Coco's Kitchen
A newsletter by Courtney Storer
Hi friends,
I’m so excited to start this newsletter and share everything that’s been going on in my head for the last….well, lifetime 🙂
Consider this a place to come for nourishment. That cozy feeling you get when your friend or family member cooks you a big pot of pasta. The joy you feel when you walk in the door and the smell of soup simmering on the stove hits your nose. I want to create that feeling for you.
If you upgrade to paid–and trust me, I know how important those choices are–I will be so grateful to count you in this community. Expect recipes, stories from my travels, advance announcements for classes, Q&A interviews with some of my most trusted mentors & colleagues in the industry, and a very special sneak peek at the behind-the-scenes of my role as culinary producer on FX’s The Bear. I’ll also send updates on my events & catering company, Coco’s to Go-Go where we make some of the ideas and stories in this newsletter come to life. For you!
It’s scary to share myself with so many of you but do something everyday that scares you, right? And away we go!
My Kind of Town, Chicago
Food has always held so much meaning to me.
I grew up in a suburb of Chicago largely influenced by the Italians within our community. My love for assorted Italian Cookie trays, bubbling red sauce and garlic bread being pulled from the oven dates back long before I can remember. As well as I knew the food at home, I knew the surrounding restaurants even better. I knew Sonny’s had the best cheese ravioli, Tony’s was the spot for tomato bread and Italian subs and cannolis from Conca D’Oro were the ones my brothers preferred. I lived for ribs from Perry’s and the crispy fries that nestled so closely next to them and the sugary, vinegar sauce that made its way all over my clothes and often my long hair as a kid. I remember going to Morningfields to sit at the soda fountain for vanilla ice cream and green river soda filled to the brim.
I loved sitting at Sonny’s as I watched the Ernesto family bicker with one another privately before greeting the tables, always with a smile. I’d watch Michael, the owner's son, work the room all the while rolling his eyes at his mom when she told him he talked too much. I loved watching their dynamics and I loved that even when they were super busy they always remembered my shirley temple with three cherries, just the way I liked it.
Three cherries. How simple is that? That’s when my love affair with hospitality started. I got the bug and never turned back. The magic and art of hospitality to this day stops me in my tracks. When I look at all the amazing things my colleagues are doing in this industry, I know I was born to do this and nothing else. I believe so deeply in the power of hospitality, its ability to create connection and heal. I believe so deeply in the power of connection, in sharing a bowl of soup on a cold day, that bolognese simmering for hours on the stove; I believe in the act of nourishing people and educating the next generation.
The Holidays are HERE
Is anyone else freaking out?! I cook professionally for a living and even I can say with full vulnerability that I always freak out this time of year! Admittedly it’s the thrill of the rush of the season. I just love it and I wouldn’t trade that feeling for anything. So let me say with confidence: WE GOT THIS.
To calm the nerves, I want to share with you one of my secret weapons of the season: SOUP. I basically think of soup as a big warm hug which I always want during this busy, chaotic time.
One of my favorite soups to make is an Escarole / Tomato / White Bean soup. Beans are the star here. So let’s start there.
NOTES ON BEANS:
My best friend Ari calls me Coco Bean so this one is dedicated to them 🙂
THERE ARE TONS of varieties of beans from all over the world. You can customize this recipe to fit the bean of your choice and budget. What I love about this recipe is its versatility. The biggest thing that will vary with the size and variety of the bean will be the cooking time.
I love my Insta-pot, don’t knock it ‘til you try it. I always look for ways to streamline the cooking process to make it more accessible to the curious cook within all of us.
I like to season the beans AFTER they are cooked to control salt level and not compromise the structure of the beans shell during the cooking process.
Did you accidentally overcook them? Don’t panic! You are halfway to making a really yummy bean puree for toasts / under a nice piece of fish or chicken. Puree with a Vitamix or food processor (I prefer Vitamix for extra smoothness) and add some bean liquid / maybe a little bit of roasted garlic? / tahini / lemon juice and voila!
The bean liquid is an EXCELLENT source of flavor.
I love Carla Lalli Music’s bean video on how to cook on the stovetop as a reference :)!
Video by Evil Twin, California
For the full Escarole / Tomato / White Bean recipe, I’ll be sending next week to all paid subscribers!
Happenings at Coco’s to Go-Go
As many you know, I recently launched my private events & catering company, Coco’s to Go-Go. We’ve been busy slinging Italian ice, building sandwiches and curating multi-course tasting menus! Here’s a little bit of what we’ve been up to:
We celebrated Jimmy Kimmel’s birthday with Italian ice and mortadella sandwiches alongside my great friend Chris Bianco. Love living in LA where it’s Italian ice season all-year round :)
Levi’s gave an awesome Masterclass and we provided a classic Italian spread (think Focaccia sandwiches, panzerotti and the debut of Coco’s adorable signature paper!)
How lucky we were to be invited to christen Ulla Johnson’s new Los Angeles store with a special housewarming dinner. So grateful to Ulla, We Are Ona and Vogue for the kind words!
That’s all for now my friends. Thanks for reading. Keep cooking.
Love,
Coco