Here’s how I came to be sitting on my living room floor, in my pajama top, wiping my hands on a ripped pair of house jeans, chew-shoving toasted brioche smothered in spicy honey cheese into my mouth: I went to spin class.
A few years ago when I lived in Venice (CA, not Italy), I’d go to a quaint little exercise class called Soul Cycle. Actually, Soul Cycle was never quaint, and no workout in Santa Monica is to be taken lightly… those beach people are SERIOUS. But! I’d go to Soul Cycle, it was on the high end of my exercise budget but hey.. I’m a Californian and I’ll splurge to exercise my thighs into submission. The spin classes are essentially super-intense stationary cardio bike rides set to super loud, so so loud club music. Sometimes it’s Mariah Carey and everything is right in the world.
In New Orleans, no one moves the speed of spin class, and God bless it. It just doesn’t make sense. But when I’m back in California I treat (treat?) myself to a spin, a deafening in-place spin.
Here are some thoughts:
- There are two places I want to hear Seal’s Kiss From A Rose. 1. Inside a burgundy Toyota Camry Solara WITH SEAL HIMSELF. 2. In spin class while everyone is setting up their bikes for impeding torture.
- The front row of spin class is a big deal. Imagine all of the girls from the movie Mean Girls except in their mid to late twenties, wearing expensive work out clothes, vying for teacher’s attention, in a dark noisy workout room… also they have their butts in your face. They all have good hair, too. And probably a lot of credit card debt (speculation).
- The spin instructors thighs will be skinnier than a normal human’s arms. Just know that going in.
- The music is so loud, you won’t be able to hear yourself think. That’s perfect. If you were able to think you’d realize that , EVERYTHING HURTS. Just pedal to the beat (or to the fancy pants in front of you) and try not to die.
- Trying not to die is exactly and all you’re doing in spin class. The instructors will throw out some encouraging mantras and quotes… essentially all they’re saying is ‘hey, try not to die’.
So… I went to spin class. And then I flew back to New Orleans and ate a bunch of cheese. All is back to normal. All is well.
Our ingredients are simple: two kinds of cream cheese, the power of a stand mixer and whisk attachment, honey, spicy salt, and black pepper.
Ricotta and cream cheese will smooth and fluff into a light and spreadable dream. And Jacobsen Ghost Chili Pepper Sea Salt combined with honey is more perfect that I know how to say.
After five minutes of medium-speed whisking, the ricotta and cream cheese (and a good splash of heavy cream) will be aerated, light and smooth.
It’s incredible the way ricotta smooths under agitation. I wish I were as malleable.
While spreadable cheese is certainly appropriate any time of day, I think this sweet and spicy ricotta is a really lovely brunch addition. By Brunch I mean, you sitting alone on your living room floor with a bowl of this cheese, a few slices of toasted brioche, hard-boiled eggs, and hot coffee. That’s really the only way I brunch, on my floor alone… I’m sure you’re just like me.
PrintWhipped Ricotta with Honey and Ghost Pepper Salt
- Prep Time: 20
- Total Time: 20
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk if that’s what you have)
- ghost chili pepper sea salt + fresh cracked black pepper + honey
- toasted bread and hard boiled eggs for serving
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth and pliable. Stop the mixer and add ricotta and cream. Beat on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture is less grainy and fluffed. Remove from the mixer and place in a bowl of platter. Sprinkle generously with spicy sea salt, black pepper, and a good drizzle of honey. Serve with toasted bread and hard-boiled eggs. Enjoy!
Catherine Atchison Clements
am making this for a halloween party tonight! so excited to try the ghost pepper salt!
joythebaker
spooky ghost pepper salt!! i like your style!
Ryan @ Feed by Round Pond
I’ve been to a few of those super intense spin classes – they certainly work, but it’s so much more pleasant to ride around the countryside instead. Minding cars of course!
This recipe sounds great! I might use our Chili Salt instead, though.
SeattleDee
too old to enjoy the pain of spinning but loving any excuse to enjoy this whipped ricotta honey delight!
Julie @ Cooks with Cocktails
So funny lol. I would need two spin classes after eating this lovely food, but I think it would be worth it… This sounds DIVINE! Im imagining all the ways I could try it….
brianne
I still love that song. :)
anna@icyvioletskitchen
i haven’t spun a spin class since i was a teenager – i don’t think they’d even let me in one, now! this cheese business, however, i will take please.
Suzanne
Okay, so I AM a spin instructor, so let me just say, (1) hahaha!!! And (2) I do not understand how/why an instructor could have skinny thighs, unless they’re just faking it up there. Most instructors (self included) have beautiful quads of thunder and worry only about not developing a t-rex body (=huge legs +tiny arms). And (3), yes, if you were wondering, your spin instructor really does enjoy torturing you (for your own good of course… Err). It’s a very satisfying job, AND requires additional caloric intake, I.e. eating more baked goods. It’s a win-win-win.
ketchumkitchen
This looks so amazing!
Diane
You make me laugh with your perfect take on spin class!! Thanks. Looking forward to your brunch cookbook????
Rémy Robert
joy! you should come to spinning with me sometime at higher power in mid-city! they have an AMAZING (brutal) class on sunday evenings: 35-minute spin, 15-minute high intensity intervals, 35-minute power yoga. it has become my ritual and enables me to keep eating everything i want in this city we call home. it’s also a great community — co-ed, not prissy, and a different theme each week (this week’s was atlanta vs. NOLA so there was a lot of nelly, ying-yang twins, etc.).
Amy B in Portland
You continue to entertain me Joy The Baker. I love all Jacobsen Salts and am so happy you have it in New Orleans. BTW, I’m still working on giving at least one compliment a day. Good thinkin’.
birthday cupcake
ohh my gosh, I wil enjoy try these for my family table
Ashlyn @ The Pedantic Foodie
Haha, I loved this post! And that cheese! I cannot wait to try making my own whipped ricotta! I think I’ll forgo the spin class all together and stick to what I’m truly good at – eating.
Loretta brooks
Hi Joy! I LOVE your writing and your description of spin class is hysterical! Having just finished reading “After You” by JoJo Moyes, I’ve decided that you are Louisa… Funny, caring, spontaneous, creative and all around great woman. BTW, I don’t bake much and I’m 79 years old but I so look forward to your articles. Keep at it!!!
Mary
Ha! I need to get back into the serious exercise groove. But I love the idea of honey and ghost pepper salt with ricotta. What a perfect alignment of sweet, spicy, salty, creamy!