Good morning…Welcome to all new readers! A couple of days are left in the giveaway if you want to forward this newsletter to anyone else to have them subscribe & be eligible.

• The winner will be announced in next Sunday’s edition. Good luck!

RECIPE BREAKDOWN🤯

The tostada blueprint

Why are we obsessed with tostadas?

1. Hold more toppings than hard shell tacos

2. Great to use leftovers

3. Can be customized to be healthy, high protein, filling, etc

In short, they should be top of mind when you need a solid but quick weeknight meal.

Tostada tips

If store buying, look for a thick tostada. Watch out for brands that skimp. Thin tostadas will break when loaded with toppings. Try a few and ideally find one with a deep corn flavor.

• Brand rec: El Milagro if you can find it.

Store-bought tostadas last a while if sealed properly. However, making your own at home is super simple, especially if you need to use up a stale stack of corn tortillas:

• Heat a few spoonfuls of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Place the corn tortilla into the hot oil and fry it on each side for 3-4 minutes or until crispy Alternatively, spritz corn tortillas with oil and air fry or bake.

Understand the layers

Crunchy platform

• Again, a thick tostada provides structure and texture to each bite

Spreadable base layer

• A bed of sour cream, refried beans, mayo, or guacamole “glues” down toppings and creates a barrier to prevent the tostada from going soggy.

Unctuous meat

• While any protein works, shredded braised meat or a juicy/fatty cut will stay on top better and add mouthfeel plus umami to this dish.

Crispy/fresh/acidic toppings

• Herbs, onions, and salsas work great here to balance the heavier toppings.

Tangy/fatty/creamy toppings

• Bonus points for extra crema, avocado, or cheese which will round out the tostada with smooth textures.

RECIPE RECCOMENDATIONS🥡

Our top tostadas

Your turn! While we encourage you to experiment and create your own tostada combinations, here are a few of our favorites to try:

FOOD TRENDS 🚀

Kewpie mayo

Why is everyone using kewpie mayo?

Kewpie Mayonnaise is a Japanese product popularized by social media over the last few years. What makes it different from standard mayo?

1. It’s made with more egg yolks for richness and umami-boosting ingredients (yeast extract, msg) add a signature savoriness.

2. Its glossy, thicker texture eats more like an aioli than a mayo. It’s good enough to dip fries or roasted sweet potatoes right into.

3. The packaging is delightful and satisfying to use. Its soft squeeze bottle and star-tip applicator make for easy dispensing.

In the past, you had to track these down at specialty stores or international grocers. Nowadays, you can easily find the stuff in larger supermarkets or even online.

READER Q&A 🧠

Mayo misconceptions

Answer: A common misconception is that mayo is made from egg whites, perhaps because of its pale color.

Mayo is usually made with a neutral oil and egg yolks because they contain lecithin, a powerful emulsifier that stabilizes the mix into a thick, spreadable texture.

• Some recipes might use the entire egg. Because egg whites are mostly water, the mayo will be fluffier and slightly less rich than a yolk-only mayo.

If you want to make mayo without the yolks, it’s technically possible with just whites. However, mayo is primarily made of oil, so omitting the egg yolk won’t significantly reduce the fat content or calories.

• Even “lite” mayo products still use egg yolks. To reduce the calories, they turn to modified starches to replace some fat without sacrificing texture.

Note: Because the eggs are used raw in the process, it's advised to use pasteurized eggs when making homemade mayo.

Have a culinary question? Reply to send it in for a chance to be featured and get an answer.

WINNING READER SUBMISSION 🏆

First place pastrami

This week’s winner is Joshua H, who made homemade pastrami, noting that it was “wet cured for 10 days to make corned beef, then turned into pastrami.” Looks incredible.

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

EXTRA HELPINGS 🍽️

A read: The best food cities 2024

In a minute or less: How to roll a burrito

What we’re watching: Michelin star-rated street omelet

Food science: Is caviar a scam?

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