79 and Sunny

A weather report, tostones, and a nutty debate

Talking about the weather is seen as a conversational crutch, something to talk about when there’s nothing else to talk about. While I’ve certainly had boring conversations about the weather, I’ve also had vivid ones—about the importance of dew point (I’m obsessed with this twitter account), about seasonal depression and early sunsets, about daylight savings and how we can abolish it, about shoes that won’t get ruined in the summer rain, about if the thunder last night woke you up.

I read a book a few years ago that encouraged managers to ask employees about their emotional weather. I have mixed feelings about that in a work setting, but it’s a useful personal tool. Like the weather, our feelings are always changing and sometimes not what you expect them to be.

Gorgeous September tomatoes

There’s change in the air right now! Fall and Rosh Hashanah are days away and Dale and I head to London later this week. I haven’t left the country since November 2019 and I’m both excited and overwhelmed. If you’ve got any recs, I’m all ears. There will be no newsletter on October 3rd but otherwise we’ll be on our usual schedule and I’ve got a very special Q&A lined up for next week.

Two quick announcements:

Serving Up: Essays on food, identity and culture is fully funded! I’m contributing an essay to this anthology alongside many talented writers and I can’t wait to read their pieces. The publication date will be announced soon and you can preorder a copy here!

Erica and I have a very special October meal prep class coming up, which will double as a launch party for Meal Prep Made Simple! Grab your spot here (you’ll get a discount code when you preorder the ebook).

Now, let’s dive in.

Something to cook:

I’m teaching a corporate cooking class this evening and I got to test the recipes last week—we’re making nachos with homemade pico de gallo and guacamole and jam margaritas. I’m very excited.

I went over to Tilden’s to cook with her and Emily on Friday and we put together a great dinner with tostones topped with sauteed mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes. We used two sauces, a homemade one with herbs, jalapeño, mayo, and lime juice, and a green harissa and some feta to top things off.

The rest of my cooking was exhausted cooking and leftovers and that’s okay!

If you’re looking for high holiday recipes, please make this challah! I also loved my family’s menu from last year.

Something to order:

Dale and I had dinner with my parents in Queens and they picked up Metro Taco. Their version of a crunch wrap supreme is so good (we all ordered it with different fillings, which is a sign that it’s very good) and I loved their broccoli caesar, which was basically roasted broccoli with caesar dressing (recreating asap).

Hillary hosted bachelor night with Williamsburg Pizza, hot honey (obviously, use ABIGAIL20 for 20% off) and brownies. It was delightful.

Tilden is gf and Emily is dairy free so I brought vegan and gf cupcakes from Erin McKenna’s Bakery for dessert! They were really good, especially the cake part and my favorites were the salted caramel and the chocolate with vanilla frosting. Clementine Bakery also has great cupcakes. Cupcakes are fun to share, just cut them in quarters so you can try different flavors.

Frida and I got lunch yesterday at Taboonette which remains one of the absolute best places to get lunch near Union Square. I love the kruveet pita with cauliflower, tahini, eggplant, and arugula salad. Get zhoug on the side.

Something to read:

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Andrea is guest editing The Kitchn for Latinx Heritage Month and she kicked things off with a gorgeous essay on vegan Mexican food and traditions and some recipes.

Big intel from Maya: Eisenbergs has reopened under new ownership and it looks pretty much the same!

How Brit Bennett made her American Girl dreams come true. Her Paris Review essay about Addy Walker is worth a read

LA cookbooks reveal it’s always been health obsessed

How to pack a go bag for various climate disasters

So many dietitians have eating disorders and this harms patients

Fred Franzia, creator of two buck chuck and the bagged wine I drank in college, dies at 79. What a guy.

Are instant pots over? If you still use yours, I’d love to hear!

Jennette McCurdy and the pain of complicated moms

Recipe requests on social media are tricky! And often rudely made.

I love Elaine Welteroth’s new advice column. We need to talk about friendship breakups more.

A good Grub Street diet

A private chef’s go-to anxiety meal

How do you say goodbye at a party?

Stop calling Charles the “climate king”

Leah, my fab business coach, shares how she manages her career and family!

Will the real brioche please stand up? The term brioche has lost of much of its meaning!

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Now, I want to experiment with Substack’s new poll feature and settle a debate we had at the park on Saturday! Weigh in below!

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Have a great week and take care!

xo, Abigail