Mrs. Curry with the pot!
I've secretly attempted recipes I've come across on Twitter from the kitchens of Resha of “Carnel Dish” (@KanYeBreast) and Angela of “The Kitchenista Diaries” (@MissAngelaDavis) and I'm still trying to perfect my throw-down in the kitchen skills. I'm always looking for new ways to impress my partner who still prefers his grandmother's cooking over mine, and it's through these women and eyewitness accounts in my own family's kitchens that I've been attempting to do a little something-something in my own home. I'm always looking for something new, and I think I've found it!
Ayesha Curry’s prepping for the release of her first ever cookbook and we’re already going, “Chef Curry with the pot, girl!” The mommy of daughters, Riley and Ryan, and the real-life basketball wife has been throwing down in the kitchen way before Steph scored a NBA ring last summer. From the looks of her uploaded photos on the ‘gram, it’s probably one of the reasons why the baller put a ring on it–the way to a man’s heart is through food.
Ayesha’s the face and culinarian behind CSN Bay Area’s cooking show, Cookin’ with the Currys, where her daughter Riley has made an appearance.
A few days ago, the beauty revealed the cover for the anticipated foodie manual and of course it embodies everything about her. Family & food.
Mrs. Curry’s been advertising just how she throws down in the kitchen through her YouTube and cooking blog, Little Lights of Mine. She's also previewed some of her best dishes and drinks on IG, and to say mouth-watering, would be an understatement:
Lamb Chops
Salt Baked Trout
Ayesha Curry's Peach Basil Cocktails
While we wait for her first cookbook to hit bookstores nationwide, we’ve gathered five of Ayesha’s recipes we hope make its way to the pages. From an oatmeal that’ll make my picky children think twice about saying yuck to oat porridge, to pastas for lunch and almond pound cakes for dessert, Ayesha Curry’s about to make her way to our kitchen and we hope yours, too.
Photo Credit: littlelightsofmine.com
Warm Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal
Ayesha said this one is like apple pie for breakfast, so that’ll be what I’ll tell my sons (and myself when I need something sweet in the morning). Her recipe is a mixture of sweetness and the woody scents of cinnamon and nutmeg with the mushiness of oats. The photo alone gives me hunger pains, so we’re hoping the recipe will be found in The Seasoned Life to have on deck at any time in the AM. Check out the recipe here!
Turned out perfect! Warm Rum Chocolate Chip Banana Bread... A little brown sugar butter and we are good to go! #hometestkitchen ... I'm thanking the lord right now that Riley doesn't like chocolate and kicking myself because I still have 15lbs left of baby weight to lose ... Ohhhh well... 😝 for the love of food. A photo posted by Ayesha Curry (@ayeshacurry) on
Warm Rum Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Three of our favorite things in one–rum, chocolate chip, and banana bread. Why wouldn’t we want to know the deets on this one? Ayesha gave the world a sneak peek last week on her Instagram account and her point about shedding some more pounds post-baby Ryan, but still indulging in some warm bread is the green light I needed in the middle of this “diet” I’m on. If Ayesha can, I can too, right?
A photo posted by Ayesha Curry (@ayeshacurry) on
Everything in this photo
I eat with my eyes and I can easily say, I love food with color! Chef Curry’s lemon glaze, shrimp and crab pasta in a homemade cream sauce with lemon zest and pink peppercorn looks good (and sounds nice rolling off the tongue)and is just it. I’m certain this one doesn’t take too long to make, but in case it does, that glass of wine will come in handy. The lemon glaze on the almond pound cake gives us that illusion of tasting something like heaven in your mouth, so we’re looking forward for tips on that one as well.
Photo Credit: @ayeshacurry on Instagram
All lamb everything
I’m a lover of all things lamb, so when I went digging around Ayesha’s pages, I saw a mention of a lamb and beef ragu and a video of Ayesha making a quick and easy dish of lamb chops with a fig balsamic vinegar dipping sauce. The meatiness of lamb adds to any dish, as well as, is sure to get leave you full (if done right). We’re crossing fingers for the ragu recipe in The Seasoned Life.
My first attempt at classic paella! I'll add more shellfish next time. Stuck with chicken, shrimp and chorizo. #yummy A photo posted by Ayesha Curry (@ayeshacurry) on
Paella
Seafood is the way to my heart and a combination of shrimp, chicken, and chorizo (spicy Spanish pork) in a saffron rice is an entire meal in itself. I’m not sure if Ayesha threw mussels in this one, but the texture and taste of the ingredients she used for her dish makes for a great Sunday side dish. Paella isn’t an instant type of rice that takes about 10 minutes to make, but the time and effort it takes to perfect this one, is worth every minute if done right. Ayesha, we’re hoping you stuck this one in somewhere!
