A Celebration of Life

Frozen bananas, bar peanuts, and family memories

Today, I’m heading back to New York after a long weekend in California to celebrate Pop Pop’s life. It’s been a lot of things: a sunny break from New York winter, a swirl of emotions and childhood memories, sad, a chance to walk on the beach in February, and a testament to the power of family and community. I was so touched by the people who came to the celebration—my dad and aunt’s childhood babysitter, my grandpa’s hairdresser of 22 years, and dear friends from many different chapters of life. Seeing the room so full was very special and I’m so grateful we could all be together for this.

Switching gears, If you’re entertaining for the Super Bowl or just in the mood to make nachos, I got some tips from Liz Solomon Dwyer of KDT Tacos, a breakfast taco company. I love to see her tacos sold at coffee shops. Scroll down for the tips and to share your nacho opinions.

On Thursday, paid subscribers will get my jet lag fueled thoughts on group meals and rules, inspired by this trip and this conversation sparking article.

Something to cook:

I made another recipe from Smitten Kitchen Keepers, the braised squash, which is served over arugula and yogurt. It’s very hands off and the hardest part is cutting a squash. I served it with some kitchari from Paro, a brand new South Asian food brand, and it would be a great dinner party side dish.

I recorded a very exciting podcast with Abena that will be out in the middle of the month and I had to bring some cookies to the studio. I made the trail mix cookies from Meal Prep Made Simple and had to sample a few for quality control.

Julia made us dinner for Bachelor monday and it was so good. She used Omsom’s Yuzu Miso Glaze to coat some crispy tofu and served it over rice with tons of toppings: steamed broccoli, chili cabbage, chili crisp, cashews, sriracha and nori strips.

Here’s a snack idea: any crackers you have topped with sharp cheddar and salted cherry tomatoes (I use flakey salt). It feels a little special and takes very little time.

Going to a restaurant with a big group can be a lot so we ate a lot of homecooked meals. My parents made fajitas one night, which were great for a crowd (I’m going to share a version of the recipe in a few weeks for paid subscribers). They served cheesy rice (the first thing to get finished), beans, cauliflower, chicken, steak, and charred peppers with tortillas and all the fixings (avocado, jalapeño, lime wedges, and salsa). It was delicious and super customizable for dietary restrictions.

Our AirBnb was stunning and so close to the beach (happy to share the link if you’re visiting Newport Beach). We had a cousins night on Friday and cooked a big dinner and played games. I made spinach ricotta baked pasta, Kaitlin made a salad with Parmesan Crisps from Trader Joe’s and Hayley picked up key lime pie for dessert. We also set fire to the garlic bread by accident but you win some, you lose some.

Something to order:

We landed in California on Thursday for my grandfather’s celebration of life. Aunt Sharon and my dad brought us to Herb & Ranch, a very fancy food hall on a University Research Campus. They have so many choices and gorgeous indoor and outdoor seating (it is California). I got a tofu poke bowl with rice, salad, and lots of pickled toppings and they also have pressed sandwiches, an espresso bar, breakfast burritos, and a grain bowl station with a Dig inspired menu. Nothing makes you hungry like a plane ride and this hit the spot.

The menu for the Celebration of Life was inspired by Pop Pop’s favorite foods—we had a coffee truck, Arnold Palmers, black licorice, peanut butter pretzels, and frozen bananas and balboa bars from Sugar and Spice. Clearly, he had a sweet tooth. Back at the house, we had enchiladas, rice, beans, and salsa from Mi Casa.

Our AirBnB was near Al Cappuccino House which had such good smoothies. The Acai smoothie came with both a straw and a spoon for granola scooping and the iced coffee is served with coffee ice cubes. I love to be a regular for a few days while on a trip.

How cute are these?

Yesterday, we visited Goat Hill Tavern, a bar my dad used to frequent in the 80s. It has a huge beer list and lots of outdoor space. They don’t have food (except for ocasioanl food trucks) so we ordered Thai food from Zabb to be delivered there. It was a great move and the green curry and vegan larb were delicious. And the bar has free peanuts for snacking.

bar peanuts and peanut sauce! a winning combo

Something to read:

I share additional reads in Thursday’s newsletter for paid subscribers.

When did play kitchens become so chic?

