Katie Briggs is a chef and activist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This website is a collection of their recipes, travels and photos from the last decade.
Katie is a 2016 James Beard Women in Culinary Leadership recipient. Their resume boasts whole-animal butchering, hosting culinary events and pop-ups from California to Maine, (as well as abroad in France and Germany) and several years touring with the acclaimed culinary circus Outstanding in the Field to nearly all 50 states.
During the Pandemic they are focusing on operating a mutual aid program called The West Philly Bunny Hop.
Few things have lived in such acclaim as my father's Caesar salad dressing. Any dinner we were ever invited too, we were asked to bring 'Charlie's Caesar'. Salad dressing was one of my first loves in savory 'cooking' simply because when I was younger I never knew you could make it yourself. My favorite thing about homemade salad dressings is you know exactly what's in it, none of that high fructose corn syrup or fillers, which ruins Caesar and you can customize it to your liking!
I have long been a fan of this hearty green, now regarded as a 'super food'. Known for its explosive levels of Vitamin A, C, K, and considerable amounts of cooper, manganese and fiber, kale is the total package. Kale can also boast that it is a strong anti-inflammatory, which for you older and sickly folks is pretty much all you should be eating. But all that aside, how does it taste?
I feel like every time I offer someone kale, they have a horror story of its bitterness and lack luster flavor. I'm sorry for those of you scared by a misguided chef who didn't know what to make of this wonderful green, but please, I beg you to reconsider writing it off! Kale is a hearty and bossy cooking green but is not a one trick pony! This recipe highlights the delicate and rich flavor that kale has to offer, but unlike your usual salad green, kale needs a but more TLC. In order to break down kales firmness it requires a lemon-salt massage. This may seem like a hassle but with all the benefits gained from raw kale, it seems like a pretty fair trade. Kale, which comes in many forms such as curly (pictured above), dinosaur, or red Russian, can stand up to bold flavors of this zesty dressing or a Caesar. Play around with with kale and get your daily values of vitamins!
I recently went on a road trip to Detroit and met some kindred spirits. We some how decided to make Beignets after talking about a trip to New Orleans. Beignets, a traditional French pastry, most notably identified with New Orleans are essentially a fancy doughnut that can be topped with confectioneries sugar or stuffed with savory meats. I decided to take some liberties with the traditional form of beignets and rolled my beignets into orbs instead of the rectangle shape, feel free to play around. This recipe requires some prep time to allow the dough to form, but if you don't feel like waiting around, most speciality food stores sell pre made beignet mix that only requires water and no rising time. I hope you enjoy these fried treats as much as we did!
My sister and I recently took a road trip to her college town and spent a few days with her soccer teammates. As usual we were cooking up a storm in the kitchen and exchanged recipes. Her roommates kept talking about these ‘energy balls’, a recipe given to them by their coaches for healthy eating in season. The balls, which can only be compared to Chef’s chocolate salty balls of South Park, are sinfully good and packed with healthy deliciousness. Though the name and shape of these goodies may lead to many inuendoes and giggles, the flaxseed meal that binds these balls together are filled with fiber, antioxidants, and Omega-3 fatty acids so you can feel less guilty about overindulging in them!
This weeks post comes from my partner in crime and troubadour Josh del Rio. Josh came to me with this delicious duo to ring in the new year. Skeptical we knocked back my favorite tequila and chased it with this surprising concoction, Sangrita. The tangy and sweet chaser completely neutralizes the harsh alcohol on your palette creating and ultimately lethal but delicious combination. We recommend this recipe for your next celebration! Cheers!!!
BY JOSH DEL RIO In my experiences as a casual, at times hardcore drinker, I’ve never called myself a true tequila fan. Sure, I’ve had the occasional $10 Margarita pitcher, I’ve taken the salt/tequila/llime shot more times than I’d like to admit, and I’ve even enjoyed the acclaimed Patron Anejo on the rocks, although it did take a quite the bite out of my wallet. Despite trying all these fancy faces of tequila, I’ve always found myself going back to the comforts of rum, gin, and especially my beloved bourbon.
That is until I found the perfect complement to tequila’s unique taste: sangrita. Sangrita is the traditional partner to a shot of straight tequila. Its origins take root in the southwestern Mexican state of Jalisco, home of mariachi and tequila. Introduced in the 1920’s, sangrita, meaning “little blood”, was made from the remnant juices of pico de gallo.
Now I came by sangrita in the heart of Fishtown, sitting on a bar stool in Loco Pez. A friend and I were just finished stuffing our faces on a la carte tacos when he asks me to take a shot of tequila with him. I was hesitant, and perhaps it showed for the bartender poured the liquor, but also poured this red liquid in accompanying pony shots. The barkeep explained what it was, sangrita, the customary accompaniment to straight tequila. Said that it was tomato based, infused with pomegranate juice, lime and hot sauce.
Sounds interesting. I’m not one to knock anything before I try it, so the glasses went up, clinked together, and found themselves emptied of their spicy, citrusy contents. I remember waiting for my whiskey face to distort my facial features, but it didn’t happen. Instead a grinch-sized smile stretched across my face. The experience was smooth and savory, and it left me warm with the residual heat of both liquor and hot sauce. I was amazed! Finally, something that can let me appreciate the subtle complexity of tequila. I was sold. And I had an idea.