Around the Table with Meredith Hansen
on her go-to dumpling dinner, the kitchen tool she uses the most, & the village she's built in southern Spain
Hello, friends! I’m excited to continue our interview series with a spotlight on my co-author, Meredith. As mentioned last week, this newsletter came about as a way to document our ongoing WhatsApp voice notes, where we’ve exchanged countless recipes, tips, and motherhood musings/thoughts/complaints over the last few years. Apart from sharing our favorite ways to feed our families, we loved the idea of interviewing more expat parents around the world to hear their stories.
Before we get to the interview, let me tell you something about Meredith: I’m pretty sure I knew we’d be friends before we even met. A mutual friend of ours told me one day, “Have you met Meredith yet? You guys would totally hit it off!” Spoiler alert: We did! And I have a feeling you’re going to like meeting her, too.
A little bit about Meredith
Meredith and her husband, Fernando, moved back to Sevilla (where they met in 2011) from the U.S. in early 2020, right before the world shut down. They wanted a change from the fast-paced, work-first environment they lived in, though they were sad to leave their cozy Brooklyn apartment, friends, and family behind. Sevilla welcomed them back with days full of sunshine, friends and family nearby, and a beautiful home to grow into. Since moving to Sevilla, they’ve welcomed two babies, Fernando, (3 years), and Lola, (3 months), and a cuddly black lab, Brooklyn, into their family.
Meredith has always enjoyed cooking and spending time in the kitchen, but she came to love it after the pandemic, changing to full-time remote work, and becoming a mom. She’s always on the lookout for easy, tasty recipes that the whole family will enjoy (or maybe at least most of the family?).
Cooking & food:
What do you typically eat for breakfast?
A piece of toast with salted butter, sauteed spinach, and one or two eggs. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll saute the spinach and fry the eggs in Red Clay Chili Crisp. Otherwise, I use Andalusian olive oil and sprinkle some Everything but the Bagel seasoning on top. I should note that those two items (chili crisp and seasoning) are things I always bring back from the U.S.
What’s the one kitchen utensil or tool you can’t live without?
All-time favorite: my cast iron skillet! I use it for everything—my favorite roast chicken recipe, a quick and easy lasagna, sauteed veggies, steak, etc. But honestly, these days I get most of my cooking done thanks to my baby carrier, so that is my current favorite tool.
What did your kid’s school serve for lunch today, or what did you pack them?
My 3-year-old, Fernando, ate spaghetti bolognese, an omelette, a salad with carrots and lettuce, fruit, and bread for lunch. I am so grateful that he gets a full, well-balanced meal at school because it takes the pressure off of me a bit. It also means he has a pretty expansive palette. Sure, he loves a buttered noodle as much as any toddler, but he’s pretty open to trying anything. Unless he’s tired, starving, or overstimulated 🙃.
What’s the most surprising thing about grocery shopping in Spain?
I think what surprised me the most was the fact that milk and eggs are not refrigerated, but these days I am surprised by the rising cost of food. That isn’t unique to Spain, but I’ve sure noticed a difference in our weekly grocery bill.
What’s a food you’ve come to love that you’d never tried before moving to Spain?
So many things! I used to be a pretty picky eater and avoided a lot of things because I didn’t know what they were. My father-in-law’s oxtail stew is incredible and I love it when we go to my favorite arrocería to have rice with mushrooms, foie gras, and duck.
What’s your go-to meal when you don’t have time to cook?
Peanut noodles with frozen dumplings, edamame, and/or broccoli. Sounds and tastes fancy, but it takes about 10 minutes to throw together. I use Caroline Chambers’ recipe.
If you had to describe your cooking style in three words, what would they be?
Cozy, flavorful, and simple
What’s one “kitchen hack” you’ve learned since becoming a mom?
Keep a container of dry pancake mix on your shelves. I use the everyday pancake mix recipe from Half Baked Harvest. When we’re in the mood for pancakes or waffles (which is often), I just have to scoop 1 cup of the mix and add an egg, milk, butter, and a little bit of vanilla. Bonus hack: make lots and freeze the leftovers!
What’s one food you miss from the U.S. that you can’t find or recreate in Spain?
Really good ramen.
Family & community:
What’s a local food custom or tradition that you’ve adopted into your own routine?
If Spanish people know one thing, it’s how to make a great broth. I now make broth at least twice per month using the bones leftover from cooking (typically a roast chicken), and others bought specifically for soup. I used to be intimidated by the bones at the butcher counter, but now I can order confidently like the abuelas in front of me! Broth is truly one of the easiest, most nutritious, and comforting foods you can have on a cold winter day. It also makes the most wonderful postpartum drink. I made and froze a bunch before both of my childbirth experiences. During those early days of cluster feeding and contact naps, frozen cubes of broth are a godsend. Just pop two in a mug and stick it in the microwave for a minute. I got the idea from this book.
What’s your go-to meal or dish for hosting friends and family?
Marcela Hazan's bolognese. It requires some work up front, but then you just leave it on the stove all day to soak up all of the flavors. It’s delicious and it makes the house smell incredible. I make it every time my parents come in from the US.
What’s the best food-related memory your family has made since moving to Spain?
My son loves making pancakes with me, and while it’s not a specific memory, it makes me so happy every time he suggests “should we make pam-pakes?” Pancakes are such an American (or at least, not Spanish) breakfast and I love that he loves them.
How have you built a village where you are?
I am so lucky to have been introduced to a large group of American moms in Sevilla. Through that group and through my husband’s friends, I’ve met people who have truly become some of my closest friends over the last few years. I am also very close with my sisters-in-law. We all have kids around the same age, which makes for very fun weekend lunches and a lively family group chat!
Just for fun:
What are you loving reading to/ listening to / watching right now?
Reading: I just finished the series From Blood and Ash and am eagerly awaiting the next installment of the Fourth Wing.
Listening: Cameron Oaks Rogers just did a really great episode on the roommate phase in the postpartum period, and it really resonated with me.
Watching: Shrinking on Apple TV. It’s such a feel-good and laugh-out-loud show!
Where else can I find you on the internet?
Instagram and Goodreads.
If you could only eat one cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I think I’d have to say Japanese. Fresh fish, cozy soups, noodles and dumplings... I’m in.