A Hamantaschen Party
Plus, the Substack app, second hand goodies, and meal prep
Good news: the sun is setting at 7:01 tonight! I’ve been feeling exhausted this weekend (the combination of losing an hour of sleep, a busy few days, and the pandemic anniversary is rough) but am thrilled about more daylight. Also thrilling: cooking with so many of you in yesterday’s meal prep class with Erica. We have another one next month and will announce more classes soon!
Now, let’s dive in.
Something to cook:
I made ravioli from Savino’s for one of the Bachelor nights, tossed with Rao’s sauce and served with a simple salad and warm bread. Their ravioli is excellent and a freezer MVP. Cook it al dente for best results.
We had so many bananas and I was in the mood to bake. I made these muffins, which are very similar to Cookie and Kate’s very good banana bread recipe. They’re really good, not too sweet and would freeze well.
There are so many ways to make a quesadilla and this one was new to me: mixing black beans and cheese with onion, garlic, and seasonings before cooking everything (I skipped the corn because I didn’t have any). It’s quicker than my usual method and was very tasty.
Now, Hamantaschen! My parents hosted a group of us on Saturday for a cookie party! Here’s how to set one up: make the dough in advance (multiple batches) and chill it. Set up multiple surfaces for rolling (you can use wooden boards, a clean wooden table or countertop, whatever you have). Place toppings in small bowls with spoons and have a bag of flour out for the board. Ask people to bring extra aprons and rolling pins, things will get messy.
We used so many fillings: crushed peanut butter cups, chocolate chips, jam, homemade apricot orange filling, chocolate chips, a cream cheese filling inspired by cheesecake, m&ms. Roll out your dough and cut into circles with a cookie cutter or round glass. Add filling to the center and fold into a triangle. Make sure to eat a few, for quality control, and share the rest with loved ones.
Something to order:
Delia had her birthday party at Bar Beau, which is a beautiful space. I loved the So Sorry cocktail with tequila, yuzu, pineapple, shiso, and habanero.
I took a Friday detour to try Land to Sea, a newish coffee shop on Graham. It’s got a great back room for working or hanging and the pastry case looked very good.
Isa was in town from Boston and we met up at Baba Cool, which was perfect for some drinks and snacks (they have manchego covered fries). Much to our surprise, a DJ came in around 10 and very much changed the vibe, but it was great until then.
My fondness for Simply Nova everything bagels continues to grow. They have the perfect amount of seasoning (a lot) and the size is just right.
Not food related, but Julia and I took a fun trip to Remix Market in Long Island City and were very impressed with the selection (and prices). They have furniture and a large selection of art, dishes, glasses, and nicknacks. It would be a great place to source props for a shoot.
Something to read:
Speaking of reading, I have exciting news to share: You can now read This Needs Hot Sauce in the new Substack app for iPhone.
With the app, you’ll have a dedicated Inbox for my Substack and any others you subscribe to. New posts will never get lost in your email filters, or stuck in spam. Longer posts will never get cut-off by your email app. Comments and rich media will all work seamlessly. Overall, it’s a big upgrade to the reading experience and I was a beta tester, so I speak from experience. I really like the app for some dedicated reading time, as opposed to sifting through your inbox for your favorite newsletters.
The Substack app is currently available for iOS. If you don’t have an Apple device, you can join the Android waitlist here.
White wines that deserve to be aged
Meet the Bukharian women of Rego Park
More bars and restaurants are stocking anti overdose kits and I think it’s great
Anthony Bourdain and Queer Shame
Are certain dishes Russian or Ukranian? It’s complicated
Hannah wrote so beautifully about being a descendent of Holocaust survivors and the weight of that legacy
Welcome to Colonoscopy land, a frank account of a potentially lifesaving procedure
How to Host a Hot-Pot Party That Leaves Guests Feeling Full, Tipsy, and Lucky to Have Been Invited
To Puerto Rico, the plantain is more than a food
Jannelle James aka Principal Ava did a Grub Street Diet
An honest conversation with Alicia Kennedy
A night out with Aly & AJ (iconic)
‘Freedom dumplings’: the chefs cooking in solidarity with Ukraine
Cookbook author and activist hopes #cookforukraine will bring attention to the pain of war
I share five additional reads in Thursday’s newsletter! Don’t miss it!
Now, let’s talk about the restaurants you’re hoping to check out and other thoughts on last week’s issue!
Rachel’s goal is inspired by a favorite tv show: ok, re: the question about a restaurant dying to visit: this answer is cheating because it is not 1 restaurant but I am dying to try any restaurant run by a Top Chef contestant. When I went to Chicago, I visited at least 2 (Little Goat & Siena Tavern, both delicious) but there are a few out in the Denver area I've been wanting to try, especially Four by Brother Luck. One day!
Elizabeth has a baking tip inspired by adding soy sauce to brownies: Love the soy sauce brownie inspo - I’ve become devout to using Cynar in chocolate baking!
This week, let’s talk about spring time! What are some spring things you’re looking forward to? I’m ready to see flowers blooming in the neighborhood and can’t wait to wear lighter jackets soon and have some fresh spring vegetables. March is fickle weather wise but I am hopeful for warmer days ahead. Reply to this issue with your thoughts and I’ll share them next week.
Thursday’s newsletter is about interior design and how apartment tours never show mess (or cords). Subscribe to read it and get full access to the TNHS archives, which are full of recipes, essays, and lots more.
Thanks for reading and supporting This Needs Hot Sauce! If you make Hamantaschen this week, please tag me!
xo, Abigail