Good morning. We give our take on the cottage cheese trend below, which indicates a growing desire among home cooks for higher protein recipes.

If nutrient makeup is important to you, we have you covered: all Cook Well recipes include macro breakdowns.

RECIPE BREAKDOWN🤯

Three tips for better rice

If you’re tired of making bland or mushy rice, try one of these methods:

1) Use the right ratio of liquid to rice.

Too much water is the reason rice comes out mushy. Depending on the type, rice can need anywhere from a 1:1 to a 2:1 ratio of water-to-grain by volume.

• Consult the bag or the following chart, and air on the side of slightly less water to avoid mushy grains:

2) Sauté the rice with aromatics

Toasting rice in fat to coat each kernel before cooking is a technique found in many cuisines. It drastically improves the final texture and brings out a nice nuttiness from the rice.

• Plus, any aromatics added during toasting (bay leaves, onions, garlic, spices, etc) infuse into the grains.

To level up the flavor even further, try cooking the rice in broth or stock instead of plain water.

3) Add flavor adjusters at the end

Once the rice is steamed, gently fold in your choice of the following to bring the dish to life:

1. Fresh herbs

2. Butter

3. Spices

4. Aromatic oils - EVOO, sesame oil, chili oil

5. Acidity - a splash of citrus juice or vinegar

For more info on these methods, watch the original rice deep dive.

RECIPE RECOMMENDATIONS🥡

Rice based meals

Some of our favorites include the jollof rice and za’atar rice bowl, both of which toast and bloom the rice with aromatics and spices, resulting in great color & flavor:

FOOD TRENDS 🚀

Cottage cheese

Why am I seeing cottage cheese all over my feed?

A few years ago, this fresh, cultured dairy was just a weird ingredient our parents liked. But thanks to food influencers, the ingredient has made a strong comeback.

It seems here to stay for a few reasons:

1) Macro-friendly makeup:

• The cultured cheese is high in protein and calcium but low in fat, calories, and sugar.

• Its rich texture makes it perfect for replacing other creamy but fattier products (heavy cream, ricotta, etc).

2) Highly versatile:

• Its neutral flavor can be incorporated into sweet & savory dishes.

• It can be used as a substitute for harder-to-find dairy items like mascarpone or ricotta.

• It can be eaten as a snack on its own or as part of a larger meal or recipe.

TikTokers have gone as far as using it in cookie dough & queso. While this reminds us of ricotta pancakes and cashew queso, we’re curious if you think the trend has gone too far:

Substitution: If the texture weirds you out, we’re big proponents of non-fat Greek yogurt, which has a similar protein makeup but is smoother and more easily mixed into dishes.

READER Q&A 🧠 presented by AeroPress

Learning to taste coffee notes

Answer: The best way to appreciate the nuances in a cup is to conduct a comparative tasting: brew two different coffees and try them side by side.

Once you have two cups made, here’s our advice for learning to taste specific flavor notes:

Start broad before you go specific. First, pinpoint the general flavor profile of each. Is the coffee more chocolatey & nutty or fruity & acidic?

Then, try to pick out more granular notes within those realms. Maybe you’re reminded of toffee or brown sugar in one cup, or citrus or a specific berry in the other.

• Looking at a flavor wheel can help by giving you words to describe what you are tasting.

Tasting drastically different coffees side by side makes this easier. Ask your local shop for recommendations (ideally a specialty roaster; they’ll have more variety). This could be contrasting roast levels, regions, or processes (like natural vs washed).

For brewing, we’ve been using Aeropress Coffee Makers to experiment with different beans:

• The simple plunger design is the easiest and fastest way to brew coffee with minimal cleanup.

• The rich & full-bodied brew is great for appreciating flavor notes in unique coffees.

• The new Aeropress Go Plus is super portable, making it easy to travel with or meet a friend for a comparative tasting.

Shop the coffee maker that coffee enthusiasts trust the most and get a special 20% off using code COOKWELL.

WINNING READER SUBMISSION 🏆

Champion chicken & rice bowl

This week’s dinner winner is Karishma S., who made a Mexican-inspired chicken & rice bowl. Nicely done.

Reply with your best home-cooked food photos for a chance to win & be featured!

EXTRA HELPINGS 🍽️

A read: What My Father Taught Me About Texas BBQ, and Being A Dad

In a minute or less: Save your bacon grease

What we’re watching: The best way to reheat pizza

Food science: Coffee, explained

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