Appetizers for the table
My return to indoor dining and hope for the summer
For the past few weeks, I’ve had a thought every time I put on my bright blue puffer jacket, “Is this the last time?”
I cannot wait to shove that jacket in a closet until this fall and head outside. Summer has long been my favorite time of year and this past winter has felt so long, in so many ways. Globally, we have such a long way to go and locally, I am so fortunate that most people in my circle are vaccinated.
I’m starting to dream about in person events (would you come to an IRL happy hour this summer?), seeing the inside of my friends’ new apartment, and more hugs.
Now, let’s dive in.
Something to cook:
I ate a lot of the stuff we made in our meal prep class, which made lunches easier. One highlight was the sriracha aioli (sriracha + mayo + rice vinegar), which was great on avocado toast.
Since it was a day that ends in Y, I made quesadillas with refried beans. I topped them with Herdez’s avocado hot sauce (gifted). It’s a nice and creamy hot sauce with a little kick (Isa told me it’s been available in Mexico for years).
I made challah on Friday in a very fun class (two people made their first ever challahs, which was so cool). My recipe is a version of this one, without the filling and with a regular braid. I always knead it by hand, which is cathartic.
Tilden moved into a beautiful apartment and I went over for dinner. We have a long history of cooking together and it was so nice to catch up while making sheet pan chow mein from Hetty McKinnon’s new cookbook. We added grated ginger to the sauce (highly recommended) and used somen noodles. It turned out really well, crispy noodles are so good.
Something to order:
For the first time since March 2020, I dined indoors. Hannah, Julia, Julianne and I grabbed delicious sour beers in Talea’s spacious taproom (you can and should get pretzels with nutella as a snack). It was a blustery day and felt really good to be inside. The restaurant had steps in place to minimize contact, like QR code ordering. The Blackberry Crush and Raspberry Lime Crush are my favorites and I bought some cans to take home.
From Talea, we walked over to Leo for pizzas. I went to Leo shortly after it opened in early 2020 and am glad it’s still here. The pizzas are so good—my favorite was the pomodorini, with cherry tomatoes and pickled peppers, and the caesar salad is great. Like sister restaurant Ops, the wine selection is ever changing. We had a carafe of the current house red from Absentee. At both restaurants, the tables were well spaced and we weren’t near any other parties. Vaccines, of course, made the experience a lot more comfortable and I loved hearing the hum of a restaurant (and not being cold).
On Saturday, we had a family brunch to admire my dad’s quarantine hair (he’s getting it cut next week) at Pheasant. Their backyard is really spacious and the portions are generous, which is not a given at Brooklyn brunch. We split the sticky buns and Leah and I shared the breakfast sandwich and fez platter.
Dale and I headed up to Westchester yesterday for his mom’s birthday lunch at Royal Palace. Their matar paneer was very good.
Finally, we ended the weekend with a stop at Scarr’s for slices and a vegan caesar. Scarr’s is moving to a bigger spot up the block this summer!
Something to read:
The story of La Noxe, a bar inside a subway station
Kevin Vaughn’s piece about Purmamarca and tourism in Argentina reminded me of my own trip there in 2013 (not going to link to my abroad blog but I definitely posted a million pictures).
20 tips to go green in your kitchen
Why Epicurious won’t publish any new beef recipes
I wrote about following FIFO in your home kitchen for Misfits Market.
Alicia Kennedy talked about sustainability and food in this video with Sophia Bush for Earth Day.
How the Brujas of Brooklyn share traditional healing practices
TikTok’s influence on food culture
A leftovers challenge to reduce food waste, featuring Julia Turshen recipes
Scones Weren't Made for Us, But We're Making Them Anyway
The restaurant, before and after covid.
Now, let’s talk appetizers. Personally, I would eat a whole meal of appetizers. At many restaurants, it’s the most interesting section of the menu, especially for vegetarians.
Claire can’t resist a crab cake: If a crab cake is on the appetizer menu I will order it - no questions asked. :)
Rebecca has a new version of a childhood favorite: Ah! Literally, the BEST appetizer that I remember growing up was fried calamari! I'm from a big Italian family and we always had family functions and celebrations at old-school Italian restaurants and fried calamari (and fried zucchini!) were always on the table as appetizers! Now that I'm gluten-free and vegan...this nifty recipe is everything!
Hilary’s spread sounds incredible: I love stuffed grape leaves (including the ones TJs sells in a can haha), chips and salsa, a mix of olives and cheeses that you make your way through slowly single piece by single piece, freshly cut peppers/carrots/cauliflower dipped in muhammarah or babaganoush, mixed mushroom flatbread as an app.
Katie’s choice is a classic: My go to appetizer is basic but when a restaurant (usually Italian) has bruschetta, it simply must be ordered. That or fried pickles!
Chrissy knows nostalgia is always on the menu: My favorite party app is vegan Pigs in a Blanket, which I call Tofu Pups in a Snuggie. They're not fancy at all - literally a package of tofu pups. a tube of those refrigerated crescent rolls, and array of condiments - but WOW, they go fast. Nothing tastes as good as nostalgia!
Uzra sounds like the ultimate host: Some go-to appetizers (in addition to guac and cheese plates which I also love!)
Smitten kitchen fromage fort (best way to use up leftover cheese scraps!)
Smitten Kitchen turkey scallion meatballs
I like to roast up or sear on a hot cast iron: some tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, garlic. Blitz those with lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper for quick homemade salsa. Serve with tortilla chips
For a crowd, I love making soup shooters - one big batch of soup, spoon a bit into many small shot size glasses, serve with little toast points
For summer, I love buying a pineapple or watermelon and just slicing it up and serving, or making either into a simple salad with punchy herbs
This week, I’d love to hear about your favorite pizza. I know a lot of us have dabbled in at home pizza making and/or supported our local favorites so this is your space to share the recipes/pizzerias that have gotten you through the past year. I love Scarr’s, grew up on Dani’s, and had great success with this crispy pan pizza at home.
Reply to this email with your favorites and I’ll share next week.
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xo, Abigail