I first discovered Sohla El-Waylly in the early days of the pandemic, when Bon Appétit Test Kitchen videos were all the rage. She was by far my favorite contributor to that series, and now that she’s promoting her own cookbook and recently became a mom, this was the perfect time to catch up with her.

So today, we talk a bit about “Start Here,” the A to Z guide that took Sohla 3 years to write. She also shares her go-to meal when she doesn’t feel like cooking – a surprisingly common feeling for a recipe developer. 

But we actually spend more time talking about the ups and downs of new mom life: balancing work and parenthood, sharing childcare with a partner, and the unpleasant realities of post-birth recovery that both of us felt woefully unprepared for. (Why don’t they tell you about this stuff?)

We also get into:

* What it’s been like to bring a baby and a 500-page book into the world almost simultaneously

* How she prepared for postpartum mental health challenges 

* Lies we were told about breastfeeding and postpartum weight loss

* The toy her 5-month-old is obsessed with, that Cash was also obsessed with

* Family members buying impractical baby clothes (buttons… in the back?)

* Discovering free stuff to do with kids in New York

* Her forthcoming podcast

* Her egg, steamed rice, and greens recipe 

Links: 

* Get the chicken soup + masa dumplings reeipe from Sohla's new book here: https://whattocook.substack.com/p/sohla-el-waylly-helps-you-conquer

* Fisher-Price Kick & Play mat

* John Legend performing the Kick & Play “purple monkey” song (IYKYK)

* GAP vintage soft classic jogger pant

* Magnetic Me onesies

* Sohla’s History Channel TV show, Ancient Recipes

* Sohla’s New York Times bylines

* Her newsletter, Hot Dish

* Sohla’s book: Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook

* Her book tour dates

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