Brine your chicken cutlets in a saltwater solution (4 cups water to ¹⁄₄ cup salt and 3 Tbsp sugar) a half hour before they hit the grill. The salt breaks down muscle fibers, allowing the chicken to absorb moisture and preventing the fibers from contracting excessively from the heat, which would release the natural moisture. After brining, season it as you wish.

The beauty of seeing people and having face-to-face conversations is something I revel in these days, and I’m sure you can relate. Just today, I had a friend over in my backyard and we were discussing the FT Pesach content (it had been that long since we spoke). We were talking about how in magazine-land we completely U-turned a good chunk of our content to make it relevant for the times. My friend expressed sympathy at how challenging it must have been.

I agreed but then said, “You know what, I enjoyed that challenge.” It was an adrenaline rush that got me going, and I knew the content would be well-embraced by you, our readers. (In that moment I conveniently forgot the ridiculously late nights and the roller-coaster ride it was for way too long.)

The bottom line is that newness is sometimes necessary, and it’s always a good challenge. When we realize what works and what can work better, we can change the way we approach old formulas.

Summer affords us with a long stretch to invite in some newness, which is exactly what I did this week. It’s been a long time, but once in a while Family Table invites a guest to bring something new to the mix. This week, Bassie Parnes shares recipes with a large focus on healthful and simple flavors that fall into the “last-minute-fresh” category in my book.

I know you’ll love the change of pace

Chanie Nayman

Food Editor, Family Table

Top Snacks

If you’re road-tripping this summer, the food scene in the car can be hard to navigate. Here are the top three snacks that are always on our list:

1. Frozen water bottles (sometimes they’re partially juice) so it takes a long time and eff ort to get drips out.

2. Original Dipsy Doodles.

3. Small chocolate bars (like Smirk bars), which are the perfect size for a treat without melting all over little fingers

Mustard Powder Kicks

I love adding mustard powder to a quick, simple salad dressing. It adds an extra layer of flavor you wouldn’t have expected, and it’s so easy to sprinkle a little bit on!