Leave your phone in a locker
A few hours offline, yuzu mayo, and Halloween candy
Yesterday was Dale’s birthday and we spent much of the weekend celebrating. On Saturday, we headed to SoJo Spa Club in New Jersey for an afternoon of relaxation. It’s beautiful there (make reservations in advance) and the weather was perfect. We both left our phones in the lockers which was perhaps the best part. It did mean that I read the back of my drink many times at lunch instead of scrolling and also had anxiety about potential bad news waiting for me when I was reunited with my phone (catastrophic thinking, you’ve done it again). But it was mostly lovely and something I need to do more often!
Also lovely was seeing your kind words about TNHS’s fifth anniversary! It was really valuable to reflect on what things were like when I started (very different) and see how far we’ve come. If you’re local to New York, please join us for an IRL celebration at Philomena’s on November 15th! There will be gift bags (and the first ever TNHS merch) and I’m looking forward to celebrating with you so RSVP and feel free to bring friends!
Now, I already told you how things were going when TNHS began, but there have been some memorable moments on the journey. In April 2018, I published my first paid article that I got by using the newsletter as my portfolio and in June of that year I had my first event. I opened paid subscriptions in winter 2019. 2020 was a time of so much fear and tragedy and this newsletter became a place to talk about indoor and outdoor dining, racism in the food industry, what we were cooking when grocery shopping was a major challenge, and how we were getting involved in the election. In 2021, I started teaching cooking classes, was insulted in the New York Times, incorporated TNHS and had the single biggest one day subscriber bump (thank you to Rachel Cantor and Sidekick). This year, I went full time freelance, published an ebook, and left the country for the first since 2019. There have been so many ups and downs during this time as well (I always say this newsletter is also a secret diary) but I’m grateful for it all and the opportunity to keep going.
As I think about the next chapter for TNHS, I have an announcement. In two weeks, on November 14th, paid subscriptions for This Needs Hot Sauce will increase in price. Monthly subscriptions will go up to $6 a month (from 5) and annual subscriptions will be $59, which is an 18% discount from the monthly rate (increase from $50). This means, if you’re currently considering a paid subscription, you have two weeks to sign up at the current prices. Existing subscribers will be locked into your current rates forever, so your price will not go up.
I don’t take asking for your money lightly and I really believe in the value of the paid subscription, which has been the same price since 2019. The Thursday issues are some of my favorites and the subscription always includes access to personalized recommendations from me, which I love giving (I will help you find restaurant reservations, a new favorite pepper grinders, whatever you need). If you work in food or have to entertain clients at restaurants, you might be able to expense the subscription. And if you’re trying to spend less time on social media, the Thursday newsletter is a great alternative. The subscription also includes access to the full archive, which means lots of recipes, essays (sometimes about food, sometimes about life), Q&As and more and the ability to comment on any issue (comments are fun). If you have any questions about this, I’m happy to answer and I am also always happy to comp subscriptions for students or anyone who needs it, no questions asked.
Now, let’s dive in.
Something to cook:
I love rice pilaf (it was a favorite as a kid and we called it lemon seed rice because hte pilaf pieces kind of look like lemon seeds) and we always have it on hand. I made a pot along with some baked tofu (I dust it with cornstarch and drizzle with with olive oil), and frozen veggies. For sauces, I used sriracha and this absolutely delicious yuzu mayo I got upstate (it’s like a citrusy kewpie mayo). I added avocado too because I had some and it was so satisfying.
I was sent the new spicy labneh from Cava and it is so good on just about everything. I used as the sauce for a veggie burger and it was really tasty. I honestly could eat it with a spoon (or you know, pita chips or cucumber wedges).
This is a reminder for myself but frozen food is very helpful and not every meal is going to be the best meal. I’m here for the frozen dumplings and wrapping up leftovers to freeze for later. More tips on ordering less takeout here.
