there before. The sun is filtering in through the shades after a lengthy night of tossing back tequila shots, your eyes are slowly adjusting to the sharp, piercing light, and your head is seething. It’s the start of your dreaded hangover.

Perhaps you have your own remedy to combat the symptoms: a mug of black coffee; a Molotov cocktail of red Advils and rainbow Tums; or a swishing of apple cider vinegar. Even if you swear by your own—or have yet to find a cure that actually works—there’s a new cookbook that’s here to help.

“Hangover Helper,” by Lauren Shockey, tracks the storied hangover cures from around the world. After all, just about every culture and country has their own sworn antidote. You’ll find recipes for the seemingly innocuous treatments that people swear by—from cups of flat 7 Up consumed in Ireland to bowls of Czech warming garlic soup—along with the stories and recipes behind the more uncommon and eccentric healers: In the UK, a restorative fish finger sandwich does the trick, while in Canada, it’s all about a platter of poutine, smothered in gravy and cheese.

Related Reading: 12 Cocktail Books You Need for Your Home Bar

Along with a slew of recipes, the book offers a global look into drinking around the world: the facts and figures behind who’s drinking, what they’re drinking, and the diversity of drunk food (Doner kebabs! Mutton rolls! Grilled lamb intestines!).

Read on for Lauren’s tips on how to prevent a hangover in the first place (it’s not simply about eschewing alcohol), then try her recipe for a pickle brine Bloody Mary, a hangover remedy made popular in Poland and Russia before its arrival in the U.S. After this, we hope you’ll never have to utter the cursed “h” word ever again.

Hangover Helper, $17.64 on Amazon

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Excerpted with permission from Hangover Helper by Lauren Shockey, published by Hardie Grant Books October 2019.

How to Avoid a Hangover in the First Place

Food the next day may be your saving grace, but here are some helpful hints for minimising a hangover’s impact in the first place:

Know and Respect Your Limits

Sophie Melissa

When it comes to drinking. Better yet, opt for a mocktail. It’s a sure-fire way to avoid a hangover!

Chug Lots of Water

Sophie Melissa

While drinking and before heading to bed. Keep a glass of H20 on your nightstand to quench your thirst when you wake with a dry mouth at 4 a.m.

Draw the Shades

Sophie Melissa

A study found recuperating in total darkness to be effective in reducing a hangover’s recovery time.

Cut out the Cigs

Sophie Melissa

Smoking significantly increases the odds of getting a hangover and makes them more severe.

Be a Happy, Optimistic Drunk!

Sophie Melissa

Negative life events, neuroticism, being angry when drunk and having feelings of guilt about drinking are also associated with experiencing more hangovers.

Enjoy a Hearty Meal

Sophie Melissa

Prior to drinking. Carb and fat-heavy foods will help slow alcohol’s absorption in the body.

Go Easy on the Bubbly

Sophie Melissa

The carbon dioxide in sparkling wines and other fizzy alcoholic drinks speeds up the alcohol’s absorption in your body faster than beverages without bubbles.

Choose Lighter-Colored Drinks

Sophie Melissa

Like gin, vodka, beer and white wine. Darker drinks (e.g. bourbon, brandy, red wine, etc.) contain higher levels of congeners, which can contribute to hangovers.

And remember, you can’t be hungover if you’re still drunk!

7-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set Bartender Kit, $29.99 on Amazon

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Pickle Brine Bloody Mary Recipe

Pickle (also known as gherkin) brine is celebrated as a hangover cure in the USA as well as in Poland and Russia, likely because the salts in the brine help replenish the electrolytes that your body loses after a night of hard drinking. Combined with tomato juice (itself weighted down with sodium), here pickle brine lends a welcome tang to the classic ‘hair of the dog’ cocktail, the Bloody Mary.

Canadians also relieve hangovers with a variant of the Bloody Mary called the Bloody Caesar, which puts a spin on the tomato vodka classic by adding a lashing of briny clam juice or using Clamato juice instead of tomato juice. Invented in Calgary by bartender Walter Chell in 1969, the cocktail has quickly become the country’s most popular mixed drink, with more than 418 million Caesars consumed each year. Pretty impressive for a country of about 37 million inhabitants, eh?

Pickle Brine Bloody Mary

Prep Time: 5 minutesServes: 1

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brine from a jar of large gherkins (dill pickles)
120 ml (4 fl oz/ ½ cup) tomato juice
45 ml (1 ½ fl oz) vodka
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon grated horseradish
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 large gherkin (dill pickle) spear
1 celery stalk, bottom trimmed but leaves still intact

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker, combine the brine with the tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, horseradish and black pepper.
Fill the shaker with ice and shake until cold.
Place a gherkin spear into a tall glass along with the celery stalk.
Pour the contents of the shaker along with the ice into the glass and serve.

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Sausage, Sage, and Cornbread Stuffing

Thanksgiving stuffing with toasted cornbread, sausage, and sage is a great gluten-free side dish for Thanksgiving. Plus, you can make it ahead!

Continue reading "Sausage, Sage, and Cornbread Stuffing" »

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Swap Stuffing for a Mushroom and Gruyère Bread Pudding This Thanksgiving

This bread pudding recipe replaces sweet ingredients for all things savory. Whip up a tray on a cold winter night or add it to the wealth of Thanksgiving sides this year.

Made up of torn bread and baked with eggs and dairy to form a custard, bread pudding is the ultimate comfort food. But who says bread pudding has to always be sweet? This savory spin boasts earthy mushrooms and sharp cheese, baked in a gooey egg custard.

