☕️ Bite-Sized Sundays: What Bon Appétit asked me about kitchen appliances


Happy Sunday, Friends.

This week: Food processor vs. blender - why you actually need both, and what each does best.

"The right tool for the right job." - Wise home cooks everywhere.

I grew up reading Bon Appétit magazine, so when they asked me to weigh in on whether you really need both a food processor and a blender, I was genuinely excited. The answer? Yes, you do - but not for the reasons you might think.

While there's some overlap, each appliance has a specialty that the other just can't match. Food processors excel at chopping, mixing, and creating textures with substance. Blenders are masters of liquid integration and creating silky smooth results.

🌟 Recipe of the Week: Walnut Pesto This recipe shows exactly why you need a food processor - it creates the silky smooth texture that makes pesto cling to pasta beautifully.

  • Difficulty level: Easy
  • Active time: 10 minutes
  • Perfect for: When you want restaurant-quality pesto at home without the pine nut price tag

🎯 Quick Hits

  • Pro-Tip: Food processors work best when you pulse rather than run continuously. This gives you control over texture and prevents overprocessing.
  • Back to Basics: Blenders need liquid to create the vortex that pulls ingredients down. Start with your liquid ingredients at the bottom.
  • Did you know? The shape of the container matters - food processor bowls are wide and shallow for chopping, while blender jars are tall and narrow to create that pulling vortex.

📣 You can read the full Bon Appétit article about food processors vs. blenders here - I was thrilled to contribute alongside other kitchen experts.

Food Processor Champions:

Blender All-Stars:

👉🏻 Love this newsletter? Forward it to a friend and tell them they can join us at this link.

Until Wednesday,


Walnut Pesto


Classic Pesto Sauce


White Bean Hummus


Strawberry Vinaigrette


Banana Oatmeal Pancakes


Breakfast Crepes


Connect with me on social!

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
Unsubscribe · Preferences

Pinch and Swirl

The best meals don’t come from restaurant kitchens. They come from home cooks like you who take simple ingredients and turn them into something worth sharing. My specialty is making global cooking approachable, from beloved American classics to exciting international flavors. I create recipes that make it simple to cook memorable, restaurant-quality dishes, so you can feel confident and inspired in your own kitchen.

Read more from Pinch and Swirl

Hey there, Whether or not you're a football fan, game day food is irresistible. And, at least for me, crispy, juicy chicken wings are at the top of the list. Below you'll find everything you need to make perfect crispy baked wings. The secret to getting that restaurant-style crunch in your oven (spoiler alert: it's not baking powder!), and three ways to sauce them up for game day "In a game of inches, great wings can be the difference maker." - Me, while prepping for Super Bowl Sunday 🌟...

Happy Sunday, Friends. This week: Unexpected grilled vegetables that might just upstage whatever protein you're serving. "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are." - Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin Most people think of grilling vegetables as an afterthought - maybe some corn or bell peppers thrown on while the meat finishes. But some vegetables transform completely on the grill, developing flavors and textures that make them the most interesting thing on the plate. These aren't...

Hey there, A sauce that uses just five ingredients and tastes better than anything you can buy? That's this authentic Pomodoro Sauce - canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, and basil simmered into something rich and mellow in about 35 minutes. It's the kind of recipe that reminds you why Italian cooking is so brilliant: take quality ingredients, treat them with respect, and let time do the work. No shortcuts, no complicated techniques, just the fundamentals done right. ⭐️ Recipe of the...