Milk Street 365 Cookbook
Cook with confidence every day! Dig into 365 essential recipes and tons of foundational resources—from the James Beard Award winning team at Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street.This is Milk Street’s new and comprehensive guide to today’s recipe repertoire, full of fresh flavors and simple yet game-changing techniques. This is everyday cooking you actually want to cook every day.
Milk Street 365 is both inspiration and reference for the contemporary kitchen, with recipes that will change the way you cook at home from soups, stews and salads to flatbreads, pizzas and noodles. Dishes include:
- Velvety Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Yogurt
- Vietnamese Pork and Scallion Omelette
- Butter Beans in Tomato Sauce with Dill and Feta
- Thai Green Curry Chicken and Vegetables
- Taiwanese Five-Spice Pork with Rice
- Garlic-Rosemary Burgers with Taleggio Sauce
- Cheese-Crisped Pinto Bean Quesadillas
Plus deep dives into ingredients, pantry basics, and foundational techniques that every cook should master.
You’ll learn better ways to roast chicken (hint: flat birds crisp better, and seasonings stay in place when slid under the skin) and discover bold finishes for chops and steaks (think a slather of cilantro-lime sauce or a smear of miso butter).
Here, fundamental recipes and their nearly endless variations are paired with lessons on the art and science of good cooking. Sidebars and charts deliver valuable guidance about the tools, ingredients and techniques that comprise the modern kitchen.
It’s a 360-degree approach for all 365 days of the year.
Page Count: 640 pages
Proud Grill UltraVersatile Grill Basket
Our trick to seamless grilling? Grill baskets. Perfect for grilling delicate foods without damage from sticking or falling through the grate, we put ten grill baskets to the test to find the cream of the crop. Proud Grill’s UltraVersatile Grill Basket beat out the competition thanks to higher perforated walls and dividers, plus a removable, stay-cool handle. The durable yet lightweight stainless steel heats up quickly, and thanks to a large fire-facing surface area, food can spread out and grill instead of steam, which is the case with some other grill baskets. Plus, higher sides keep food in the basket when flipping—no fallen ingredients in sight.
Unlike most grill baskets, the Proud Grill has a detachable handle that remains cool throughout use, offering excellent maneuverability while remaining safe. And it can be attached to all four sides of the basket. Removable dividers are also an added bonus feature, allowing you to divide the basket into up to five sections to grill more than one item at once. Compatible when placed both vertically or horizontally on most grills, even smokers, use it for vegetables, fish, shrimp, wings or any other ingredient that might fall through the grates on a standard grill.
Proud Grill Magnetic Two-Piece BBQ Tool Set
Replace your bulky collection of grill tools with Proud Grill’s Magnetic Two-Piece BBQ Tool Set. This multi-use tool serves as extra-long grill tongs when connected, but apart, one piece serves as a spatula while the other serves as a grill fork. The unique design works thanks to an easy-to-operate magnet: It keeps the tools connected as tongs—perfect for serving and rotating—or disconnects easily to separate the long, flat spatula for flipping burgers and the sturdy grill fork for picking up grilled chicken. And because the set is magnetic, you can take them apart and configure them however you like, then attach them to your grill when you’re done for safekeeping. Dishwasher-safe, this set can handle anything from chicken and steak to cauliflower with ease, without all the clutter of typical grill tools.
Kuze Fuku & Sons Garlic Miso
Combining the umami depth of miso and the sweet bite of garlic, Kuze Fuku & Sons’ Garlic Miso Topping has become a staple ingredient in the Milk Street fridge. A coarse yet spreadable paste, it begins with garlic-forward, savory flavor, followed by sweet and subtly funky notes of miso. Perfectly balanced for more than just Japanese dishes, a first intense hit of flavor mellows out and leaves you craving another bite. Add it to noodles, pizza, pasta dishes, dressings, dips, sandwiches, broths and sauces. Use it as a marinade for meats, fish and vegetables, or mix into butter for an elevated compound butter. Or just slather it on bread. It’s that good.
Kimchi Toasted Sesame Seeds - (Set of 2)
Adding a punch of flavor and texture, these toasted Japanese sesame seeds are the definition of “good things come in small packages.” Available in a set of two, this Kimchi-flavored crunchy topping far surpasses your standard sesame seed. Tangy, garlicky and sweet, it pairs well with the warm, gentle nuttiness of sesame. Add them just about anywhere, from sauces and oils to stir-fries, salads, noodles, veggies and meat. You may even find yourself popping a handful on their own—we certainly have.
