Tanya Sichynsky
Food writer
Tanya Sichynsky is a senior staff editor for The New York Times and NYT Cooking, and she writes the Veggie, NYT Cooking’s vegetarian newsletter. Tanya grew up in the Atlanta suburbs with a Cuban mother and a Ukrainian father, both of whom are from New York City.
Recipes
Basque Cheesecake
Tanya Sichynsky · NYT Cooking
Generously burnished and with a velvety, custardy interior, this rustic, crustless cheesecake from the Basque region of northern Spain is the platonic ideal of a low-effort, high-reward dessert. The caramelized exterior evokes a toasty marshmallow, but the cake itself is not too sweet. Marti Buckley adapted this recipe from La Viña, a small bar in San Sebastián, for her cookbook, “Basque Country” (Artisan, 2018). This statement cake is achieved using only five primary ingredients. It’s baked at a higher temperature than a classic New York cheesecake and in the hot oven, the cheesecake dramatically inflates into a soufflé-like puff before sinking into itself, creating a cradle for fresh fruit, should you wish to serve it with some. But Basque cheesecake is perfect on its own, at its arguable prime the day after it’s made, enjoyed at room temperature. Tanya Sichynsky
S’mores
Tanya Sichynsky · NYT Cooking
The perfect campfire s’more is perfect because it’s a reflection of you: Maybe you reach for dark chocolate rather than stick to milky bars or swap in cookies or saltines for the graham crackers. But there are a few best practices, including tool and setup tips from the camp-cooking experts Megan McDuffie, Michael van Vliet and Kena Peay that ensure the marshmallow roasts to gooey, charred excellence and the chocolate surrenders to the heat of the marshmallow, melting but not liquifying. While delicious s’mores can be achieved indoors with a microwave, broiler, gas stovetop or even a candle with some fight in it, a campfire or fire pit imparts a nostalgic woodsy smokiness. Add-ons like jam, peanut butter, chile flakes or fresh berries are fun to try out. What’s nonnegotiable is that you enjoy s’mores with friends, fellow campers, grandchildren or whomever you love.
Vegan Salted Maple Ginger Pie
Tanya Sichynsky · NYT Cooking
Like a ginger ale at 30,000 feet, this zippy pie might just be the thing to settle your stomach after a Thanksgiving feast. It’s the result of trying to combine two tofu-based desserts — Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s vegan pumpkin cheesecake and Andrea Nguyen’s dòuhuā — to create something fresh and distinctive for the holiday table. Ample salt in both the crust and the filling helps this vegan dessert avoid saccharine territory. Starchy and mild Japanese sweet potato provides plenty of structure in the egg-free custard without competing with the assertive fresh ginger or the warming depth of maple, but a sweet potato pie this is not. It’s a treat for real ginger lovers, so if you’re on the fence, feel free to adjust the quantity of grated ginger (and maple extract while you’re at it, see Tip) to your preference. The beauty of a vegan pie is that you can taste and adjust the filling as you prepare it.