That is Amused Bouche, SAVEUR’s meals questionnaire that explores the culinary curiosities of a few of our favourite folks. This interview collection will dive deep into their meals routines, together with ceremonial dinner methods, cherished cookbooks, and the memorable bites they’d hop on a flight for.
If I might select a voice for my digital assistant within the kitchen, it could be Phoebe Robinson. One, as a result of her voice has already been surrounding so many people for greater than a decade via her podcasts “2 Dope Queens,” “Sooo Many White Guys,” and “Black Frasier.” However most significantly, as a result of she doesn’t take cooking too significantly and enjoys the trial and error of all of it. In a latest Zoom dialog, she described her cooking ethos as: “I by no means get too emotionally hooked up to a dish. So if there’s a cooking catastrophe, I simply say, ‘Oh, properly that sucks, however I’m nonetheless gonna eat it.’ And if I can’t eat it, I’ll order in. I’m very adaptable.”
In recent times, Robinson additionally began marathon coaching—“I’m an unpaid athlete as a result of I’m nonetheless doing the work,” she says—and it took time to develop a meals routine that was straightforward to comply with with out being too boring. For lengthy runs on Saturdays, she goes for salad and a giant bowl of cacio e pepe the night time earlier than, and for pre-morning runs, she’ll prep in a single day oats. “I don’t eat something too heavy after I’m going to run as a result of it’s going to suck to run and suck to dwell,” she explains. “You realize, Gabby Thomas and I are very related. Yeah—Olympian Gabby Thomas!”
Under, Robinson shares a few of her hyperfixation meals, what it feels prefer to eat your favourite nostalgic snacks after the age of 40, and the shocking pasta form she thinks is completely “forgotten.”
When you might solely eat one factor 24/7/365, what wouldn’t it be?
I’m above all a carbs woman, so I might in all probability eat pasta day-after-day. Generally I would like a bit bow tie if I’m feeling fancy, typically I would like a bit penne. I’ve leaned away from spaghetti as a result of I’m like, “What am I, 5?” I like bow ties as a result of they’re enjoyable and also you don’t robotically consider them as a go-to pasta form. They’re disregarded of the dialog a bit bit. Me ordering it’s saying, “I haven’t forgotten about you.”
What’s the very first thing you realized easy methods to prepare dinner?
It was me and my dad baking cookies. I used to be in all probability round 5? I can see the image in my head now—me standing with a fork making the marks in peanut butter cookies. I used to be sporting a cute gown, had little white barrettes on the ends of my little braids that my mother put in, and I used to be so excited!
How about your newest kitchen journey?
I’m inconsistent with how usually and what I prepare dinner. I attempted being vegan, I attempted being pescatarian. However the fact of the matter is that I actually take pleasure in meat. I cannot watch the documentaries that present how meat is procured and delivered to us. I don’t have to know—I do know it’s unhealthy! I don’t have to look into it. After I eat meat, I would like it to be filling, yummy, and easy, like this slow-cooked, keto, creamy Tuscan hen factor I simply made. I do take pleasure in cozy meals simply because the world is tough. We’re working so much. I’m marathon coaching. So my default is to eat or make meals that form of really feel like a giant hug.
What’s your treat-yourself splurge?
Right here’s the factor about getting older: As I’ve turned 40, there’s a transparent distinction in what I can eat and what I completely can’t. In my 20s after I was on the Pratt Institute, I’d get a bag of Smartfood white cheddar popcorn, watch “Intercourse and the Metropolis,” and eat your entire party-size bag. I did that in COVID in my late 30s, and it betrayed me. I used to be up within the rest room for a very long time. I’m lactose illiberal however have all the time performed quick and unfastened, and now I notice my treats must be much less dairy-based, which is sort of unhappy. However I discovered one which’s on my desk proper now: Love Corn. It’s simply little ultra-crispy kernels of corn dusted in bitter cream and onion taste. I eat them by the handful and like their sea salt, cheddar, and barbecue flavors, too.