Something to order:
German Wines held a lunch at Champers Club, a beautiful Soho space. German wines, particularly sekts, which are their sparkling wines, are a really great value and very lovely around the holidays. Convive Wines in the East Village cohosted the event and they have a great selection.
Khoung from the Ace Hotel was in town and we grabbed lunch at As You Are at the Brooklyn Ace Hotel. I had a grilled cheese and fries and the grilled cheese had caramelized onions and jam, both of which were great additions.
Dale and I picked up Fini Pizza on our way home from SoJo on Saturday. It’s the new pizza place from Sean Feeney, the co-owner of Misi and Lilia. We tried a bunch of slices and it was good, but not great. My favorite was the long hot and shallot slice, which had a decent kick. The tomato slice with garlic breadcrumbs and marinara was very, very garlicky and the Sicilian slice was too bready.
For the birthday dinner, we went to Kokomo, a Caribbean restaurant that I’ve been wanting to try for a long time. It definitely has a party vibe with a DJ (the music is loud, even outside, and I do feel uncool complaining about that but it was a lot) and we had a really nice time. My favorite dishes were the mac and cheese and the roasted plantain appetizer and the virgin pineapple mojito. They also bring out a sparkler for birthdays, which was lovely.
Something to read:
Want more reads? I share more in Thursday’s newsletter for paid subscribers (and on Thursday, I’m writing about how to find more time to read and how I find these reads)
If I emailed my parents like democrats emailed me
I am not excited that Hunky Dory’s Crown Heights space will now be a butcher shop.
More stories of friendship meet cutes!
Would you go to the Restoration Hardware restaurant?
Semafor’s infuriating climate misinformation: Chevron sponsors the site’s climate newsletter.
Do you like sweet potato fries? I’m including to agree that they are usually disappointing.
Running a restaurant is so hard and cutting corners generally increases profit. I love to see restaurants do the exact opposite. Lighthouse just launched a campaign to get an industrial composter for their organic waste and they hope it can be a pilot for the city since restaurants process so much food. I donated to the campaign and am so impressed by their commitment to being a zero waste restaurant (they even give their avocado pits to a local artist to make fabric dye).
The Unbearable Whiteness of the Local Food Movement
Liquid Death is Lacroix for GenZ. That tracks.
Daniel Smith, Believed to Be the Last Child of Enslaved People, Dies at 90
It’s worth watching this entire 60 Minutes piece on Ina for the part at the end where Jeffrey talks about how much he loves her. I know Ina is working on her memoirs and I can’t wait to read them.
New York City Is a Lot Safer Than Small-Town America
Now, let’s talk about Halloween candy! I hope you get some today (or on sale tomorrow).
Ron: Brach’s candy corn! Especially the version that comes packaged with the little candy pumpkins.
Julianne: I don't like sweets and it always took me MONTHS to get through my Halloween candy as a kid (I used help from my parents, friends, and eventually, the trash) BUT Reese's was and still is my favorite!! I wish as a kid I understood saying "no" and not needing to take candy I would never eat just because I was trick or treating!!
This week, I’d love to hear your questions or tips for Thanksgiving! I’m going to share a bunch of my favorite recipes for the holiday and want to include your questions! Do you need vegetarian main dishes, Indigenous organizations to support, tips on what to do if you’re trying something new for Thanksgiving, family friendly tv shows, etc? I’m here to help and I’d love to hear your Thanksgiving traditions. Reply to this email or leave a comment!
Thank you for being here and don’t forget to vote early if you can! Have a great week!
xo, Abigail
I would love recommendations for any orgs to volunteer with this holiday season! I love to plan some volunteer events for my employees and I much prefer to work with orgs that other folks recommend vs just googling whatever's out there. I also love non-traditional volunteering (food donating/serving is great, but sometimes hard when you're organizing for an office). Last year we decorated bags and notecards for Hear of Dinner and in lieu of a standard canned food drive for a big org, I raised money to buy groceries for community fridges!