Have you joined the Chickpea Crew?
The crispy chickpea obsession grows, plus some talk about pancakes (and a Happy Hour!)
Hi friends,
Welcome to This Needs Hot Sauce, a weekly newsletter about cooking, dining out, and making the most of it! I’m so excited to see some of you this Thursday at 6:30 at the brand new Ainslie, an Italian beer hall and restaurant. We’ll have outdoor seats and you can definitely enjoy some pasta. Full details here and all are welcome! (RSVP if you can so I can give them a headcount).
Now, let’s dive in:
Something to cook:
If I’m having people over and have very little energy to cook, I love making this broccoli egg fried rice (I add frozen peas and use already cooked rice from a Chinese takeout place).
Lizzi made the most delicious pasta on Friday night: spaghetti with garlic, broccoli rabe, zucchini, and cannelini beans. We topped it with parmesan cheese and flakey salt and did lots of brainstorming for a project we’re planning (details to come). This recipe is similar.
I got a bag of pancake mix in a gift bag recently and knew a pancake party was in order. The mix, from Haven’s Kitchen, was super simple: flour, buckwheat, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Just add egg and milk (and vanilla and cinnamon cause we couldn’t resist). We made plain, blueberry, and banana variations. Hillary brought salted butter for topping (a brilliant addition) and Julia did an amazing job flipping. We kept them on a sheet tray in a 200 degree oven so they all stayed hot. You can get the Haven’s Kitchen pancake mix here or try this recipe for buckwheat pancakes (mix the dry ingredients in advance so you’re ready to go).
Guys, our chickpea crew is growing! So many of you made this for lunch last week and loved it. It’s a super simple recipe and especially wonderful if you’re working from home and don’t have much time to throw something together.
In other news, I bought a delicata squash at the greenmarket and am feeling things. It’s the best squash and so good roasted with a little maple syrup and chili powder. Another shopping rec: the pepita salsa from Trader Joe’s. Dale had some and I was obsessed. It doesn’t have whole pepitas, but has a nice kick and could be a salsa or sauce. Definitely going to get my own jar next time I’m at Trader Joe’s (check out all of our Trader Joe’s recs on this highlight).
Something to order:
I had a late meeting uptown and was wandering down towards Columbus Circle when I got very hungry. I decided to check out the Turnstile food court and was suprised at how nice it was. I got dinner at Los Viajeros which had a guac/tecate happy hour special and a great veggie taco with platanos. It’s also pretty good people watching.
Xian Town is a new Xian noodle shop in Williamsburg that definitely fills a void. The hand torn noodles are so thick and delicious, they make their own chili oil and also have incredible cucumber salad and dumplings (get the pork buns if you eat meat). It’s a pretty casual spot and they also do takeout.
I wrote about Garam Masala in Ridgewood when it first opened and went back with Julia and Julianne on Saturday. It’s byo and the food is so good. Some must orders: the coconut naan (really the whole bread basket), the tandoori mushroom appetizer, the daal, and the palak paneer. My meat eating friends strongly recommended the chicken tikka masala (thank you Julianne for the picture).
Ever have a day where you somehow skip eating protein or vegetables and then your body craves them intensely? Julia, Leah, and I were in this situation yesterday and we solved our nutritional deficiencies at 12 Chairs. We ate outside because it’s September and we can. 12 Chairs never disappoints at either location one (the Williamsburg one is a lot bigger). Share some hummus and babaganoush (you can get a 1/2 portion of each), Israeli salad and an egg dish like shakshuka or eggs siniya. So good.
Sarah and I got lunch at Colina Cuervo in Crown Heights while she talked me into downloading co-star (anyone want to be friends?). Their lentil feta salad is so good and you should ask for their salsa verde.
Nick and Sons can do no wrong. From vegan cookies to seeded sourdough to flakey almond croissants, they nail it. They sell out every day so try to get there early, especially on weekends.
Something to read:
Stella Bugbee learned how to make tortillas this summer and I’m impressed
You’ll be tempted to book a flight to France or pick up some cheese after reading this butter and cheese travelogue from David Lebovitz
Read this aloud with a friend for maximum laughs: my typical New York day
Another Jersey City pizza place I need to try
How the new iPhone will affect food photography. Is anyone getting it?
One of the Ops owners is opening a new pizza spot and I’m very excited.
Konbi’s secret croissant making machine
A fun tweak to your next grilled cheese
The article I’ve been waiting for: why non plastic straws are a terrible solution to a structural problem
Stay for the tiktok reference in this New Yorker article about orange wine
This restaurant gesture is so thoughtful. Have you done this? My sister and I sent our parents dessert for their anniversary dinner and it felt so good.
I wrote about Porcelain, a new Vienna inspired cafe in Ridgewood
Offline, I’ve been listening to the Women who Travel Podcast from Conde Nast Traveler and really enjoyed Notes from a Young Black Chef (thanks Hillary for the rec).
Thanks to everyone who shared lunch ideas last week! We’re all in this together.
Lily is making this inspired combo: My favorite work lunch right now is a salad made with butter lettuce, Trader Joe's frozen jasmine rice, a scoop of tuna salad, cucumbers and avocado drizzled with sesame dressing. It is DIVINE.
Julia’s lunch game has gotten so strong: When I get my act together enough to bring lunch, it's usually leftovers from dinner, often transformed into a salad. Last week I had leftovers of Shutterbean's broccoli and beans, and on another day I turned Smitten Kitchen's chickpeas and meatballs into the best kale salad. But I definitely buy lunch way more often — I'm an ultra-regular at Ennju, a little grab-and-go Japanese place off Union Square, where I usually get a box of sushi and miso soup (and a red bean donut hole, if I'm treating myself).
This week, I would love to hear about your favorite pancakes. I grew up in a bisquick household (anyone else?) and we often made pancakes and waffles. What are your favorite mix ins/toppings/recipes? Restaurant favorites are welcome, too (because you always need an order of pancakes for the table).
I hope to see you on Thursday at the Ainslie and please continue to send questions/requests for the paid edition, launching next month!
Happy eating and thanks for reading.
xo, Abigail
I've now tried Raquel Pelzel's grilled cheese recipe from Umami Bomb twice and it is without question the best, most flavorful, most satisfying grilled cheese experience. Ever. So happy you linked to it!