A special end-of-year giveaway

To keep you inspired and well-fed for many days to come

♡♡ THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MY WORK ♡♡
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The Cremes, aka silky vanilla custard slice from Pass the Plate

Greetings friends, and welcome to the last Stories from Catbird Cottage of 2024! I cannot believe we’re at the end of this year. One good thing the emergence of a new year brings: new beginnings, draped in the quiet cloak of winter. This quiet ushers an incubation for all that is to follow. Last year - due to things beyond my control - I wasn’t given the chance to slow down. As you might expect, I feel especially protective of my time right now and plan to devote a chunk to reflect, exhale, and dream… to create some sense of ownership in the next year, and to dream up new recipes and stories to share with you, here.

Before I get into today’s news, I just need to say this: Thank you. Thanks to all of you for reading this newsletter! Huge thanks to all who choose to support me with paid subscriptions. Thank you for your shared zeal for beans, beans, and more beans! For believing me when I said this posset is amazing. And, for reliably making dishes you’ve found here and sharing them with your beloveds, like this apple cake and fab squash galette. I appreciate every single one of you.

Before we say a final goodbye to 2024, I’m offering a couple exciting things:

1. A FLASH SALE

For the next week, I'm offering a sale of 30% off paid subscriptions - this is *the biggest subscriber discount* ever! The newsletter price will increase to $6/month ($65/year) after January 5th to accurately reflect the cost of producing this content. Which makes now a perfect time to lock in this deal. You’ll have it at this rate, forever!

If you're looking to start the year off with real nourishment, give yourself (or a loved one) a subscription to the newsletter. You can even time when the subscription will begin, and include a personalized message. When you upgrade to a paid subscription this week, you gain access to more than 100 recipes - including any you may have missed - as well as the full newsletter archive. I am eternally grateful for your support. Thank you for being here!

2. A GIVEAWAY FOR ALL

I’ve been doing some behind-the-scenes research into new releases and felt like you would love these… Enter for a chance to win this trio of *fabulous books*: A Year at Catbird Cottage, The Bean Book, and Pass the Plate!

A Year at Catbird Cottage is an award-winning love affair with food organized by the seasons, and it just so happens to be my book :) It’s been a huge affirmation to see people falling in love with the stories, and of course cooking from the book and LOVING the top-notch, gorgeous food. I developed many of the 100+ recipes over the years for guests staying at Catbird Cottage, to bottle the seasons and wow them as they celebrate special moments. This giveaway offers the chance for you to experience these magical moments, too.

The Bean Book hails from Steve Sando, the founder of the acclaimed Rancho Gordo bean company, a brand I use regularly in my own bean adventures. They offer many heirloom varieties and I consistently love the results! This new release delves into 50 bean varieties and 100 recipes for how to cook them from scratch. They include beautiful riffs on classics, and others, inspired by contemporary tastemakers.

Pass the Plate is New York Times bestseller debut release from viral recipe creator, Carolina Gelen. This book features 100 recipes for creative-but-familiar takes on beloved comfort foods, many which have earned wild popularity from her 1M+ followers. Originally from Romania, Carolina learned to cook at home with a family who loved food but could rarely go out to eat, and the stories she shares are just as fun as the food.

So, who wants a chance to win this special collection of books?

You’ll cook all kinds of amazing things from their pages into 2025 and beyond, a guaranteed path to more happiness, community, and good times! One lucky winner will receive a copy of ALL THREE: Leave a comment below sharing how you find inspiration in day-to-day cooking, and what having these books will mean in your own kitchen. I’ll select a winner at random by 11am EST, Thursday January 2nd, so leave your comment below by then. I’ll let you know you’ve won in a reply to your comment - stay tuned! Scroll to the bottom of this post for full giveaway details, and click the button below to leave a comment. Good luck!

⭐️ In the meantime, next Monday I’ll be offering a *huge* giveaway on my Instagram: a free night’s stay at Catbird Cottage, followed by a gourmet breakfast the next day. This is one way I love giving back, and is a 5-year running tradition. Follow me, enter there, and stay tuned!

Here is a recipe from each book to send you into 2025 in style…

This beans and polenta recipe definitely could be a page out of my own book. It is a stick-to-your-ribs dish and is perfect for cold weather. No doubt it’ll have everyone groaning with joy as they dig in…

Polenta with borlotti beans and tomato sauce
Serves 6

There are many variations of Borlotti beans, but one of the most treasured is the variety from Lamon in the Veneto, about an hour north of Venice. They are the perfect match for a bed of soft polenta. If you’re unable to find Borlotti Lamon beans, you can easily substitute any cranberry-type bean.

¹⁄4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, juice reserved
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 4 fresh sage leaves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups cooked, drained Rancho Gordo Borlotti Lamon or Cranberry beans
2 cups uncooked polenta
6 ounces pancetta, diced (optional)
Chopped fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and red wine vinegar. In a small bowl, dissolve the tomato paste in the broth and add to the pan. Stir in the sage and season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the beans to the tomato sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the polenta (see page 266, or according to package instructions).

If using pancetta: Place the pancetta in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a paper towel to drain.

To serve, spoon the polenta into serving dishes. Ladle the beans over the polenta and top with the pancetta (if using). Garnish with fresh basil and serve with grated Parmesan.

