All You Can Eat
.A week full of squash and #eeeeeats, plus a very special event
Hi friends,
Welcome to This Needs Hot Sauce, a newsletter by Abigail Koffler about cooking, dining out, and making the most of it. It’s been a crazy week in many ways and we’re just cooking (and rage listening to the Dixie Chicks) our way through it.
We’re also throwing a party, more details below!
Let’s dive in.
Something to Cook:
I made spaghetti squash last week and incorporated it into all my lunches. Squash does not taste like spaghetti of course, but I enjoy it as a bed for other toppings like sauteed kale and chickpeas or with some greens, salsa and a soft boiled egg. To cook it, cut in half and season with salt and pepper and cook for about 45-50 minutes at 375, depending on the size. If it’s too hard to cut, prick it with a fork and throw it in the microwave for a few minutes and then cut. Once it’s cooled slightly, use a fork to pull the squash off in little strands and store for up to 5 days. This is a favorite combo.
Forgot to take pictures of my cooking this week so here are some gorgeous eggplant and here’s an eggplant recipe
I typed up the recipe for Julia’s Turshen’s Greek Yogurt cake that I mentioned last week right here. Let me know if you make it, it’s so good!
If you only have a few minutes, soft boiling some eggs is a good way to get ahead for the week. I use this egg boiling method and cook them for 7 or 8 minutes. I don’t use an ice bath but instead put them in a colander and run cold water over them for a few minutes, which still works.
I’ve probably mentioned this miso tahini dressing ten times by now but it’s such a favorite. You definitely don’t need a blender for it and I always skip the olive oil. I made a batch last night and roasted some sweet potatoes, broccoli and chickpeas (all on separate pans) and lunch for the week is looking good.
Another cooking idea, making just a little bit of pasta after you get home from a night out. Cheaper than a bodega and you can take off your shoes.
Something to Order:
Drop Off Service has an extremely good happy hour (with $3 and $5 beer options) and it goes until 8. Delia, Julia and I caught up there on Friday and then went off in search of noodles. We visited Dian Kitchen near Tompkins Square Park, which serves Yunnan style rice noodles, for sustenance. The garlic cucumber salad and wontons earned high scores but we thought the tofu pudding noodle bowl (bottom left) needed a little more texture (everything was a little soft but the flavor was good). They have a small menu with lots of vegetarian options so I’d definitely go back.
Klom Klorm remains my affordable Bushwick Thai go to. I’ve heard the delivery can be slow but Angely and I had a lovely dinner at the restaurant right off the DeKalb stop. They have four kinds of house made hot sauces and the spicy dishes are actually spicy. More Bushwick cheap eats are right here.
Julia and I attended a very hard Orange Theory workout on the roof of the Pod Hotel and felt like death afterwards. Luckily the studio gave us all drink tokens and snacks (the avocado hummus with pita chips hit the spot) at rftp, the unfortunately named bar. Bloody Marys are hydrating.
Margie and Lois were in town so we had a big family brunch at my cousin Patrick’s restaurant Rider. It was my first time there and everything was very good. Special shoutouts to the doughnuts with fennel cream and the lox fries (if you eat fish, get an order to share).
The Infatuation hosted its first New York #eeeeeatson at Forest Hills Stadium, a short walk from where I grew up. I went with my family, Megan and Frida and it was really well done. We saw Adam Rippon on a panel and he was hilarious and so heartfelt. He said he’s always felt like a celebrity at heart and now grocery shops at night in sunglasses because he heard Madonna does that. Love it.
Food wise, the lines were only crazy for a few vendors and I was disappointed that Dumpling Galaxy and Du’s Donuts sold out, but we tried some really good stuff.
-Miznon had a great grilled mushroom pita and their bread is so fluffy.
-Tacoway Beach (which I love) did excellent fish tacos and watermelon juice (which would have been perfect with vodka).
-Bombay Bread Bar made a mean bhelpuri with puffed rice, green mango, peanuts, tamarind. Indian street food is so good.
-Jhal NYC is a social entrepreneurship venture built to empower Bangladeshi women in New York through food. I loved their version of fuchka, crispy semolina shells stuffed with yellow peas and topped with herbs, chili, and tamarind sauce.
-Ramona debuted their new lemon flavor at the event and I got to try it and meet the founder Jordan Salcito and her adorable son, Henry. How’s this for inspiring? She started the company while on maternity leave (get the whole story on the Of a Kind podcast).
Yes this mural is made mostly from candies and no I did not get a jolly rancher.
-Crave Fishbar had oysters with a little citrus drizzle and some non edible kelp (weird).
