Food Writer, Cook, Enthusiast, Adventurer.

Hi! I’m Amanda and I love to cook.

Through years of working Front of House in Michelin Star NYC restaurants, I honed my skill at illuminating the rapture of a sunchoke and the rarity of a ramp, all the while clamoring back to my East Village-sized kitchen to emulate plates and develop my own recipes. As the descendent of Sri Lankan and New England heritage, I’ve cultivated a palate for archival treasures (tomato aspic!), spicy curries (the hotter the better), and gastronomic adventure. Now, I hope to experience a kaleidoscope of cuisines, make infinite dishes, and write about it.  

Great loves (amongst others): all cheeses, anchovies, asparagus, avocados, bacon, bread, (esp.) burrata, butter, capers, cilantro, chilies, citrus, curries of all sorts, eggs of all sorts, eggplant, hot sauce, mangosteens, marmite, mayonnaise, paté, pickles, potatoes in all forms, prosecco, rambutan, rhubarb, smoked fish, toasted nuts, tomatoes, and truffles. 

Certificate in Food Writing, Maine Media Workshops (2019).

Food Writing

For The Takeout:

The 10 Best Snacks for Holiday Travel

For The Kitchn:

11 Groceries My Sri Lankan Aunties Always Have on Hand

Hot Dog! A Frank History

10 French Groceries I Reach for When I Want to Relive That Je Ne Sais Quoi

Agostina Recca: These Little Fishies Might Change Your Mind About Anchovies

6 Favorite South Asian Snacks in Honor of AAPI Month

Celebrate Summer with Ketchup’s Kickier Cousin

10 Things You Should Know Before Shopping at Lidl for the First Time

Take a European Holiday with Lidl’s Croissants

Trader Joe’s Miso Ginger Dumpling Soup

This Simple TikTok Solution Will Help Organize Your Skillets (and More)

(Images below styled and photographed by Amanda Marikar for The Kitchn)

GeeGee’s Christmas Stollen (Cristöllen)

Adapted from the Gourmet Cookbook Vol. 2

Yield: 2 Large Loaves

The Night Before Baking:

FRUIT:

⅔ C Sultanas

⅔ C Raisins 

¼ C Currants

⅓ C Dried Cranberries

⅛ C Dried Bing Cherries, unsweetened

⅛ C Dried Tart Cherries, unsweetened

½ C Brandy, Cognac, or Bourbon

METHOD:

• Soak Sultanas, Raisins, Currants, Cranberries, Bing Cherries, and Tart Cherries in Brandy, Cognac, or Bourbon, overnight (or up to a couple of days in advance), covered, on the countertop.

On Baking Day:

ADDITIONAL FRUIT and NUTS:

¾ C Blanched Almonds and Hazelnuts (Skins Removed), roasted and chopped

⅛ C Dried Lightly-Sweetened Pineapple, roughly chopped

¼ C Candied Orange Peel, cut into small pieces

¼ C Candied Lemon Peel, cut into small pieces

⅛ C Candied Ginger, finely chopped

METHOD:

• Stir Roasted Nuts, Pineapple, Candied Citrus Peel, and Candied Ginger into Brandy-Soaked Fruit Mixture. Set aside.

DOUGH INGREDIENTS:

1 C Milk, scalded

½ C Sugar

1 tsp Salt

6.5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 Package Dry Yeast (2 ¼ tsp)

¼ C Warm Water

4 C Flour, divided (1 C + 3 C)

2 Eggs, room temperature

1 tsp Vanilla

Zest of ½ Lemon

Marzipan (7 or 8 oz. tube, we use Odense)

Cinnamon Sugar (Approx. 1 Tbsp of Cinnamon per ¼ C of Granulated Sugar)

Confectioners’ Sugar, for dusting

METHOD:

1. Scald 1 C Milk (warm in a saucepan until just below boiling, 180-185 F)

2. Add ½ C Sugar, 1 tsp Salt, and 6.5 Tbsp Butter. Stir until butter is melted. Let cool to lukewarm.

3. Proof Yeast: Dissolve Yeast (1 envelope or 2 ¼ tsp) and 1 tsp Sugar in ¼ cup warm water (100-110° F). Proof in a warm place for 10 minutes, until bubbly and doubled in size. 

4. Add proofed Yeast into the Milk, Sugar, Salt, and Butter mixture. 

5. Stir in 1 C Flour. Let batter rest in a warm place until it is bubbly. (Approximately 30 minutes-1 hour. A cool oven works well.)

6. Beat 2 Eggs. Add Beaten Eggs, Vanilla, and Lemon Zest to batter. 

7. Stir in about 3 C Flour, a bit at a time (enough to make a light but not-sticky dough).

8. Knead in Fruit and Nut mixture. Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, sprinkling and incorporating more flour as necessary (you will very likely need to add more flour at this stage). 

9. Cover dough loosely with a clean tea towel. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. (Back in the cool oven.)

10. Punch down the dough. Divide into two parts, and let the halves rest for 10 minutes.

11. Flatten each half into an oval, about ¾ inch thick.

12. Brush each half with melted Butter.

13. Sprinkle each half with Cinnamon Sugar. 

14. Divide Marzipan into two halves. Roll each half into a rope slightly shorter than the length of the dough ovals. Position a marzipan rope in the center of each oval. 

15. Fold the ovals not quite in half (like large Parker House rolls), pinching the ends firmly together. Tuck in any protruding or loose pieces of Fruit, so that they do not burn. 

16. Cover an insulated baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Place the loaves on the baking sheet(s), making sure they have space to rise. Brush loaves with melted Butter. Lightly cover with a clean tea towel.

17. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

18. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

19. Bake the loaves for 35-40 minutes until golden, checking constantly, rotating baking sheet(s) when necessary, and tenting with foil if the tops brown too quickly. Tap loaves lightly with your fingers: a hollow sound indicates that they are done. 

20. Dust warm loaves with Confectioners’ Sugar. Allow to cool. Dust again with a thick layer of Confectioners’ Sugar to finish. Decorate with pieces of fruit and nuts, if desired. 

21. Enjoy immediately, or wrap tightly in parchment, then foil, then plastic wrap, and cure at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, allowing flavors to develop. Opt.: Toast under the broiler until lightly golden around the edges. Apply a generous pat of salted butter, allowing it to melt and pool in the crannies of the warm slice.