Alon Shaya's New Nola Restaurant Does Something Special With Pita

On Wednesday, Alon Shaya opened the doors to his long-anticipated new restaurant, Saba, in New Orleans, and as you might have predicted, the pita operation is a big deal. Shaya tells Food & Wine. As pita is only four ingredients—wheat, water, yeast, and salt—every detail matters. Saba is also branching out into ambitious large-format dishes that might rival the pita for star power, including a whole chicken roasted with harissa. The secret to the chicken's juiciness,

The most exciting innovation at Saba, however, is not a technique, but rather the painstaking creation of a kitchen culture that is healthy, safe, and sustainable its employees. With the help of Suzi Darre, who serves as Pomegranate Hospitality's Director of People & Culture, Shaya is committed to proving that there's a better way to run restaurants.

First, if as you pour the pretty pink crayon mixture in the mold you notice that there are some large beetroot particles in the bottom of the pan, don’t pour them in the mold. Each time I made pink/red there was a little sludge left in the pan that I didn’t add to the final crayon because it would make them gritty.

Second, annatto and other spices that make orange contain tiny compounds that settle onto one side and discolor it slightly. I have no idea why, but it happened with cayenne and paprika too! After you’ve poured your crayons, place your pot back in the double boiler so that the thin layer of remaining wax heats up. When it’s hot, wipe it out with old newspaper or paper towels.

Wendi's post on making them - I was re-inspired to give it a try! Top all of this inspiration, with a Christmas box that soon arrived from my sister including one of her tasty looking S'mores kits - and I was done for. I planned to make the marshmallows for our Advent Walk coming to serve with hot chocolate.

So, Friday evening when we had plans to eat out for dinner and I didn't need to cook - I used the time saved to make marshmallows! It was easier than I had thought it might be and here is how everything turned out. I made the graham cracker recipe (with modifications) from this book and packed everything up.

I think they turned out so cute! Some of my marshmallows are red and white swirled as that was how the recipe was written. But, the food coloring did not swirl below the very top. If I made these again, I would skip the food coloring. Christmas words was just the ticket! I made little instruction tags on the computer and layered them with cute scrapbook paper. Then, I "laminated" them with photo laminating pouches that my Mom gave me!

I packaged the goodies in a brown paper lunch sack, punched holes in the top and tied a piece of homespun fabric through. Then before tying the bow, I added some fresh evergreen clippings and then the bow. Of course, I had to sample one before I shared the recipe with all of you! I warmed the marshmallows over a candle and eventually in the microwave, sprinkled with chocolate chips and layered a second cookie on!

Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by spraying with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with parchment paper and then spray the paper. Put sugar, corn syrup and 3/4 c. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring; let mixture come to a boil. Raise heat to medium-high; cook until mixture registers 260 on a candy thermometer.