Whether you’re serving it as a holiday side or a dinner party centerpiece, this hearty vegetarian version is the ideal dish for cold winter nights. We’re not saying you have to scrap the stuffing this Thanksgiving, but after trying this mushroom and cheese bread pudding, you just might want to.

Related Reading: 18 Great Thanksgiving Desserts That Aren’t Pie

Alexis deBoschnek

Mix it Up: Fillings

The real benefit of this recipe is that you can get creative with the fillings. Use the recipe proportions as a guideline to experiment.

The Cheese

Gruyère adds a salty nuttiness that pairs perfectly with earthy mushrooms, but you can also use another melty cheese like cheddar or fontina for a more subtle flavor.

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Alexis deBoschnek

The Dairy

Heavy cream makes this dish incredibly decadent (in a good way!), but you can swap it for whole milk, half & half, or even vegetable stock for a more health-conscious option.

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The Bread

Challah’s airy texture is ideal for soaking up the custard (essentially a whisking of eggs and cream), but brioche and sourdough (with the crust removed), can also be substituted. No matter what bread you go with, though, make sure to let the bread pudding rest for 30 minutes: This allows the flavors to marinate within the bread and really get that thick, pudding-like texture.

A Note on Mushrooms

Chanterelle! Shiitake! Cremini! Enoki! Oyster! Choose your favorites, because this recipe works with any type of mushroom, although a mix adds a nice texture and flavor contrast. If you don’t have access to an abundance of mushrooms, sticking with just cremini or shiitake will work just fine.

Alexis deBoschnek

When you’re making the mushrooms, keep one thing in mind: The number one cooking rule of salting early and often doesn’t apply here. Mushrooms are naturally full of moisture, and salting too soon will draw out more moisture, leaving you with something more slimy than savory. Hold off on seasoning until they’re cooked down and most of the moisture has already evaporated.

Mushroom and Gruyère Bread Pudding Recipe

While the bread pudding does take some time to bake, the active time on this recipe is short. All you’ll need is a large mixing bowl, a whisk, and a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Mushroom and Gruyere Bread Pudding

View Recipe

Prep Time: 20Cook Time: 45Serves: 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 large shallot, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups mixed wild mushrooms, thinly sliced
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1½ cups heavy cream
2 eggs
1 cup grated gruyère
¼ cup chives, plus more for serving
6 cups challah, cubed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
In a large pan, add the butter over medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, until the shallots begin to soften.
Add the garlic and rosemary and stir for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the mushrooms and cook for 6-8 minutes, until cooked down. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve the mushroom mixture off the heat.
In a large bowl, add the heavy cream, eggs, gruyère, and chives, making sure to season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine.
Add the challah and reserved mushrooms and stir until fully incorporated. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and custard is baked through. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Top with chives.

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Maple Hasselback Butternut Squash Will Be the Hero of Your Thanksgiving Table

The hasselback technique—a series of slight, narrow cuts, often used on potatoes—isn’t just for spuds. This Thanksgiving, try it out on hunks of butternut squash; this ultimate side dish—or even vegan centerpiece—is something the whole family can get on board with.

The name’s origin is thanks to a restaurant in Sweden called Hasselbacken, where the technique was first employed. While this method looks visually appealing, it actually serves a very important purpose: The incisions allow all that flavor to penetrate throughout your chosen vessel—not just the exterior. In this recipe for maple hasselback butternut squash—studded with fennel, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds—the squash gets drenched in a maple syrup and olive oil sauce.

How to Hasselback

When it comes to hasselback-ing (yes, we’re making it a verb), it’s crucial to not cut all the way through the squash. A good rule of thumb is to leave about half an inch at the base to keep the squash whole. It may look tricky to execute, but it’s actually easy to do if you just move slowly and carefully.

Squash Swaps

Butternut squash is ideal for a show-stopping hasselback presentation (thanks to that bright orange color), but this recipe could easily be made with other types of squash, like delicata, acorn, and kabocha. Just skip the hasselback and shorten the roasting time depending on what squash you choose.

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The Best Pomegranate Seed Hack

Pomegranate seeds add a brightness and texture to any dish—and they’re rich in antioxidants!—but it’s universally agreed upon that they’re kind of a pain to handle. Sure, you could buy tubs of the ready-to-eat seeds, but removing the seeds yourself saves on excess plastic, plus it’s more affordable.

Here’s the easiest pomegranate hack: Quarter the pomegranate and submerge the pieces in a bowl of water, removing the seeds with your hands. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl, while the pith rises to the top, making the process a whole lot easier.

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Maple Hasselback Butternut Squash Recipe

Fennel, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds round out the dish, making it the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and a little spicy. Oh, and it’s great for the ‘gram too!

Maple Hasselback Butternut Squash

Prep Time: 15 minutesCook Time: 1 hourServes: 6

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for oiling
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 fennel bulb, core removed, thinly sliced
1 cup walnuts
½ cup pomegranate seeds
Flaky sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400˚F.
On a cutting board, rub the squash halves with olive oil on all sides, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the squash, cut side down, to a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until a knife is easily inserted.
Carefully remove the squash from the baking sheet and transfer to a cutting board. Cut the squash halfway down, making sure not to cut through the base, in ¼-inch incisions lines. Gently return back to the baking sheet, cut side down.
In a bowl, combine the maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Add 1½ tablespoons of the maple mixture to a bowl with the sliced fennel and toss to combine.
Pour the remaining maple syrup mixture over the squash, making sure to pour it into the incisions. Spread the fennel around the squash on the baking sheet, and roast for 30 minutes, until the fennel starts to brown and the squash begins to caramelize on the bottom.
Add the walnuts on top of the squash and fennel and roast for 5 more minutes.
Serve topped with pomegranate seeds and flaky sea salt.

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