Say CHEESY!!!

Thank you SO MUCH for being here! It would mean the world to me if you clicked on the HEART button at the bottom of this post or left a comment; it really helps spread the word about my newsletter. Better yet: recommend this newsletter to a friend you think would enjoy reading or become a paid subscriber to help support me in continuing to create content to share with you. SHE IS FINALLY HERE!CHEESY!!!!! A moment for the cover, please: I really can't believe that I have had TWO BOOKS come out this year, both within months of one another, but here we are…and I couldn't be more thrilled. When I lost my job at MUNCHIES / Vice back in December 2022, I was devastated. I genuinely loved my job and did not see the collapse coming (I mean, I witnessed a lot of crazy things, but I truly thought that my job and the brand would always be safe. I am naive, I realize). I didn't entirely know what I was going to do. Was I going to get a job at another media outlet? Work for a production company? Start my own with friends? I knew freelancing would be hard, but the job market was bleak. I had a strong network and jumped right in, reaching out to friends and friends reached out to me with suggestions and ways that we could work together. Things slowly fell into place, and before I knew it, I was writing a monthly column at Gothamist, shooting and editing videos for Saveur, developing recipes for the New York Times, and working on multiple cookbooks at once, while also shooting and editing my own long and short form videos for Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube. It's been a journey and a LOT of work. I've had to say 'no' to a lot of fun trips with friends because WORK (and when you're a freelancer, if you're not working, you're not making money!), but I've also gone on many incredible trips and met a lot of wonderful people along the way. And one of the things that I'm most proud of is this newsletter. The support and love that I've received from everyone here has been so rewarding. Plus, this has been a great outlet for me to share everything that I'm working on. And now! Cheesy! My cheese-filled baby is out in the worldTODAY. The book focuses on cheese as a seasonal ingredient (did you know that cheese can taste different throughout the year depending on what the animal eats?) with recipes for each season, plus seasonal boards and homemade accoutrements. Obviously there are lots of fun facts about cheese, like how it's made or what exactly 'Jack' cheese is. The photography (byJustin Walker!!!) is gorgeous and the props were perfect (shoutoutJohnandSean!).Anna Billingskogwas a legend when it came to styling all the food. And my editor, Alex Galou. She is the BEST. Basically, the team behind this book really made it all come to life. Cheesyis full of recipes that I really think you'll enjoy, like a sesame chicken cutlet with tomatoes and my mom's vinegar peppers (plus a recipe for her vinegar peppers!) that has stracciatella gently melted over the top. Or a short rib, carrot, and cheddar pie that has cheddar in the crust and filling, PLUS a layer of cheesy mashed potatoes. This book does not f*ck around when it comes to cheese. AND! A recipe for Caesar salad with corn as the star ingredient. I'm sharing that recipe below and onYouTube today. Now is the time to make it (quick! before corn is gone!) and I really think you'll like it. You basically grill corn and use some of it in a dressing and some of it in the salad, plus lots of cotija cheese. OH! and there are cheesy, garlicky breadcrumbs that are really great, too. I really hope that you guys grab a copy of the book (if you haven't already preordered it) and I hope that you cook from it! Again, I'm super proud of these recipes and I know you're going to love all of them. It's been a wild ride these last few years and I'm so grateful that you've all been here, supporting me and cheering me on along the way. Charred Corn Caesar Salad Recipe Serves 4Prep time: 15 minutesTotal time: 45 minutes INGREDIENTS for the garlic bread crumbs:1 cup|240 ml vegetable oil4 garlic cloves, thinly slicedKosher salt1 Tbsp olive oil¼ cup|35 grams finely crumbled cotija⅓ cup|20 grams pankoFreshly ground black pepper for the salad:4 ears corn, shucked½ cup|120 ml plus 1 Tbsp olive oil¼ cup|10 grams coarsely chopped fresh cilantro2 Tbsp fresh lime juice1 Tbsp red miso1 garlic clove1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely choppedKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper2 hearts romaine, sliced crosswise into ½ in [13 mm] ribbons (about 12 oz|340 grams)½ cup|70 grams finely crumbled cotija DIRECTIONS To make the bread crumbs: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl. Add the garlic to the oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic turns golden and crisp, about 9 minutes, taking care not to let it burn. Immediately pour the mixture carefully through the strainer into the bowl. Let cool completely. Season the garlic with salt and, using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic into small pieces. (Store the cooled oil in an airtight container for another use—that's some tasty garlic-flavored oil you got there.) In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the cotija and panko and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the garlic. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. To make the salad: Preheat a grill to medium-high. Brush the corn with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil and grill, rotating occasionally, until charred all over, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then, using a sharp knife, cut off the kernels from the cobs and put them in a large bowl. Transfer a third of the cornkernels, the cilantro, lime juice, miso, garlic, and jalapeño to the bowl of a food processor or a blender. Blend for 30 seconds, then slowly drizzle in theremaining ½ cup [120 ml] of olive oil until the mixture is emulsified. Crank in a ton of pepper. Taste and season with more salt. Add the romaine, half of the dressing, and half of the cotija to the bowl of corn. Toss to combine, then transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the remaining cotija and the bread crumbs. Serve immediately. FromCheesyby Farideh Sadeghin, © 2026. Published by Chronicle Books. Photography © 2026 by Justin Walker. Leave a comment