Are your favorite meals eaten at home?
Plus, celebrations, peanut butter cookies, and a pizza bucket list
When I was in elementary school, my Spanish teacher sent me home with a worksheet that really stumped me. It was a typical “about me” worksheet where we had to list our favorite colors, sports, movies, and types of food. These types of activities always sent me into a tailspin and even now, I balk at naming a favorite movie or tv show (how can it just be one?). I once had a total meltdown when I had do a worksheet about what one thing I would bring to space. How could I possibly choose and why was I being forced to go space alone at age 7? I don’t remember what I wrote for favorite movie, but I do remember what I wrote for food: food from home. Growing up, we ate dinner at home six days a week and my parents spent a lot of time and energy planning and cooking meals for our picky palates. Home food meant tacos, it meant pasta, it meant sweet potato burritos, crispy chicken cutlets, matzo ball soup, and challah.
As an adult, I spend lots of time at restaurants and I love it. I pinch myself that going out to eat is part of my work and I really enjoy trying new spots and even more than that, being a regular at neighborhood restaurants. I read a wonderful article by Reem Kassis about why, for her, the most memorable meals are at home (not necessarily at your own home, it could be a dinner party or holiday celebration at a relative’s house).
Do you agree with her about the most memorable meals being at home? Or are restaurants the site of your best dining memories? Take the poll and let me know why in the comments or by replying to this newsletter.
I often prefer homemade desserts to restaurant desserts and this Thursday, for paid subscribers, I’m sharing a delicious cookie recipe that would be fabulous to make for Mother’s Day or any upcoming celebrations. It’s from Love is a Pink Cake by Claire Ptak, a gorgeous cookbook that just came out!
Now, let’s dive in.
Something to cook:
The aforementioned cookies were really delicious! When I worked at Ovenly many years ago, I had a peanut butter cookie as my shift treat most of the time (their recipe is GF because it’s just peanut butter, brown sugar, eggs, and salt). This recipe (which will be available Thursday for paid subscribers) has flour and also chocolate and of course, salt. I have some extra dough in my freezer for future cookies.
I was craving comfort food on Friday night while watching The Other Two and made the simplest pasta with broccoli (boil the broccoli in the same pot as the pasta). I tossed it with butter, parm, lots of black pepper, and garlic powder.
I picked up a bag of Dozen Cousins beans at Trader Joe’s and had them with rice and spinach for an easy dinner. The leftover rice became a tomato and egg fried rice the next day because no matter how bare the fridge is, we can always make fried rice.
Other basic but good things I made this week: avocado toast with cherry tomatoes and smoked jalapeño flakes, frozen dumplings with chili crisp, and blueberry smoothies.
Something to order:
Dale and I had a Monday date night at the Williamsburg Jack’s Wife Freda. We started with the zucchini chips, where were delicious and I got the Greek salad and ate lots of Dale’s mashed potatoes. They do happy hour all day on Monday but we had mint lemonades.
Big Night, the dinner party store where I always find great gifts, opened in Manhattan! I went to the West Village opening party and the space is gorgeous (and three times larger than the Greenpoint one). It has some bigger pieces, like serving platters and there are so many cute nooks. Definitely stop by!
Frida and I grabbed dinner at the new Superiority Burger which is also way bigger than the original. It’s walk ins only so I put my name down and got a drink in the back (we waited for about 20 minutes on a Thursday). The menu is similar to the original one, centered around sandwiches and sides, which change all the time. We had the beans, the beets with pretzel croutons, the namesake burger, and the yuba verde, which is a riff on a Philly pork and broccoli rabe hoagie. Everything is vegetarian and a lot of it is vegan. We were too full for dessert, but their gelato is excellent so we’ll have to go back.
Erica has a fun third trimester bucket list and I got to help her check off an item: pizza at L’Industrie (it was my pleasure). We caught up on all things over burrata slices and pistachio soft serve.
I had my first ice cream truck cone of the summer while hanging with Molly, Brandon, and pals in the park. It was perfect.
Last night, Julianne, Julia, and Hillary organized celebratory drinks at Lillistar, the new rooftop on top of the Moxy Hotel in Williamsburg. It has great views and the menu is Indo-Australian. We had a lovely server and delicious drinks. Make a reservations with your friends for an outdoor table sometime this summer. And always make time to celebrate the wins!
After drinks, Dale and I got dinner at Top Quality in Long Island City, which was delicious as always. I love their halloumi taco and mushroom quesadilla and their drinks are always well balanced. They also have a great backyard.
Omsom launched extra saucy noodles and I am so excited to try them! I ordered a sampler pack (two of the flavors have fish sauce if you’re strictly veg).
Something to read:
I read a lot and share additional reads in Thursday’s newsletter for paid subscribers.
It’s time to overcommit and see what sticks from
had a great take on the olive oil drama from last week.Sharing plates is fun but can definitely go too far
I haven’t promoted Substack Notes at all and the team’s inability to say they don’t want racism on them is a major reason. Read about
's experience on there.The environmental terrorism of police choppers
All hail the single girl supper (it’s wine and cheese)
We have a loneliness crisis in this country
The art of a restaurant that never changes
Frida wrote about eating less meat, how her Mexican family reacted, and lots more.
Hayley Kiyoko Defies TN Police, Features Drag Queens At Concert
We Need To Abolish The “Exonerative Tense” Of Headlines. So many headlines after police killings and mass shootings are so so passive! Someone did it!
Jordan Neely, Tucker Carlson, and ‘rooting for the mob’ as America unravels
‘Justice 4 Jordan’: New Yorkers Who’ve Experienced Homelessness React to Subway Killing
Why Inflation Price Hikes Are Even Worse Behind Bars
Police do not belong in schools! NYC Schools Handcuff and Haul Away Kids in Emotional Crisis
Now, let’s share somethings people are excited for! I hope May continues to be a good month!
M.Q. has a birthday coming up: I'm looking forward to being on Tybee Island, GA on my birthday May 10th! Hanging with loved ones and other birthday celebrants! Hooray for May!
This week, vote on the poll at the very top and let me know if you’re a restaurant or an at home person! Or both!
Thanks for reading and I’ll be back on Thursday with cookies!
xo, Abigail
I’m glad I’m not the only person who can’t pick a favorite thing! As an ice cream forward human, people like to ask me why my favorite it and it’s simply impossible. Are you looking for hard ice cream, soft serve, vegan, fruity flavors, chocolatey? I have a different favorite for different categories (and sometimes on different days).