Molly and I met at camp. Wait, did I say camp? I meant the internet. Actually, we met for the first time via our mutual bestie Alana, over brunch in LA. But here’s the thing: Brunch isn’t very much like camp, and so while we bonded immediately, it wasn’t until later, when we both found ourselves on this thing called The List App, that the true camp BFF vibes began. Molly published a list called THINGS I’M GOING TO PUT MAYO ON TODAY, featuring bean chips, green beans, and crackers, and I published a list called FOODS IN MY YOGURT THAT (PROBABLY) AREN’T IN YOURS, featuring spirulina, hummingbird souls, and the unsung breath of Joni Mitchell. We were like food blogger aliens arrived from distinct planets, meeting for the first time. It was love at first list.
Because List App was still in Beta, Molly and I found ourselves in the midst of a wondrous world of internet camp: Everyone in Beta instantly became best friends. We knew all of each other’s secrets, we gossiped, we held hands, Lena Dunham asked me to make a list about vaginas, and everyone had a crush on John Mayer. Just like camp, right? (No, really, you’ll have to tell me—I never went.) Point being: Molly and I were on an accelerated friendship track due to the intimate, confessional vibes of the app.
And then we realized we were both in the deeply challenging process of writing and photographing books. Over the next year and a half, we became each other’s touchstones for the process: Molly’s production schedule was quite accelerated, so every step of the way she was just a bit ahead, ready to answer all my questions. We felt like our souls were slowly being drained from us, we were prohibitively exhausted all the time, we suffered from exposure-induced aversion to food (food?? barf!!), we hoped and dreamed of all the beautiful things these, our first books, might be.
Of course, Molly on the Range was coming out much sooner than my book—seven months sooner. So even as my deadlines were ramping up, Molly was kicking into high gear to begin the process of ushering her book baby into the world. And she’s done so with every bit of spark and verve and kindness and brilliance that she does all else: MOTR sprinkles! MOTR lip balm! MOTR temp tattoos!!
And amidst it all, she stayed cool as a cute little glass of malabi, my new favorite dessert. I’d never had this Middle Eastern milk pudding made with coconut milk and rosewater before yesterday, and I say with all seriousness that I have deeply missed its presence in my life. Molly’s version has a delicious pistachio crust and roasted rhubarb on top. Since it’s far from rhubarb season, I opted for fresh persimmon and pomegranate, with a bit of vanilla and lemon zest.
But before we dive into a glass of malabi, let me tell you a little more about Molly on the Range. From the beginning, I proclaimed to Molly all number of intensely enthusiastic things about how amazing her book would be (I won’t divulge them here, in an effort to spare her any embarrassment). And when I finally had the chance to hold the book in my hands and flip through its pages, I was even more excited than I’d imagined.
First of all, there are beautiful, hilarious stories of Molly’s life peppered throughout. I’ll read this book as much as I will cook from it. And then there are the gorgeous illustrations and stunning photos. AND A MACARONI AND CHEESE FLOW CHART. Does it get any better? Yes, because there’s an illustrated guide to making your own schnitzel Halloween costume out of felt. (And yes, at least one of Molly’s List App lists made it into the book—I’m looking at you, ENJOYABLE WAYS TO HARASS A BATCH OF CHALLAH DOUGH.)
This book is all things sweet and beautiful and fun, with an irrepressible spirit of joy laced throughout. I know I’ll be cooking from it for the rest of my life, and that makes me so very, very happy.
Make sure you preorder your copy of Molly on the Range, and then grab the ingredients to make this incredibly easy, vegan malabi. I’m bringing it to Rosh Hashanah (Jewish new year) dinner tonight, along with a loaf of Molly’s challah (the best I’ve ever had) that I’ve got to go braid.
L’shanah tovah (happy new year), and long, long, long live MOTR!
MALABI (MILK PUDDING) WITH PERSIMMON FROM MOLLY ON THE RANGE (VEGAN).
Ingredients
crust
- 1 cup roasted pistachios
- ¼ cup sugar
- a pinch of kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
malabi
- 2 can (13.5 ounces each) full-fat coconut milk
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 teaspoon rosewater
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar
persimmons
- 1 cup roughly chopped fuyu persimmon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- pomegranate arils
Instructions
- To make the crust: In a food processor, combine the pistachios, sugar, and salt, and blend to a coarse crumb. Add the coconut oil (it does not need to be melteand pulse until the mixture crumbles together. Distribute the mixture between 8 serving glasses and use a muddle or the back of a spoon to press it down evenly and firmly. Set aside.
- To make the malabi: In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup coconut milk with the cornstarch, vanilla bean paste or extract, and rosewater.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the remaining coconut milk, the salt, and sugar and heat over medium heat until simmering, whisking often. pour in the cornstarch mixture in a slow, steady stream while whisking and then continue to heat while whisking until the mixture has thickened, 1 to 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust extracts and flavorings as desired. Divide the mixture into the 8 serving glasses (about ½ cup in each), cover, and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
- To make the persimmons: 10 minutes before serving, combine chopped persimmon, vanilla bean paste or extract, lemon zest, and sugar in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Let sit a few minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Spoon on top of the malabi directly before serving.