Belazu Sour Cherry Molasses
Mouthwateringly tart, balanced by sweet, silky wine-like notes, Belazu’s Sour Cherry Molasses is not to be conflated with pomegranate molasses. Made with a blend of dark red Kutahya and Katirli sour cherries sourced from Türkiye, this complex and rich rendition tastes distinctly like cherries. Winner of a Great Taste Award in 2023, it’s full of body—thick and deep red with a pourable viscosity thicker than your average balsamic. While we love it drizzled over sweet applications like cheesecake, pudding and ice cream, it also is a dynamic addition to pork, duck, vegetables like eggplant, yogurt, oatmeal, cocktails, marinades and so much more.
Marukin Mentsuyu All-Purpose Noodle Sauce & Soup Base
Used widely across Japan as a standalone sauce, soup base and dressing for cold noodles, this umami-packed mentsuyu from Marukin needs no diluting. Unlike other similar products on the market, this full-flavored, complex sauce is completely ready to use—without adding any water. A blend of premium soy sauce and dashi broth, each high quality ingredient is sourced from Japan. Balancing both salty and sweet, each bite is smoky and briny without overpowering. With a variety of uses, we like it served alongside both hot or cold noodles, as a dipping sauce or as a broth. It also works well as a dipping sauce for tempura, as a base for other soups, subbed in for dressing, marinade, pickling liquid or splashed in as a flavor enhancer for egg dishes.
Cruzilles Pâtes de Fruits Gift Tin
Delightfully fruity, with a crunchy sugar exterior that melts into a tender gummy center, these French Pâtes de Fruits from Cruzilles are full of distinct fresh berry flavor. A traditional French confection, pâtes de fruits have to be made with a high percentage of fruit puree and pulp (Cruzilles uses up to 75%), which gives the jellies a bright fruitiness. They have a higher moisture content than supermarket jellies—so they are not dry, tough or overly chewy—and the light sugar coating prevents stickiness and adds a light crunch. Try all three flavors: Raspberry, Strawberry and Blueberry, made from high-quality berries picked at peak freshness and packaged in an adorable metal pail.
Salad Sling
Simple but brilliant, the space-saving Salad Sling is our go-to replacement for a bulky, breakable traditional salad spinner. Made from ultra-absorbent microfiber, the Salad Sling is designed with four long “handles;” simply load your greens into the middle, pull the corners together and swing. A combination of the Salad Sling’s absorbent fibers and centrifugal force pull moisture from lettuce (it’s big enough for a whole head), hearty greens and herbs in a matter of seconds. The triple-layer Salad Sling has a waterproof liner to keep any water droplets from flying around your kitchen. Have multiple ingredients to dry? Just empty and flip the Salad Sling and load up the dry side. When you’re done, simply hang it to dry or toss it in the washing machine, then store it away compactly with your kitchen towels. Available in Original and Mini sizes, and as a set of two.
Fundodai "Clear" Soy Sauce
Salty, rich soy flavor that’s completely clear in color? From the masters at Fundodai, this clear shoyu made in Japan was inspired by clear colas and non-alcoholic beers, quickly gaining international attention for its unique attributes. Just as full of complex flavor as a typical dark soy sauce, this shoyu is ideal for incorporating into dishes without altering the color like traditional soy would. Transparent or “invisible,” the clear salinity is matched with sweet boozy notes, a bit of tang and tons of umami. Use it anywhere you would soy sauce, especially in dishes in which you’d prefer to avoid a color change. We especially like it to season a lightly colored soup, raw or cooked fish or a fresh pot of rice.
Fundodai Irizake- Ancient Japanese Seasoning
Translating to “roast sake,” Fundodai’s Irizake is the special Japanese seasoning that you’ve probably never heard of. And we truly believe it will change the way you cook. An ancient Japanese seasoning that predates soy sauce, it’s made by combining bonito flakes and plum vinegar with sake for a less salty condiment that can be used in a wide variety of dishes. Fundodai’s Irizake has a savory-sweet depth from the concentrated sake, along with smoky, fishy sweet notes from the katsubushi, plus a tart, savory, fruity plum flavor that cuts through and lingers on your palate. It can serve the role of soy sauce but sets itself apart thanks to the complexity of the blended flavors. Mix it into sauces, vinaigrettes and marinades; use as a seasoning for rice; as a dipping sauce for shabu shabu or sashimi; as a brine for salmon and so much more. It pairs especially well with roasted vegetables, like summer squash or charred cabbage.
