Whenever Groundhog Day rolls around, we’re always immediately reminded of the wonderful, eponymous 1993 movie starring Bill Murray. In the film, Murray plays an arrogant weatherman who finds himself forced to repeat the same day again and again. We asked some of our cookbook authors: If you found yourself trapped in Murray’s situation, what meal would you choose to cook again and again? Here’s what they had to say:
Fried Chicken in a Cast Iron Skillet
Groundhog Day is one of my all-time favorite movies. I can quote the whole thing. Every time I watch it I wonder what it would be like to only cook one dish, over and over. For me, that would be fried chicken. I mean, it’s delicious, and if every day was re-set, I’d never notice it on my waistline, no matter how much I indulged.
—Rachael Narins, author of Cast-Iron Cooking
Caveman T-bone
You’ve got your meat. You’ve got your vegetables (jalapenos and garlic). You can make it start to finish in 20 minutes and the wow power is off the charts.
—Steven Raichlen, author of Barbecue Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades
72-Hour Pizza Dough
Maybe I should frame this as a hypothetical to feel better about myself, but not only do I think I could eat 72-hour Pizza Dough on endless loop, I’m pretty sure I actually have. The “72 hour” part is a bit of a misnomer since it can actually hang out in the fridge for much longer. And it improves with age. I like to add some whole wheat flour, in which case it really does benefit from a longer refrigeration time to soften the edges of the whole wheat flavor.
—Daniel Shumski, author of Will It Skillet?
New Jersey Sloppy Joe
The sandwich is sacred in New Jersey and the deli sloppy joe is a deity. The combination of meats, cheese, crisp coleslaw, sweet and tangy Russian dressing on slightly spicy and rich rye . . . this sandwich has it all. I’ve often said that I’d want this to be my last meal, so I think I’d be happy with it for eternity.
—John Holl, author of Dishing Up New Jersey
Heirloom Tomatoes on Country Toast
My Groundhog Day would have to be in the middle of August when the tomatoes are bursting. My meal wouldn’t require a recipe, it would be a thick slice of country bread, toasted really well, with a slice of a super-ripe heirloom tomato on top, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Maldon salt.
—Alison Cayne, author of The Haven’s Kitchen Cooking School
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