What are you hoping to see in Ayesha Curry's cookbook? Let us know in the comment section or on Twitter @xonecole!
RELATED
What do I personally think about cuffing season? I think it’s more than a notion and you should proceed with caution. As far as the subset of it that is known as winter coating, though — well, as you’re about to see, if you’re going to try to take it on, you absolutely need to know what you are getting yourself into because if you lie to yourself, it may not exactly give you the results that you were looking for.
Read on to see what I mean by that…
What Is the Science Behind Cuffing Season?
GiphyOkay, so first let’s get into if cuffing season is a “real thing” or not. Well, from what I’ve read and researched, apparently, someone should send an artist by the name of Musa Murchison a Cash App because, although she isn’t the originator of the phrase, she does seem to be the one who made it popular by shouting it out back in 2008 on her campus radio show. And yes, beyond the term being something that comes up on social media, like clockwork, right around this time every year, there does seem to be some real science behind it all — even if you want to chalk what I’m about to say up to being nothing more than mere coincidence.
What do I mean specifically? Well, being that cuffing season is (generally) all about finding someone to boo/bae up with before the weather drops below freezing, only to potentially break up with said-person once the temperatures start to rise again — did you know that dating apps tend to pick up on traffic between October and December (although the most popular dating app day is Dating Sunday which is in January)?
Did you also know that dating, in general, tends to happen the most between November and February? And, if you do decide to take what I just said seriously, it also shouldn’t surprise you that most children (in the US) are conceived during the fall and winter seasons as well. So yeah, at the very least, it does seem like people want to get “closer than close” the colder it gets outdoors.
And exactly why is that? Chile, you can read an article that I wrote for the platform last year entitled, “Did You Know Fall & Winter Are The Best Times To Have Sex?” to put two and two together on that tip.
Cooler (and even rainier) weather. Pumpkins (which are a bona fide aphrodisiac; especially for men) being in abundance. Being indoors more often. The romance of the holiday season. Shifts in our DNA making us hornier (not to mention the fact that men find women more attractive during the colder months — no joke). All of these things literally help to create the perfect storm as far as cuffing season is concerned.
8 Interesting Straight-Up Facts About Cuffing Season
GiphyI’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned in one of these articles on here before that a web series I enjoyed watching last year is called Cuddle Season. You can currently watch it on — yep, you guessed it — Tubi; it’s all about some not-so-slim fellas adoring what the cooler weather brings them as far as female company is concerned. LOL. As I thought about it and all of the other intel that I just provided, I decided to further solidify the impact that cuffing season provides by bullet pointing a few other semi-fascinating facts.
1. 1 in 3 individuals find cuffing season to be a real phenomenon, although more millennials are caught up in the hype than those who are older than they are (by the way, 54 percent of Gen Zers find the holiday season to be the perfect time for finding a potential partner too).
2. Although around 30 percent of individuals think that cuffing season is mostly about staying warm, about 45 percent think it’s more about avoiding loneliness.
3. 60 percent of people who tend to feel lonely during the fall and winter will rely on dating apps to bring about some sort of mental and emotional relief.
4. Getting “cuffed up” has actually been proven to reduce anxiety and stress.
5. Not everyone thinks that cuffing season is (potentially) selfish or shallow. In fact, the most engagements transpire between November and January.
6. Know all of those holiday movies where single people fake being in a relationship during the holiday season in order to avoid any pressure from family members and friends? Apparently, it’s art imitating real life because one popular study revealed that a whopping 40 percent of singles have asked a friend to pretend to be their date during the holiday season.
7. Testosterone levels are higher in men during cooler months while being lower in hotter seasons. Women’s eggs are apparently in optimal condition during the fall and wintertime too.
8. Some researchers actually finding “cuffing” to be a means of literal survival due to the fact that (affectionate) touch lowers stress and, since stress is attached to health-related issues like digestive issues, a lower libido, irregular cycles, heart disease, headaches, depression and shortened longevity — well, yes, cuffing season could potentially be a lifesaver.
Okay, So What Is Winter Coating All About?
GiphyAight, so now that you know more about cuffing season than you possibly ever thought that you would, what in the world does the dating term “winter coating” come from? Well, the long-short of it is…what some of y’all call “spinning the block?” How I oftentimes see it is “hitting a cul-de-sac.” LOL. Yes chile, if you decide to participate in winter coating activities during cuffing season, what you’re essentially doing is making the intentional decision to either reach out to an ex or — respond to one who decides to call, text, DM or email you, seemingly out of the blue.
