This Week Tastes Like Jazz, Bundt Cake & Breakfast Tacos
Where wellness meets wanderlust, and food is always the connector.
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I just landed in New Orleans for Jazz Fest, and I'm already feeling that pulse of the city—the kind that hits you in the chest and in your taste buds. This place is alive in every sense, and I’m soaking it in before the week takes off.
Before I get deep into crawfish, beignets, and second lines, I wanted to share a few moments, flavors, and rituals that have been holding me down and lifting me up lately. They’re part routine, part road trip fuel, and part love letter to the life I’ve built as a chef, a mom, and someone still figuring it all out.
PS: If you missed last week’s love letter to 420 grilled cheese and the world’s best banana smoothie, you can catch it here.
☕️ Coffee Corner
At home, I’m a pour‑over purist—right now Heart Roasters’ Colombia El Obraje beans are my MVP. It’s all about the bloom: 30 g coffee, 500 g water, slow circles, notes of candied citrus and cocoa. I adopted this habit after my separation when I started dating again. My first (short-lived) post-marriage boyfriend was obsessed with pour-over coffee—it was so good it kept me coming back for more...until I learned to perfect it myself and acquired all my own tools. 😅 Another close friend took me under his wing during the COVID quarantine, patiently sharing instructions via text and gifting me coffee in person (through a mask!) from his overflowing supply of beans. Later, Vice City baristas sharpened my skills, and voilà—I've been drinking pour-over at home every single morning for the past eight years. When I’m out, it’s espresso all the way: a 4‑oz cortado when I need to stay civil, or a quad capp when the to‑do list goes savage. Nothing beats a pro‑level dial‑in for texture and temp—unless you’re my Aunt Maria, who still pulls miracles from her tiny stovetop moka pot.
🌮 Recipe Spotlight #1 — Sunrise Breakfast Tacos
Crisp bacon. Fluffy eggs. Melty cheddar. And smoky chipotle-lime crema on warm tortillas.
Chef tip: Use a swirl of good olive oil and fresh lime juice to pull the crema together. It’s vibrant, it’s rich, and it sets the whole taco off.
Subscribers, I’m sending the full recipe to your inbox Saturday morning so you can brunch with me—even if you're miles away.
🍋 Recipe Spotlight #2 — 1950s Lemon Sunshine Bundt
This cake is pure nostalgia. It’s dense like a pound cake but airy like a chiffon, infused with lemon three ways: in the batter, a syrup soak, and a glossy glaze that feels like something out of grandma’s kitchen.
I make it for road trips—easy to slice, wrap, and snack as you go. But really, it’s a tribute to the women in my family who used sugar, zest, and a whole lot of heart to show love.
🫑 Ingredient Crush — Levoni Mortadella × Blistered Shishitos
This one’s a little wild: salty-smooth mortadella, blistered shishito peppers, a quick drizzle of honey, and a splash of Calabrian chili oil.
Yes, I know—my dad would call it sacrilege. But it’s addictive. I’ll pile it on toast, sneak it into a grilled cheese, or just eat it with my fingers straight from the board late at night. It’s that good.
🧘♀️ Chef‑Mom Wellness Corner
In my 40s, I’ve finally found a rhythm that feels right - for my body, my mind, and the way I live. Twice a week, I carve out 26 minutes for EMS (electro-muscle stimulation), and let me tell you—this stuff works. It reaches muscles traditional workouts never could, and the results are real. Quick, targeted, and actually kind of fun in a futuristic-body-hack sort of way.
Carly, who owns the EMS studio, is not only a total badass coach—she’s family now. A former ballet dancer, longtime trainer, and reformed Miami party girl (Like the best of us!) She's on her own journey of growth and strength. We deliver her meals twice a week, and she eats them all week long: tons of salmon (girl loves her omegas), seasonal stews, vibrant salads, parfaits, chia pudding, and the occasional cold-pressed juice or warm bone broth. And yes, pasta and sweet treats make a cameo once or twice a week, because this isn’t boot camp. It’s life.
We always say it’s a 20-minute session... but somehow I’m always there an hour. That’s what happens when two women start talking wellness, business, and what it takes to feel strong, aligned, and ready for whatever comes next. I nourish with food and love; she fuels me with strength, movement, and muscles I didn’t know I had.
When women back each other like this… Game over. We win. Every Time.
✈️ Road Warrior Update
After Jazz Fest, I’m off to:
🎓 New York (twice): First for a family graduation at Alvin Ailey, then to show my best friend all my favorite spots.
🍽️ Chicago: Right after, I’ll be at the NRA Restaurant Show—if you're around, let’s meet up. I’d love to talk food, swap ideas, or just share a great cup of coffee.
Thanks for showing up with me every week. This space is where I get to be honest, curious, and deeply grateful for everything I’ve learned—and all the things I’m still learning.
Until next time,
xx
Nicole
Mom, Chef, Entrepreneur, Hippie-at-Heart
Love your coffee corner ☕️