7 p.m. sunsets are here!
Finally! Plus, churro mochi, so many plantains, and rainbow sprinkles
Well, I hate the headlines but not the weather. It hit sixty degrees in Brooklyn this weekend and the sun set at 6:55 yesterday. Glorious, all around.
Outside of the weather, I remain furious and horrified by the violence the US and Israel are enacting in Iran (and so many other places). The spend of billions a day on utter destruction and cruelty stops me in my tracks at various moments, where I, by sheer accident of birth, get to think about grocery lists and my friends and upcoming trips and if wearing ballet flats for the first time in months will give me a blister. It doesn’t make sense. I don’t have a solution except but if you’re struggling, you’re not alone. War is not the answer, but when is it ever?
Also, a quick scheduling note: I am headed to New Orleans for a long weekend. There will be on Friday newsletter and next week’s newsletter will come on Tuesday. I’m excited for a change of scenery, traveling with Jared, sunshine, and great food. I’ll report back :)
Now, let’s dive in.
Something to cook:
I made broccoli pesto pasta and shared the recipe Lizzi already made it and gave it two thumbs up. I love the very vegetal sauce and the toppings (burrata, walnuts, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest and juice) take it to the next level
Jared made the viral two ingredient cheesecake (biscoff cookies + yogurt, left overnight). He used vanilla skyr and we both really liked it! I don’t think it would be as good with plain yogurt but you could add vanilla for som extra flavor. The texture is really nice and it’s a chance to eat biscoff outside of a flight.
I crossed something off my March cooking bucket list: tofu with a coconut sauce and snap peas. I didn’t have cashews but the dish still worked and I’m excited to have it for lunch today. And I’m now the proud owner of a mint plant (thanks, Zoe) so I used homegrown mint for this.
A reminder that jazzing up jarred marinara with slightly caramelized onions can make Monday night spaghetti a lot more exciting.
Something to order:
Amy and I got drinks and dinner at NK on the Upper East Side. They covered the meal (we left gratuity of course). They have a lovely veggie ramen but our favorite dish was the Japanese egg salad sandwich on toasted milk bread. I would return for that and a drink—both their cocktails and mocktails are well made and served in beautiful vessels and the space is perfect for a catch up with a friend.
After a long day, Julianne, Leah, Jared and I got dinner at Coppelia, a Cuban diner open 24 hours. I hadn’t been there in a while and was very hungry but it was one of the best meals I’ve hade in a long time. Get the tequenos and a few forms of plantains: maduros and tostones, ideally. Leah and I split a quesadilla and the huevos rancheros. Ask for all the sauces for optimal dipping.
We had a family dinner at Ottomanelli & Sons in Woodside. It’s a family owned butcher shop that serves dry aged steaks and burgers in their shop. They make a veggie burger that’s totally fine, but the steak eaters said it was so good I had to include. The steak is really the star of the show so go light on the sides and finish the meal at Carvel down the street.
Lee and I met up at Ceremonia Bakeshop for a long awaited catch up. The churro mochi was our favorite and the chocolate chip cookie was a close second. Get there early to avoid a line.
To commemorate the late sunset, Lizzi, Jared and I got Sunday dinner at Lighthouse. Their happy hour remains excellent with dollar oysters and $5 fries. We also got beans with pesto, tahini caesar, and burrata with lots of mint. It was a joy to be there, as always.
Something to read:
This weekend, I found out that women are twice as likely to have TMJ than men. So unfair. I found a new acupuncture place that is helping with it so far. Thanks Julianne for the rec.
Love this BTS from Clarissa Wei on designing HEYDOH. I really want to try their soy sauce.
Bachelorette parties are hitting up brands for free stuff. This is definitely happening.
As I approach the one year anniversary of my break up, I loved this Platonic Love issue about moments when it all fell apart only to get a lot better.
Community is not a commodity from Creativity Under Capitalism
Related: being present and paying attention makes everything better. Plus laughter can’t hurt via the examined family
Barker, the restaurant I loved last week, has a substack and their ode to the sweet potato sandwich is lovely.
Why former Managing Editor Sara Yasin quit the LA Times from No Bad Days. Very relevant to how current events are being covered.
Major inspo for your next grocery list: 35 Pantry Staples That Will Actually Make Your Dinners More Flavorful from The Dinner Plan
Sari Botton’s Oldster is so special! Loved this profile on how it came to be.
Why the US needs a new antiwar movement – and how it can win. This is from January and so timely
Dieux’s Instant Angel moisturizer turned four years old! I ordered my first tube in early 2022 and haven’t used another moisturizer since—it made the gift guide that year, of course. I really love and love the brand’s ethos around transparency, education, and making a positive impact wherever they can. Charlotte Palermino and her team walk the walk. They sent me a special package of Instant Angel to celebrate the birthday and I was SO excited.
Hang in there this week! We made it to 7pm sunsets, hurray!
xo, Abigail
Sunset at 7 I’ll meet you there
this was a great read!