-Tanoreen, which I’ve been meaning to visit, had very good brussels sprouts with tahini (Thanks Hillary for suggesting).
Coffeeshop of the Week:
The West has been open for 8 years in Williamsburg and I hope it lasts for decades more. Close to the Lorimer L/G stop, this coffeeshop/bar is named for Mae West, Brooklyn resident/source of that quote, “Too much of a good thing is wonderful.” There’s lots of seating, wifi, punch cards, and a great food menu with Ovenly pastries (get the chocolate chip cookie) and so many toasts. Their avocado toast has a layer of goat cheese and is topped with red pepper flakes and cucumber and their raspberry ricotta toast reminds me of Sqirl.
I’m here quite often, either to do work or drink a coffee and read the newspapers they helpfully stock at the front. Another use case: head over on a Friday around 3 to finish some work and buy yourself a drink to transition to the weekend. They also have kombucha on tap and a patio, so I’ll see you there soon.
Something to read:
From Emma: Inside the competitive world of school lunches
The other side of school lunches: how food insecurity affects students and teachers
Samin Nosrat’s new Netflix show looks delightful (and let’s see more women of color hosting things please!)
Good Eats is coming back! One of the first food shows I watched.
Two stellar stories from Nicole: Lebron James gave up wine for two weeks and it made him want wine even more
Also from Nicole/This is literally me: This woman saved $250K just by switching to dollar oysters.
An incredible conversation with Missy Robbins on choosing a business partner, creating a culture in a restaurant, self care, and being diagnosed with breast cancer at the height of your career.
Stories I wrote:
Here Are Ridgewood’s Best Cheap Eats
I’m writing a new newsletter for Bushwick Daily that goes out every Friday. It’s called TGIF and it’s full of weekend plans and lots of fun. You can sign up here.
Last week, I asked about after school snacks and reading through the answers made me very hungry. One common thread: most of us still love a version of our childhood snacks so if you work with kids or have them, a reminder to respect and take seriously their tastes/preferences.
-Alicia: OH MY GOD I am the queen of snacking. In high school, my mom and I used to eat cheddar cheese on triscuits with pickled jalepenos. I found out years later that I am lactose intolerant, which explains my constant stomachaches in high school (Ed note: we feel you, girl). Now I really am into the cornbread crisps from Trader Joes.
-Kaitlin: My absolute favorite after school snack growing up was anything with Peanut Butter (and it still is)! Sliced apples with a big tablespoon of peanut butter, celery with a schmear of pb, banana, the list goes on :)
-Sarah: My favorite after school snack was microwave popcorn. My dad would buy the snack-size bags and I would watch ABC Family while munching away. Microwave popcorn is still one of my favorite snacks to this day!!! :)))
-Jessica: My favorite after-school snack was a super-chewy chocolate chip cookie. They came in clear plastic containers of I want to say 24 at Costco, and I could easily eat 4 of them in one sitting before realizing that maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. (This is totally understandable).
-Hannah: My favorite after-school snack is definitely Trader Joe's Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks. As a pretzel enthusiast, I have tried all the brands, shapes, sizes etc. of pretzels and have found these to be a superior variety. They are a perfect size and have the perfect crunch. They are sweet, but not too sweet. They are also salty, but not so salty that you stop eating them because you're concerned about contracting heart disease. They are also addicting enough to be a filling, empty calorie snack, ideal for after a long day at school.
-Anna: Favorite after school snack was saltine PBJs -- just peanut butter on one cracker, jelly on the other, then smushed together. I'd make at least five and watch cartons while I munched. I also really loved ants on a log (sometimes with cream cheese, sometimes with peanut butter).
-Anjali: Lastly, snacks after school might as well be a KKoff (it’s true, Mom) specialty. Baskin Robbins always, and then when we matured, Starbucks Frapps with all the whip.
This week, I want to talk about date spots and date foods. I included a list of date spots in an old newsletter and would love to update it for cuffing season if that’s still a things. So reply to this email and let me know, when do you start eating on a date? Do you have any specific rules or funny stories to share? And what’s your favorite date spot? Suggestions are welcome for any location :)
Finally, I have some very exciting news: This Needs Hot Sauce is turning 1 at the end of the month and we’re throwing a party to celebrate! Come hang at Duck Duck on October 25th from 6:30-8:00. There will be happy hour, there will be birthday treats and there will be a chance for me to thank you all for being a part of This Needs Hot Sauce. RSVP here and feel free to invite friends.
If you're attending, please consider donating the cost of a drink to RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. They run the National Sexual Assault Hotline and a 24/7 secure chat.
Happy eating and thanks so much for reading.
xo, Abigail
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