From yuck cakes to vodka sawce, how Dan Pelosi built the Grossy universe

Hi there, I hope those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a relaxing and delicious moment of gratitude. Or maybe you went hard like I did?

By the way: I’m so thankful for all of you, the Salt + Spine community. After six years, it’s incredible to continue to hear from you all—what you’re cooking, something in our interviews that stood out to you, and getting the chance to meet you at our events and live shows.

🍪 COOKIE SWAP!

Speaking of events… our annual Cookie Swap is just around the corner! For those of you in the Bay Area, I look forward to seeing you on December 10 for cookie demos, cookie sampling, glasses of bubbles, and of course swapping your baked goods with others! It’s always a blast. As in prior years, this event supports our friends at La Cocina and tickets are available here.

🎧 What I’m Listening To

* It’s that time of year and I’m thrilled to for the fifth year to join my friends Stacie & Meghan at Didn’t I Just Feed You to share some of my favorite cookbooks of the year. Give it a listen here!

📖 What I’m Reading

* Mayukh Sen’s wonderful profile of Madhur Jaffrey, 50 years after An Invitation to Indian Cooking was published. Knopf reissued the book, one of 20 she’s written, this year. “You’d be mistaken if you were to perceive Jaffrey, now 90, primarily as a cookbook author. ‘I’m an actress,’ she stated matter-of-factly. ‘And I do parts. One of the parts is playing a food writer.’” Read more in The Washington Post.

* I love a Cuban sandwich. The New York Times offers an illustrated history looking at the sandwich’s origins.

🍳 What I’m Cooking

* Nothing to report this week! Finally wrapping up on Thanksgiving leftovers and lots of meals out. A deserved break from cooking after last week.

Hey there, do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:

Episode 164: Dan Pelosi

In this week’s episode, Dan Pelosi and I discuss:

* His path to “Grossy Pelosi,” from cooking alongside his family as a kid (yuck cakes!) to how his background in design and marketing set the stage for his pivot to working in food full time,

* How his viral recipes—vodka sawce—take off and whether he’s tired of making them,

* Why he declines potluck dinner party invites and what he asks guests to bring when he’s in control of the menu.

Plus, as always, we put Dan to the test in our signature culinary game.

Let's Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home by Dan Pelosi

GrossyPelosi is your best friend in the kitchen--actually, he's family.

In his debut cookbook, larger-than-life personality Dan Pelosi offers up a warm hug of home cooking, sharing both comfort food and connection with 101 of his nearest and dearest Italian American recipes. Some have been passed down through his family, and others have been cooked up from scratch--but all are made with love and accompanied by fun, meaningful stories to warm your heart while filling your belly. Read how B