Fundodai Liquid Miso Dashi
Restaurant-quality miso soup at home just got easier—no need to spend days making your own dashi or using an instant version with little flavor. Enter Fundodai’s Liquid Miso Dashi, made from a duo of powerhouse Japanese ingredients. It’s crafted in Japan from a miso made of rice and barley paste, incorporated with a rich dashi containing bonito, scallops, sardines and kombu. The dashi’s unique blend of seafood gives it far more flavor and complexity than a typical dashi, while the combination of rice and barley makes for an equally flavorful miso. With a well-balanced salt level, the toasty, nutty miso pairs well with the umami notes from the dashi, dissolving easily into broths, sauces, marinades and more. Use it to add slow-cooked depth to soups and stews in minutes, as a marinade on its own, mixed into sauces, tossed into noodles, as the base for a stir-fry and so much more.
Milk Street Butcher Knife Bundle
Meet the knives we reach for when prepping meat, poultry and fish. The Milk Street Cleaver turns a chuck roast into stew meat and splits chicken legs with minimal effort, while the Bunka knife's chisel-like tip will easily peel the tough silverskin off a pork tenderloin, then slice it into fine cutlets.
The Milk Street Cleaver is an all-purpose knife designed to work equally well for vegetables and butchering big cuts of meat. At 7 inches long, 3 inches tall and less than half a pound, this tool is an inch shorter than the average cleaver for a lighter, more nimble experience. However, it maintains full height for shielding fingers during chopping and using as a bench scraper to scoop up and transfer prepped foods to the pot. And, at only 2 millimeters thick at the spine, this cleaver is as thin as possible to maintain stiffness, yet slices with little force.
Unlike most cleavers that feature a basic rectangular blade design, the Milk Street Cleaver boasts some distinctive design points. The blade arcs inward at the heel to allow for multiple grips, while keeping your fingers guarded and preserving the length of the blade. To feel and function like a smaller knife, the cutaway heel lets you choke up close and tight on the blade. Or slide your hand back on the handle for more clearance, leverage and power.
The blade’s edge differs as well. Compared to the typical cleaver’s perfectly straight blade edges, the Milk Street Cleaver gently curves tip to heel for a natural slicing and chopping motion. It’ll feel the same in use as your chef’s knife—but safer while requiring less effort!
The Milk Street Bunka Knife is the turbocharged take on what an all-purpose knife can be. Similar in size to the more widely known santoku, the bunka’s nearly constant 6.75-inch blade width functions much like a nakiri, ideal for precise vegetable prep, safety (shields the fingers when slicing) and scooping up foods like a bench scraper into your mixing bowl or hot skillet. But unlike the squared-off tip of the nakiri, the bunka’s blade tapers into a chisel-like kiritsuke tip (translates as “slit open”), which allows for piercing cuts and fine detail work when prepping ingredients like meat. The nearly flat blade profile arcs subtly to the tip, meaning it can be used for rock chopping or mincing. You know those instances where you thought you sliced a pepper into thin strips and it all stuck together, like an accordion? Not a chance of that with the bunka. The mid-sized, premium German steel blade is also the perfect compromise in length. It’s long enough to cleanly slice proteins or span a whole cabbage, but short enough to always be in complete control without feeling unwieldy. And the ergonomic handle provides a comfortable grip regardless of your hand size. No more slipping and twisting when you really just want to hold tight. It’s a knife you can use for everything from peeling garlic and onions to chopping a precise brunoise and peeling the tough silverskin off a pork tenderloin, then slicing it into fine cutlets. If you’re confident with a razor-tipped chef’s knife and precision handling, the bunka is your answer.
Anything's Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People by Dan Pashman — Signed Copy
The innovative James Beard Award–winning podcaster who changed the way you think about pasta shapes with his invention of the viral sensation cascatelli now does the same for pasta sauces in this fun and charmingly obsessive cookbook, which includes a foreword from bestselling author J. Kenji López-Alt.
When Sporkful podcast host Dan Pashman launched cascatelli, a new pasta shape he invented that he designed to hold tons of sauce, stay on the fork, and be incredibly satisfying to bite into, it went viral and was named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of the Year. VICE called him "a modern pasta legend."
But as Dan was flooded with pictures of what people were making with his pasta, he was disappointed to see how limited the dishes were: tomato sauce, meat sauce, mac and cheese, over and over. A few party animals made pesto.
