If you’ve ever dined at Nashville’s 5th & Taylor or Alleia and 2nd American in Chattanooga, then you’ve enjoyed the work of culinary director Rebecca Barron. She gave us a peek into her kitchen and shared her secret shopping spots + a drink recipe that we’re dying to try.
4 ingredients in Barron’s kitchen
Aromatics — We’re talking yellow sweet onions, garlic, and ginger. Barron gave us a pro tip for peeling ginger: Use a spoon. It’s easier than a knife.
Basmati rice — Barron has been to India a few times, so she always keeps around the basics to cook her favorite Indian dishes. That includes long grain basmati rice with the extra long grains.
Canned tomatoes — In Music City, the Nashville Farmers Market is her go-to. If she’s in Chattanooga, her favorite is the Main Street Farmers Market.
Spices — Barron keeps Thai green chilis and curry leaves in her freezer. Keep reading to find out where she gets them.
3 spots Barron shops
Asian Food and Gift — Barron said this shop on Hixson Pike “is one of my favorite grocery stores in the world. I just love them. They’re so sweet there. They’re always giving helpful recommendations.”
Janta Farmers Market — This tops Barron’s list because “They have all the spices, and they’re the cheapest there out of anywhere.”
Farmers markets — Main Street Farmers Market and the Nashville Farmers Market are her go-tos. Look out for her favorite stands: Linda’s Produce, Midway Mushrooms, and Hancock Family Farms.
2 gadgets in Barron’s kitchen
Barron loves her food processor, but there is one gadget she can’t live without. A pressure cooker. Her mom bought her this model, and now she can’t live without it.
We confessed that our pressure cooker didn’t work for us, and Barron gave us a tip — try a bigger one. Pressure cookers need “plenty of space to build up the pressure,” and if they’re too small, they won’t work as well.
1 ingredient that makes everything better
Barron’s answer was immediate: “Butter.”
She even shared a recipe for butter coffee with us. Blend hot coffee with butter, cocoa, cinnamon, honey, and a little cream.
