From Faith & The Kitchn: How We're Cooking These Days

[View in Browser]( [k-logo]( [904aad5395efca9042a22e70ac95408bfc2dfc49] From Faith & The Kitchn: How We're Cooking These Days At [Kitchn]( our mission has always been to nourish and support cooks at home. We have focused on what cooks need to feel safe and supported, to cook well and keep their families well-fed. While we are experiencing the same fears and uncertainties you are in the face of the COVID-19 outbreaks, we also feel renewed in our mission: home is more important than ever. Like you, we are following wise guidelines in staying home, avoiding social contact, hoping to [help flatten the curve of the outbreak]( and preserve precious medical resources for those who need them most. Those people will almost certainly be the [most vulnerable]( the elderly and the immunocompromised. Which is why, as I think of the months ahead, I am thinking about cooking that saves lives. I’m not being dramatic. Cooking saves in ways large and small. I [read this firsthand piece]( by a coronavirus patient in Italy, and she talked about how community ostracism was actually the hardest part of her quarantine: “The thing that hurt me most about this whole ordeal was the people from my city, who treated me as if I had the plague. … They accused me of going to the doctor and risking infecting everyone, but who could have imagined such a thing three weeks ago? They made up a lot of lies, even that men in hazmat suits came to my house to sanitize it. It’s crazy. I needed their support—instead, I was humiliated.” While it may not be safe to cook for one another or leave food on each other's doorsteps, (follow recommendations and guidelines carefully on this, obviously) there are so many ways right now to bring life to each other through food: gifting delivered groceries and treats, sharing virtual coffee dates to relieve loneliness, swapping recipes that soothe us. And then there are the more practical, intensive needs: One in 9 Americans experienced food insecurity at some point in the past year and food banks are [already struggling with increased demand and lower donations](. I am seeing more and more suggestions to do errands and get groceries for the elderly and at-risk so those who are at the highest risk can stay safely home. And cooking saves each of us a little bit each time we dive into its comforting rhythms, centering us in the act of nourishment. Resources for You Our team, together with our colleagues at [Apartment Therapy]( (our sister site) are thinking about this centering, as well as the rest of what we all want in our homes and kitchens right now: pantry stocking, grocery safety, meals for when you are working from home, smart cleaning advice, and increasingly, delicious distractions. We’ve gathered some of our best resources from both sites and we hope you find them as helpful as we have. Please tell us—in the comments, on social media, or by email—what food questions you’re facing right now, and what else you’d like to see us cover. - [7 Freezer Meal Plans That Will Feed You for an Entire Month]( - [15 Stress-Baking Recipes to Soothe Your Soul and Occupy Your Weekend]( - [Here Are 5 Weeks’ Worth of Meals You Can Make with Pantry Staples]( - [How I Prep a Week of Trader Joe’s Meals In 90 Minutes]( - [Here’s Everything the CDC Wants You to Know About Cleaning Your Home Right Now]( - [The Difference Between Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting]( - [A Microbiologist Shares How “Target Hygiene” Cleaning Can Help When Everyone Is Getting Sick]( - [Why 70 Percent Alcohol Disinfects Better Than 91 Percent, According to a Microbiologist]( - [4 Ways to Achieve an Anxiety-Friendly Home]( - [Here’s Something to Brighten Your Day: Watch This Video of Julia Child Making Spaghetti with Mr. Rogers]( - [Stocking Up Is Impossible When You Lack Enough for Today: Food Banks Struggle in the Face of the Coronavirus]( What to Expect at Kitchn The Kitchn and Apartment Therapy staff transitioned to working from home this week (about half of Kitchn’s staff, including myself, is located outside of New York so we were well positioned to make this switch). Laura, Apartment Therapy’s editor-in-chief, and I [read this letter from Serious Eats]( and it sparked us to communicate some of the same issues we’re facing. Like Serious Eats, we’re doing less studio photography, although we are sending as much work as possible out to freelancers; we want to support them too in the midst of this unique economic uncertainty. Stories we assigned and planned in December, January, and February are scheduled for publication in March, April, and May. At times, this might seem strange or out of step with what’s happening in the larger national conversation. We hope you can save these ideas for use in the future but also at times appreciate the understated relief and normality of a food conversation unrelated to broader events. Our team is also experiencing the same adjustments and struggles a lot of you are facing. Along the way, we will share what's working for us, what we’re cooking and new things we've learned, working to maintain an open conversation with you, our readers, as we go. We write about cooking at home every day and you can know that we are doing that right along with you, hunkered down at home. Resources to Help Of course, even having this conversation is a privilege itself, when thousands have suffered from the disease and millions cannot stock up or don’t even have a home. I’ve never felt more conscious of the privileges of a comfortable home and a fully stocked freezer. My hope is that our community and team can support you in feeding yourself and your family, staying healthy, and finding calm in the rhythms of cooking — while not forgetting those who are less fortunate. A few simple ways to help, if you’re able: - Donate to [your local food bank or community resource center](. - Donate to [No Kid Hungry]( to help support kids left without free meals at school. - Grocery shop for the elderly or immuno-compromised. - Give to others by sending meals and food from delivery services like [Freshly]( [Misfits Produce]( and [Thrive Market](. - Take care of friends and family who feel isolated through having virtual coffees, pie dates, and dinner parties over Skype or Zoom. - Buy gift cards to your favorite small businesses like coffee shops and bars. Give them cash flow now and spend it later this year. (We just did this with our [favorite maker of the most extraordinarily good granola!]( - And of course, if you have the luxury of ordering groceries or takeout, tip your delivery driver lavishly. Thank you for reading, and thank you for being a community. We love all of you, our readers, and want to be of service to you however we can. Like I said above, please email us [editorial@thekitchn.com](mailto:editorial@thekitchn.com?subject=March%202020%20Kitchn%20Letter%20From%20Editor%20REPLY) if you have questions that we can help brainstorm solutions for (too many beans? we can help!) or want to suggest things for us to cover. We wish you health, safety, and comfort in the coming months. All my best, Faith Durand Editor-in-Chief Follow Us [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Pinterest]( [Twitter]( Did you know you can [Manage Your Preferences]( or [Unsubscribe]( from this email? Apartment Therapy Media 270 Lafayette Street, Suite 1300 I New York, NY 10013 [ABOUT]( | [CONTACT]( | [PRIVACY POLICY]( | [TERMS OF SERVICE](