So Dan set out to revolutionize people’s conceptions of pasta sauces, just as he did with pasta shapes. He traveled across Italy and worked with an all-star team of recipe developers in the US to create a new kind of pasta sauce cookbook for people bored with the old standbys. That’s why there’s no 3-hour marinara recipe or fresh pasta made from scratch in this book. No photos of nonnas caked in flour or the hills of Tuscany. Instead it’s time to show the world—Anything’s Pastable. Here you’ll enjoy dishes inspired by a range of ingredients and cuisines:
Kimchi Carbonara
Cacio e Pepe e Chili Crisp
Keema Bolognese
Mapo Tofu Cascatelli
Shakshuka and Shells
Smoked Cheddar and Chicken Manicotti “Enchiladas”
Linguine with Miso Clam Sauce
Shrimp and Andouille Mac and Cheese
Lesser-known Italian pasta dishes with a twist:
Spaghetti all’Assassina (spicy pasta pan fried until charred and crispy crunchy)
Ciceri e Tria (chewy fresh pasta with crispy fried pasta in a light chickpea broth)
Cavatelli with Roasted Artichokes and Preserved Lemon
Creste di Gallo with Fava Beans and Dandelion Greens
Pasta Frittata
Fun and delicious concoctions that may—or may not—be how they do it in Italy:
Spinach Artichoke Dip Lasagna Pinwheels
Pasta Pizza (the “crust” is fettucine fused together)
Roman Cafeteria Hot Dog Pasta Salad with Canned Veggies
With an incredible array of recipes, Dan showcases the limitless pastabilities when you really know how to use your noodle.
Milk Street Wok Spatula & Wok Skimmer Set
When using a wok, mise en place isn’t just about your ingredients—it’s about your tools, too. The right tools can make all the difference in how your dinner turns out.
The Milk Street Wok Spatula is the right tool for the job. Designed to function flawlessly with the Milk Street Hammered Wok, this heavy-duty stainless steel spatula features a thin, rounded edge that perfectly mirrors the curved sides of the wok, making scooping, stirring and scraping a smooth and effortless task. The spatula’s non-slip textured handle provides the perfect grip for precise control in all conditions, no matter how wet or greasy things get. And it’s light enough to maneuver, allowing you to stay nimble while eliminating hand fatigue. It works well beyond the wok, too—sautéing, stirring pasta, even on the grill.
Milk Street’s Wok Skimmer is custom-designed to work seamlessly with the Milk Street Hammered Wok. This well-built, stainless steel tool features the right handle length and bowl size for nimble and efficient use, unlike flimsy, poorly made tools that aren’t big or wide enough to be effective in a wok. It scoops, strains and drains effortlessly—and excels when used in tandem with the Milk Street Wok Spatula. The satin-finished steel is dishwasher-safe, rust-proof and nearly impervious to wear. And despite its name, the Milk Street Wok Skimmer is terrific beyond the wok. Its uniquely perforated head makes it an ideal tool for lifting blanched vegetables or deep-fried foods out of hot water and red-hot oil. Or use it to strain delicate stuffed pastas, like tortellini or spaetzle, out of a simmering pot to avoid breaking them. It’s even great for skimming broths and stocks.
Lino Chopsticks with Ceramic Rest
Made in Japan, these lovely wooden chopsticks with squared off ends are designed with a flowing spiral shape and painted with transparent color to shimmer in the light. Sleek, elegant and easy to grip, each dishwasher-safe set comes with a convenient ceramic rest, so your chopsticks stay off the table. Available in Blue/White and Pink/Grey.
Enokida Jozo Chili Miso
Saucy and full of subtle—not overwhelming—chili flavor, Enokida Jouzo's Chili Miso is a peppery twist on a typical umami-packed miso. With a texture perfect for spreading or glazing, this slightly sweet miso is made from rice malt and Japanese green chili peppers. Add this zippy flavor bomb on top of rice, mixed into noodles, on vegetables, fish, chicken, meat and more. Based in the Gunma Prefecture at the foot of Mt. Akagi in Maebashi City, a city known for its fermented foods, the company has been in business for over 100 years.
Enokida Jozo Yuzu Miso
Saucy and full of punchy yuzu flavor, Enokida Jouzo's Yuzu Miso is a lovely twist on a typical umami-packed miso. With a texture perfect for spreading or glazing, this slightly sweet miso is made from rice malt and yuzu, a tart citrus fruit grown in Japan. Add this citrusy flavor bomb on top of rice, mixed into noodles, on vegetables, fish, chicken, meat and more. Based in the Gunma Prefecture at the foot of Mt. Akagi in Maebashi City, a place known for its fermented foods, the company has been in business for over 100 years.