A project to replace gas stoves in the Bronx dramatically improved air quality

Recipes if you need to stop ordering in

Frozen pizza is getting fancy

7 reasons to save Bonne Maman Jars

Shaming Kids for Their Weight Isn’t Just Ineffective—It’s Cruel

Let’s hear it for divorce registries! I spoke to Olivia of Fresh Starts Registry last year and am obsessed with what they’re building!

A self love gift guide for Valentine’s Day (I was honored to share a sweet rec).

How Resy won the reservation wars

ICYMI, I chatted with Delia Cai about her debut novel, Central Places.

How to Eat Oats Every Day and Never Get Bored. For Lukas Volger, February is #28daysofoatmeal.

The African American exodus from New York City

When Gig Workers Inadvertently Become Care Workers

Frida looked into rising egg prices and how restaurants are coping. It’s bringing up many challenges.

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Now, let’s talk chocolate:

Hillary has a global chocolate appreciation: I am obsessed with chocolate, but I also don't enjoy plain chocolate ice cream. My favorite vehicle for chocolate has to be Cadbury buttons. I don't know what it is about the button shape, but it makes everything so much better! It's £1 for a bag in the UK and I've paid upwards of $4 for a bag here... worth it.

Julianne knows the chocolate/vanilla rivalry is not an either or: I grew up with fervent chocoholic parents (who some reason took their love of chocolate as a reason to hate all things vanilla? The logic isn't there. If they're reading this, this is your sign to let it go). I LOVED the chocolate drumsticks as a kid: chocolate and white chocolate ice cream topped with fudge pieces, with the cone trimmer in fudge and the bottom of the cone full of fudge. But ever since college, I lost my sweet tooth, and most chocolatey desserts are too much for me. I now like Julia's flaky salt chocolate chip cookies or a good brownie (like Hillary's last week: crispy edges, fudge-y and moist center). Other than that, I can be held over for months with a bite of a dark chocolate/flaky salt bar. 

Sara is whipping up a classic: Chocolate mousse, specifically Julia Child’s recipe. I plan to make some this month.

Anna goes for a sweet/salty combo: Re: chocolate, I love to dump a bag of peanut m&m's into a bowl of popcorn!

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Now, for nachos with Liz Solomon Dwyer!

Liz’s tips for building your nachos:

Make one layer of chips and then a layer of cheese. Add any "heavy" toppings like beans or meat, and then top with one more layer of chips and one more layer of cheese — too often that bottom layer of chips is lackluster, but it should feel like a 2nd Christmas morning. If you use queso instead of whole cheese and then bake it, you get a lot of extra flavor packed in. Mixing pickled with fresh jalapeños could be considered "fun" right? Or, try a drizzle of jalapeño ranch.

Which are the best chips?

Listen, I'm a thin and crispy chip kind of gal (Xochitl is the best store-bought brand), but they are not nacho chips. Finding the perfect chip for the particular usage is key to any chips and dip / adjacent situation--so you want something thicker, texture-ier and corn-forward. I would honestly go Tostitos Cantina Style or regular Tostitos (not scoops or those rounds)--or a Late July style chip. They are the workhorse of chips and this is what you need for nachos to not get soggy and be supporting actors to the real stars of the show, the toppings.

What are the best vegetarian toppings?

Are we talking hot or cold? Hot vegetarian topping has to be refried beans. If you can get them in a squeeze bottle so you can really get the distribution down (though dollops are also fun to come upon). You could also do whole (cooked / canned) beans, I'd go black or pinto. Otherwise, you could go a bit more veg-foward with some diced poblanos scattered about, and maybe even some small-diced carrots. Extra points on getting carrots en escabeche (canned Mexican carrots from a La Costeña or similar) and chopping those up. They don't need to really *cook* to be good, you'll want them a bit more al dente and small.

For uncooked, or after you've put the nachos through the oven, diced fresh onion is always awesome for a bit of tangy sweet crunch, and a hearty salsa is always nice. Depending on the salsa, I sometimes will add this in the last 5 minutes of the nachos being in the oven so it warms through vs cold salsa on hot cheese. Top with jalapeños, always jalapeños.

Thank you, Liz!

Let me know how you like to make nachos by leaving a comment or replying to this email! And go Birds!

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xo, Abigail