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Flognarde originates in the Auvergne region of France. Few ingredients, whisked vigorously together, produce a substantial custard. When made with sour cherries or peaches, it’s a clafoutis. This goes by different names based on the region in which it is made and which fruit is used. (I even snuck in a savory version - it’s a game changer!) There is little sugar so I most often serve this as an indulgent breakfast for guests, featuring the season’s fruits. You may substitute sliced pears for the apples, or include a scatter of raisins before baking as a delicious alternative to pomegranate. Use the ripest fruit you can find in whatever season it is and the custard will turn out beautifully.

Apple + pomegranate flognarde
Serves 2-4

5 tablespoons AP flour
4 tablespoons cane sugar
Zest from 2 or 3 Meyer lemons
2⁄3 cup whole milk
4 eggs
2 tablespoons salted butter, cubed
3 tart, firm apples, such as Braeburn, Evercrisp, or Arkansas Black, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch wedges
Arils from half a pomegranate, for sprinkling
1⁄4 cup toasted slivered almonds, for sprinkling
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 425ºF with a heavy enameled 9-inch pan or Pyrex baking dish placed inside it.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cane sugar, zest, and milk. Add the
eggs and beat vigorously until frothy.

Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven and add half the cubed butter. It
should sizzle immediately on contact. Swirl the butter around to coat the bottom and sides of the pan, then swiftly pour the egg mixture in. Fan the apple wedges onto the batter - it’s okay if they slide around a little as you place them.

Dot the surface with the remaining cubed butter and return the pan to the oven, baking until the custard puffs and turns golden brown at the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Do not open the oven except to remove the pan when the flognarde is done.

Arrange small bowls filled with the pomegranate arils and slivered almonds
at the table. When the flognarde is ready bring it to the table, scatter the almonds on top, then sift 1-2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar. Cut into wedges, sprinkle with pomegranate, and serve.

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The genius in this recipe is in layers of relatively simple, dynamic flavors. It feels like a greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts moment…

Arayes are juicy meat-stuffed pita pockets that are a widely popular Middle Eastern street food. Some countries use a thin pita, some use a fluffy one, but either gets stuffed with a deliciously spiced ground meat. The meat goes in raw and gets cooked in the pita, and the bread absorbs all those meaty juices and crisps up on the outside. These super easy-to-make tacos are inspired by that dish, swapping store-bought tortillas for the pita. Serve with a tangy, bitter tahini sauce that cuts through the meaty richness, and a bright, refreshing chimicchurri. This will be one of the quickest dinners you’ll make, perfect for feeding a crowd.

Arayes-Inspired Tacos
Serves 4-6

tacos
1 lb ground lamb or ground beef (80/20)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper
12 small (4½-inch) flour tortillas

tahini sauce
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup cold water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt

chimichurri sauce
1½ cups chopped fresh parsley
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1⁄3 cup fresh lime juice or red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
4 jalapeños, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and place an ovenproof wire rack on each.

Make the tacos: In a medium bowl, combine the ground lamb, parsley, garlic, tomato paste, onion powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, a big pinch of salt, and some black pepper. Use your hands or a silicone spatula to mix gently until combined. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions.

Place a portion of the lamb mixture on a tortilla and use an offset spatula, spoon, or your hand to spread the mixture in an even layer all over the tortilla surface. Place the tortilla meat-side up on one of the wire racks. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and lamb mixture, placing them in rows on the racks. (A little overlap here is okay.)

Bake until the meat is browned all the way through, 12 to 14 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Place the oven rack about 4 inches from the heating element. Broil until the meat is slightly crispy on top and the edges of the tortillas are charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Make the tahini sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, cold water, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth. The mixture will look clumpy and separated at first, but keep whisking and you’ll get to a silky sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or lemon juice as needed.

Make the chimichurri: In a medium bowl, stir together the parsley, oil, lime zest, lime juice, jalapeños, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or lime juice as needed. To loosen the sauce, add another tablespoon or two of oil as desired.

To serve, drizzle the tacos with the tahini and top with a dollop of the chimichurri and a pinch of cayenne. Serve right away.

Note: If you don’t have ovenproof wire racks, you can also cook these in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, starting with the meat side down, cooking until browned. Flip and cook until the tortilla is crisp. This takes a little more time but is just as tasty.

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PS - I’m going to use next week to hibernate. See you back here on January 10th… Happy New Year!

Let’s stay in touch -

• Follow me on Instagram, @melinahammer

• Do you love A Year at Catbird Cottage? If so, please leave a review on Amazon, whether you purchased it there or not, which makes it easier for others to find my book. Thank you!

• Catbird Cottage is our home in the Hudson Valley, NY, where I teach cooking and gardening workshops, and host intimate dinners, guided by the seasons. Drop a line to reserve a special meal or a delicious, invigorating workshop with your friends.

• My website melinahammer.com carries an archive of many free recipes through the years, featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients that always bring wow to the table.

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Giveaway details: Due to shipping rates, this giveaway is open to US residents - all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. No purchase necessary. All federal, state, and local regulations apply. Limit one entry per person, and void where prohibited or restricted.

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Reprinted with permission from Pass The Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes: A Cookbook by Carolina Gelen. Copyright © 2024 Photographs copyright © 2024 by Nico Schinco. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York, and from The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen: A Cookbook by Steve Sando with Julia Newberry. Copyright © 2024 Photographs copyright © 2024 by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

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