AT THE TABLE with Alexis deBoschnek
Meant to capture the feeling of a casual conversation around the table while connecting over a homemade meal, we ask our muses to a share a small glimpse into their daily lives and a recipe that they hold dear.
Reminiscent of an early Martha Stewart, Alexis lives what many might consider to be ‘the dream life.’ On a gorgeous farm in upstate New York she raises poultry with her husband, writes recipes for leading food publications, and regularly hosts large gatherings of friends for home cooked meals. Dinner for 20? She makes it look effortless and does it with a warm, radiating smile.
Her new cookbook, Nights & Weekends, gives us all an extended invitation to her table. Below she shares a recipe from the book with us and answers a handful of our questions.
-Kira
What recipe are you sharing with us?
CRAB PASTA with PISTACHIOS & OLIVES
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 (16-ounce) box long pasta of choice
1 (8-ounce) container lump crabmeat, picked through for shells
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, coarsely chopped
1 cup raw shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup packed fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta in a colander.
- While the pasta is boiling, add the crab, olives, pistachios, scallions, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the pasta to the bowl with the crab and toss to combine. Add the mint, toss again, and serve.
*Alexis's Crab Pasta with Pistachios and Olives served in our Pillar Deep Serving Bowl.
What’s a typical day for you?
Living on a farm (we have 14 Icelandic horses and raise pastured poultry) and working as a freelance recipe developer and cookbook author means no two days are the same. While the farm chores always have to get done, the rest of my days are filled with testing recipes, writing, shooting videos, working in the garden, and maintaining our 100-acre property.
What's a favorite memory you've shared in your home?
My husband and I moved from Los Angeles back to my childhood home in the Catskills in 2020. I feel really lucky to get to continue making memories at my favorite place in the world. That said, our wedding was a highlight. We got married under a giant willow tree that we can see from our bedroom window. Cocktail hour was in our garden and dinner and dancing were under a tent on our lawn. I loved getting to have my dream dinner party with 100 of our closest people!
What is your favorite season and why?
Summertime in the Catskills is unparalleled.
What’s your favorite thing to serve at a dinner party?
Every dinner party is different! I love a theme and I love thinking about what certain people will get excited about. If you tell me you love lemon bars you can bet I'll serve them the next time you're over. I really just want to create a space where my friends can be surprised and delighted by whatever is served.
Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you serve desserts after dinner?
While I don't have a sweet tooth I always make it a point to serve dessert when I'm hosting dinner parties. For one, I know other people mostly want dessert. Two, I feel like it rounds out the meal and delivers a full experience. Sometimes dessert is a pavlova; other times it's store-bought ice cream, and let me tell you, people are happy with either.
Are you a coffee or tea person?
Tea all the way! I actually start my day with about 3 cups of chamomile tea, which I know sounds crazy, but I feel like my energy is high enough without coffee and tea calms me down.
Bonus Q- Current favorite beauty product?
Olja's Radiant Floral Concentrate
Find Alexis on her Substack and Instagram
Photography by Christian Harder.
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