If I’m going out, I like the Chinese language hen salad from Restoration {Hardware} Guesthouse in New York. It really is to die for. I’m the queen of claiming I’m gonna decrease and never construct it up, however I construct that salad up as a result of it’s so good. That’s my primary favourite salad in New York. It’s a $30 salad, so I received’t splurge on it 5 instances every week, nevertheless it’s a candy and wholesome deal with that’s all the time properly dressed. There’s nothing worse than a salad drowning in dressing.
What’s your most cherished cookbook?
I don’t have any cookbooks, however I do distinctly keep in mind my dad having the enormous Cook dinner’s Illustrated Cookbook. After which he has his personal little cookbook the place he’s simply always tinkering along with his recipes, making notes, and updating it in Microsoft Phrase earlier than reprinting it. It’s actually cute. He made a fully hearth pineapple upside-down cake after I was youthful that I’d all the time look ahead to and ask for.
Is there a cooking catastrophe that made you swear off a dish without end?
I bought an Prompt Pot throughout COVID, and I by no means used it, however my ex did. So after we broke up, I made a decision to go on Instagram Stay and study as I went with the Prompt Pot…and everybody watching was nervous. They informed me to step away from it! There was one time I had a can of tomatoes, however I didn’t have a can opener as a result of I assume my ex took it? So I used to be stabbing a can with a knife and other people have been like, what is occurring? I mentioned that it’s chaos—I’m not Giada [De Laurentiis], honey. I’m so ignorant within the kitchen. So if I chop my thumb off, you guys will see it first.
Which nostalgic meals from childhood carry you essentially the most consolation?
Starbursts! Hear, let me inform you, we used to barter and commerce for the flavors, honey. It was fairly enjoyable. If I needed to rank my favorites, it’d be pink in final place. Like, woman, I assume we’ll have you ever round. Primary is orange, then pink, yellow, pink.
While you’re enjoying ceremonial dinner DJ, what’s spinning?
I delight myself on my playlists. Generally I curate them, and different instances Spotify is aware of what up. However often I’ll curate a playlist, and I all the time get complimented on them. Possibly in one other life I might have been a DJ. At a cocktail party, I’m all the time going to placed on Luther Vandross’ “By no means Too A lot.” That’s one among my mother’s favourite singers of all time. There’s by no means a second you hear that tune and also you’re like, “SKIP!” Slightly Usher second, a bit Mariah Carey with all her iconic eras and types, and Whitney Houston—classics. Numerous new mainstream stuff is turn-up music, which is enjoyable in some conditions, however not after I’m making an attempt to have a dialog. I cherished Willow’s final album and can put that on for some extra enjoyable.
What’s your largest entertaining flex to impress friends?
I completely fell for an Instagram advert, and I absolutely, absolutely stand by it. Nobody goes to make me really feel any sort of approach about it. I bought this scorching chocolate maker that got here with a four-pack of flavors: traditional, milk chocolate, salted caramel, and mint chocolate. You simply put the milk and powder in, press a button, and it whips and heats it up. It takes two minutes after which I pour the recent chocolate into cute little cups with marshmallows on high, and it’s such a enjoyable, enjoyable, and sudden deal with. You don’t take into consideration scorching chocolate usually, but when somebody presents it to you, you’re gonna be like, “HELL YEAH!” Then I ship them off into the night time.
Inform me a couple of meal so good you’ll hop on a flight to relive it.
The very best tacos I’ve ever had in my life have been at Hija de Sanchez in Copenhagen. I actually take into consideration them a number of instances a yr. This was in 2018 after I went to see U2 for my birthday and we solely had a couple of days. The situation we went to was very unassuming, and we had unimaginable veggie and pork tacos in essentially the most lovely climate. I do completely wish to return to Copenhagen only for this taco, which sounds insane. I imply, I’d clearly construct a visit round it, however the principle purpose could be so I might go and eat these tacos once more.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
