Carter’s Kitchen No. 7
Ally Walsh, Los Angeles
I’ve been a long time follower of Ally Walsh and the coffee business, Canyon Coffee, which she co-founded. Although I haven’t yet visited one of her cafes (there’s one in LA and a new one just opened in New York), I’ve had the pleasure of trying their coffee beans before on my stovetop coffee pot.
Where is your kitchen, and what does it look out onto?
Our kitchen looks out onto our front yard in Mount Washington. There are hills in the distance, bougainvillea blooming most of the year, and jasmine growing just outside the windows. When the jasmine is in bloom, the whole kitchen smells incredible.
What’s the first thing you do when you walk into it?
The first thing I do is make coffee. It’s how I start every day.
What’s usually left out on the bench or always within reach?
Coffee, almond butter, and fruit. There’s often a drawing or craft project Sonny was working on nearby too.
What do you make when you don’t feel like cooking at all?
Probably some version of a rice bowl with scrambled eggs, greens, and avocado. It’s simple, comforting, and usually made with whatever we already have in the fridge.
What’s something you cook on repeat?
Broiled salmon with roasted sweet potatoes and carrots, avocado, a big green salad, and black rice. I think Sonny and I could happily eat it a few nights a week and never get tired of it.
Describe a meal that felt really good recently.
The kale pasta from your second cookbook and a cold glass of orange wine. I make that pasta all the time. We ate outside on a warm evening and it felt like summer had finally arrived.
Who or what taught you how to cook?
My grandpa, living on my own, and a lot of trial and error. I cook pretty intuitively and tend to keep things simple and unfussy.
Who do you most like cooking for (or eating with)?
My son Sonny. He’s almost 5 years old and has very strong opinions about food! Making things together has become one of my favorite parts of parenting.
What’s a small food ritual or habit you have?
Almond butter toast and coffee almost every morning. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s how I like to start the day.
What is something you love making?
Smoothies, chocolate chip banana muffins, pesto pasta and pancakes with Sonny. We make all four often. I also love making simple rice bowls and soups in the winter. In the summer, I look forward to all the stone fruit and figs. We’re lucky to have incredible farmers markets nearby, and a lot of what I cook starts there.
Where do you eat your meals most of the time?
Usually at our dining room table or around the kitchen island, often with the doors open to the yard. Our house is pretty open, so meals tend to blend into work, drawing, and whatever project Sonny and I are in the middle of.
What do you like listening to in your kitchen?
Sonny is very into Curious Kid Podcast and The Fact Detectives, so those are on pretty constantly these days!
What’s something slightly imperfect in your kitchen that you still use?
My favorite Canyon mug. It’s chipped and stained, and I should probably replace it, but I never do.
A meal or food moment that stays with you:
Picking figs straight from a tree outside our hotel in Sicily last summer and eating them by the water with a coffee before anyone else was awake.
Follow Ally Walsh here and Canyon coffee here.
I always love ending these kitchen conversations with a recipe that feels true to the person. Ally writes so beautifully about simple meals, slow mornings and cooking with Sonny, so it felt only right to finish with a smoothie which she likes to make often. At the moment, my kids love smoothies bowls and I hope it becomes one of your favourites too.
