Created during Prohibition, this collision of Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon isn’t for the faint of heart—nor for the slight of tolerance.
Melissa Maedgen, Recipe Tester
A list of all the recipes Melissa Maedgen has tested.
Melissa Maedgen owes her passion for cooking and gardening to her parents. Like her mom and dad, she’s fond of improvisational cooking with a focus on fresh produce from her garden or from local farmers. She enjoys cooking outdoors, sometimes in a particularly rustic manner—she once roasted a goat on a spit (actually just a piece of rebar) over a fire in a field in Texas. Maedgen was raised to be a DIYer, so she often makes her own tofu or beer. She’s been following Leite’s Culinaria since 2001, when she was studying Portuguese and developed an interest in Brazilian and Portuguese food. She became a tester in 2009 and loves that she gets to cook foods she might not otherwise make.
Tareko Aloo ~ Nepali-Style Fried Potatoes
A perfect little snack made from deep-fried potatoes with a lemony, spicy finish. Serve with drinks and other little plates for a superb cocktail hour.
Baked Chicken with Cinnamon Butter
This understated hen owes its curious lure to a simple, subtle blend of butter and unexpected spice. Appallingly easy and enthrallingly enticing.
Fennel and Potato Soup
A spectacular riff on the classic French potato and leek soup known as Vichyssoise, this is astoundingly good. So much so you may just find yourself raising the bowl to your lips.
Slow Cooker Shredded Pork
Pull out your slow cooker and sate yourself with this tender, sweetly spiced, subtly smoky shredded pork. And with nary any effort.
Chocolate Salted Caramel Truffles
An uber chocolatey truffle made with salted caramel might sound like something for expert chocolatiers but fear not. This recipe is nearly foolproof.
Apple Spiced Bourbon Toddies
Infinitely more complex than the toddy of yore, this little number owes its lure to apple-y cider spiked with a hint of star anise and quite an indecent glug of bourbon.
Roasted Tzimmes
This is not the sweet, gooey tzimmes of your childhood. Nope. So don’t be surprised when that old familiar flavor pales in comparison.
Cilantro-Jalapeño Latkes
These unconventional latkes are gonna rock your world. They’re lovely at all times of day and on all occasions.
Avocado Chutney
Avocado chutney, like guacamole with an Indian-style upgrade, is a terrific little snack or even breakfast. Just spicy enough for everybody to enjoy.