A pizza oven has been added to the WEM Kitchen arsenal, and we‘ve been very happy with the results.  Join us on our quest to make the perfect pizza at home.  In this episode, we take a deep dive into pizza dough and the variables we consider when chasing the perfect crust.  

When you live in the Northeast USA,  making sure you take advantage of as much of the growing season as possible is key to maximizing your garden's yield.  Jessie talks about the shoulder season (transitioning from winter to spring), how she prepared for it to get plants started as early as possible, and what the What-Jessie-Grew Garden yielded from these efforts.  Eric and Jessie also discuss some of the creative things they did with their harvest.  Show links:Baker Creek Seeds: https://www.rareseeds.com/Johnny's Selected Seeds: https://www.johnnyseeds.com/Podcast Episode 43- What is Vinegar, How do You Make it?: https://whatericmade.buzzsprout.com/327845/6500524-vinegar-101-what-is-it-how-do-you-make-itPodcast Episode 18- Vinaigrettes: https://whatericmade.buzzsprout.com/327845/2246108-vinaigrettes-building-blocks-and-alternative-uses

Whether you  have immediate plans to raise  your own animals for meat or just enjoy it as a consumer, becoming more connected to efforts and practices related to raising animals is important for all.  In this episode, we were fortunate enough to interview homesteaders Erik and Cami of "Our Backyard Eden" who talk about not only their logistical considerations when it came to raising pigs, but more importantly how the experience shaped their current beliefs about topics such as sustainable agriculture and animal welfare standards.  Links:Our Backyard Eden Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourbackyardeden/Justin Rhodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOSGEokQQcdAVFuL_Aq8dlgGeoff Lawton: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL_r1ELEvAuN0peKUxI0UmwPolyface Farm: https://www.instagram.com/polyfacefarm/

Chef and food writer Kenji Lopez-Alt makes the argument in one of his YouTube videos for using a molcajete/tejolote (aka the mortar and pestle) to make the most of your guacamole.  We wanted to put this to the test to see if we could tell the difference between guacamole made with and without this kitchen tool.  

Don't fall for the fake promises and buzzwords that most grocery-store flour tortillas throw your way.  With simple ingredients, a memorable tortilla can be made at home.  In this episode, Eric and Jessie talk about how they executed a few different batches of flour tortillas to come up with a recipe that they approve of.  WEM Journal Flour Tortilla Recipe: https://whatericmade.com/journal/flourtortillas

What do you do when your mother-in-law drops off an unwanted melon? You experiment with several versions of pickling it and find out it's an awesome addition to your bibimbap rice bowl.  Eric and Jessie discuss the several versions of pickling they tried and review what they learned from pickling something they wouldn't have typically tried.  

We're all familiar with vinegar and there's a really good chance it's in your pantry right now.  But do you know how it's made and of all the possibilities that exist when it comes to making vinegar with different nuances and flavor profiles? Eric and Jessie describe their own vinegar-making journey in order to shed some more light on this everyday ingredient.  

The 2020 gardening season is coming to a close for us as the colder weather moves in.  Jessie and I take this opportunity to look back at everything that was grown in the what-Jessie-Grew garden.  We review what was planted, how we utilized the output in our dishes, and reflect on what will make another re-appearance in 2021.  For a written synopsis of this podcast episode and related, helpful links, check out the link to the WEM journal post below:WEM journal post: https://whatericmade.com/journal/2020garden

'Tis the season for apple cider donuts.  Eric and Jessie have been very busy over the past several weekends co-hosting cider donut pop-ups with local cafes and restaurants.  Ever wonder what it takes to successfully prepare and execute a one-time pop-up? Eric and Jessie reflect on every aspect of getting ready for a pop-up from finding local businesses to partner with, preparing ingredients, to setting up shop on pop-up day.  

Dashi (a family of Japanese stocks typically made with dried seaweed (komnbu) and dried fish flakes (katsuobushi)) has a reputation in the culinary world for facilitating the development of savory flavors and textures in a variety of dishes.  Jessie and Eric take a stab at developing a simple dashi, taste test different iterations of it, and share their thoughts on how incorporating it into their current plant-based ramen recipe impacted the final dish.Jessie's plant-based ramen recipe: https://www.instagram.com/p/B_8gcWtFxWw/Podcast episode 33 (Ramen: What it Takes For the Perfect Bowl): https://whatericmade.buzzsprout.com/327845/3717809-ramen-what-it-takes-for-the-perfect-bowlPodcast episode 35 (Plant-Based Ramen Recipe: Jessie Shares Her Secrets): https://whatericmade.buzzsprout.com/327845/3935012-plant-based-ramen-recipe-jessie-shares-her-secrets