Vanilla Cardamom Ricotta Toast with Brûléed Grapefruit

I got a blow torch and it's SO FUN

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes in your inbox every Tuesday, and paid subscribers receive even more every Thursday!

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I turned 31 last week, so of course, I’ve been experiencing a lot of nostalgia. I put on some music in the car the other day, an album I listened to heavily in 2013, and I was instantly transported back to that time. You know that type of nostalgia I’m talking about, where you can feel it in your body? Like somehow, the atmosphere inside yourself time travels, and you can almost physically embody the consciousness you had then?

This got me thinking: It’s fascinating that I’ve been on Instagram as Kale Me Maybe since 2013, nearly a decade ago. People have been following me through a FULL DECADE of my life, and not just any decade, the leap from 20s to 30s. I don’t feel very different from myself at 22, but also, that’s not true. The essence of me is the same, but I’m no longer that same baby kale. My life was definitely very different when I started my Instagram.

I had just graduated college, just started working at my first big girl job at a boutique PR agency. I lived in a tiny, run-down apartment in Brentwood with my best friend, and we would go out to clubs on a Tuesday. I loved cooking and photographing and making healthy delicious food just like I do now, but I was also shooting dishes on the floor outside my front door, discovering zoodles for the first time. I was much less self-confident, worse at communicating my feelings, and completely unaware of what possibilities waited for me ahead.

In this new decade of my life (so far), I am unfazed by my “age.” I am not scared of any numbers. When people freak out about turning 30, I tell them, “Do you know how many people in this world would kill to be 30 again?” How silly is it that we consider ourselves old when we are no longer in our 20s anymore? I can’t even tell you what I consider to be “old” anymore. I see people thriving at every age.

So yes, while it’s true that drinking two beers makes me feel hungover when I used to be able to handle 6 shots in a night (don’t recommend), the only things that make me feel older are the choices I make, the ones where I prioritize myself and my mental wellbeing, my friendships, and stability. The type of getting older I enjoy. I’m not sure if feeling nostalgic is a positive or negative experience, but it’s a special feeling either way. It reminds me of how times can change, sometimes for the worse, but mostly for the better.

RECIPE!

I recently bought a blowtorch after seeing quite a few enticing videos on TikTok, and I have to say, I have no regrets! I’m not saying you NEED one or anything, but if you’re feeling bored in the kitchen, you’ll definitely have some fun.

So far, I’ve just made today’s recipe and this preserved lemon and feta toast I did with Justine, but both were divine, and most importantly, FUN. I’ve been seeing a lot of people make sandwiches where they torch the cheese, so that’s definitely coming up next. Also, Grant’s cousin bought one so he could make the top of his egg whites cooked without burning the bottom, and I think that’s both hilarious and genius.

Because I KNOW you’ll ask (and I’m happy to share), here’s the blow torch I bought.

Vanilla Cardamom Ricotta Toast with Brûléed Grapefruit

Ingredients (makes 2 toasts)

• 2 slices of bread, toasted

• 2 ruby red grapefruits

• A generous of sprinkling of sugar

• 1/2 cup ricotta

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp cardamom

• 1 1/2 tbsp crushed pistachios

• A sprinkling of fresh thyme

1. Cut both ends off of your grapefruit so the flesh is revealed, and then set the grapefruit down on one of the cut sides. Slice the skin off of your grapefruit, cutting from top to bottom following the curve of the fruit. Make sure you remove all the pith. Then cut into round slices, and half those.

2. Add the grapefruit slices to a baking sheet, and generously sprinkle with sugar so each slice is covered. Either broil on high for 5 minutes or so until sugar has caramelized and hardened, or use a blow torch to brûlée the grapefruit directly.

3. In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, vanilla, and cardamom. Spread onto the toast, and top with grapefruit pieces. Finish off with the pistachios and fresh thyme.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

I loved writing last week’s member’s only post! Recipes are great, but I also want to help you with the building blocks of good cooking, and I’m a firm believer that it all starts with your grocery list. Last week’s post, “How I Build My Grocery List” breaks down exactly how I shop, and I’ve included a bunch of recipes you can make using my list structure!

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