Now the interesting thing about winter coating is it’s not really something that dating experts are thrilled about. One reason is because if someone is in your past, you’ve got to remember that it got to that point for a purpose. Another issue is because, well, why did you/they wait until cuffing season to try and reach out/rekindle something?
Usually, the motive for that is because, oftentimes, the combination of nostalgia mixed with the feeling that love bombing is easier to do on an ex than anyone else. And while that indeed may be true, does that sound healthy and long-term beneficial to you? Yeah, me neither.
Yeah honestly, when you really stop to think about it, winter coating seems a lot like what we do with our actually winter gear — we cram it somewhere where we don’t have to deal with it until it gets cold outside and then we pull it out from a closet, hope chest or under our bed to use it all (and up) for a couple of months — until we don’t need it anymore…and then we discard it all over again. SMDH.
So, if you’re someone who is an avid fan or big-time participant of cuffing season, before you decide to bring winter coating into the mix, really ponder if it’s a good idea or wise decision — because doing something that keeps you warm for a few weeks only for it to turn you cold afterwards…that typically turns out to be more counterproductive than anything else.
5 Tips for Guarding Your Heart (and Perhaps Genitalia) During Cuffing Season
GiphyMatter of fact, while we’re on the topic of cuffing season overall, let me share a few tips to keep you as unscathed as possible, period:
1. To thine own self be true. It’s a French philosopher by the name of Jean de La Bruyère who once said, “It's motive alone which gives character to the actions of men.” You know, the reason why a lot of people trip their own selves up in life is because they aren’t being honest with themselves about WHY they do the things that they do. That said, if you’re going into cuffing season just to have someone to cuddle up and watch Hallmark movies with until spring — have at it.
However, if you’re using cuffing season in hopes of getting something more out of it, SAY THAT. The more honest you are with yourself about your intentions, the less disappointed, disillusioned or hurt you will be…regardless of how things may play out in the end. You were genuine. Karma has taken note.
2. Think about your short and long-term (relational) goals. Let’s be real — for most people, cuffing season is a short-term goal. So, if you want something that is fleeting, do you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something more meaningful, playing all of the games that come with cuffing season is not going to be your best bet — especially when it comes to the whole winter coating thing.
Yeah, please keep that in mind as you and your ex are taking a walk down memory lane because, more times than not? It’s probably going to lead to (another) dead end. If not immediately…eventually. Bottom line with this one: cuffing season only thinks about the present. Make sure that you also factor in your future.
3. If he’s your ex, don’t sugarcoat why. I’m not the person who thinks that an ex can’t be upcycled — just make sure that you aren’t merely recycling him. The difference? Recycling is using something old (or used) all over again. Upcycling is taking something old (or used) and making it better. That said, sometimes time gives people the opportunity to grow and that can make the “take two” of a relationship better.
Just make sure that if you are entertaining getting back with an ex that you are real with yourself about why the relationship ended to begin with. If you see signs of that mess/drama/ridiculousness still hovering around — cuffing season or not, you should probably take a pass. Why let him infiltrate your holiday season with some bullshishery that you will carry with you for years to come? Girl, uh-uh.
4. DO NOT follow your heart. If you’ve read enough of my relational content, you know that I can’t stand the motto, “Follow your heart”. The fact that it’s not biblical should be reason enough — and it’s not because Jeremiah 17:9-10 says that the heart is deceitful and that’s because emotions can indeed cause you to think/believe that something is one way when it may indeed be something else. And so, as you go into cuffing season this year, follow facts and reality.
That is biblical too: “It’s best to stay in touch with both sides of an issue. A person who fears God deals responsibly with all of reality, not just a piece of it.” (Ecclesiastes 7:18 — Message) In other words, if how you feel is conflicting with what you see — pause, ponder and reflect.
5. Avoid peer (and social media) pressure as best you can. I don’t even know if people would give a damn (at least so much) about cuffing season if social media didn’t talk about it so much. And don’t even get me started on just like peer pressure can get kids and teens to go against their core values and/or participate in risky behavior, it can impact adults in a similar fashion.
Bottom line with this point: Don’t engage in cuffing season or winter coating just because you see other people doing it. If your mind, body and spirit are telling you that it’s not what’s best for you — TAP OUT. You’ll be just fine.
____
Winter coating. Hmph.
Your best bet: Buy one to wear and avoid this dating trend.
The former is an investment. Chances are the latter is a complete waste (of time).
Just sayin’.
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