Carla Lalli Music

Food Director Emeritus

Carla spent 10 years working in NYC restaurants and was the first General Manager at Shake Shack before making the leap to food media. Her books include the James Beard Award-winning Where Cooking Begins and That Sounds So Good. Since leaving Bon Appétit in 2020, Carla has increased her online presence via a podcast, cohosted with fellow BA alum Rick Martinez, and YouTube channel. She spends most weekends cooking for friends and family, and packs one helluva school lunch.

techniques

How to Cook Lentils Quickly and Without a Recipe

Lentils are flexible, flavorful, and, says columnist Carla Lalli Music, they can be made at warp speed (and without a recipe)

techniques

How to Cook Fish Fillets Perfectly Crispy, Without a Recipe

Cooking fish shouldn't be intimidating! Follow columnist Carla Lalli Music's no-recipe rules, and getting that perfectly crisp underside is easy

techniques

How to Make Pasta with Greens Without a Recipe

Got greens, garlic, and cheese? That's all you need, says Carla Lalli Music, to improvise a stellar dish you'll want to eat every night

techniques

Why We Love Chicken Thighs for Family Dinner

Tender and flavorful, chicken thighs are ideal for braising. And with the right technique, says columnist Carla Lalli Music, you can make them a dozen different ways

techniques

How to Cook Seafood Posole Without a Recipe

Introducing our new columnist, Carla Lalli Music, for whom improvisation is the only way to cook. Her first lesson: Trust yourself (and serve plenty of beer)

techniques

How to Butterfly and Roast a Chicken in Less Than 1 Hour

Not as filthy as it sounds, the butterflying technique lets you roast a whole chicken in the time it takes to put your groceries away

Recipes

Hot Oat & Quinoa Cereal

If you think quinoa is only good for savory salads and pilafs, you're missing out. Pair it with steel-cut oats to amplify its hearty flavor. A little maple syrup brings out its sweet side.

Culture

Testing "The 4-Hour Chef"

Are Timothy Ferriss's culinary shortcuts genius or folly? Features editor Carla Lalli Music roasts his chicken to find out

Culture

Family Supper at Stylist Laura Ferrara's Apple Orchard

At this rustic-chic harvest party in upstate New York, an unexpected October blizzard sends guests into the barn for a warm and welcoming family supper