Party Snacks and a bowl of Lactaid Pills
A housewarming party, simple baked pasta, and some much needed signs of spring
It’s spring! I can’t believe it and I’m relishing every walk in the sunshine. I hope you had a restful and fun weekend.
Now, let’s dive in.
Something to Cook:
I taught a Hamantaschen class on Monday and the kitchen was a mess. Julia and Julianne were coming over for the Bachelor and I needed a quick dinner that wouldn’t make the kitchen even more messy. Enter: spinach ricotta baked pasta, a dish Erica came up with for our January Meal Prep class. It has minimal prep time, no chopping and is so delicious. I served with a simple salad and some garlic bread and it got rave reviews, unlike Clayton’s communication skills.
I picked up some cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joe’s and used it for a quick lunch with broccoli, black pepper and cheese. I prefer a very light sauce with the gnocchi so they stay crispy.
As a native New Yorker, I’ve barely dabbled in at home pizza making as the local options are so good. Nonetheless, I was intrigued by the premade pizza dough at Trader Joe’s and gave it a try. It was really easy to work with (I followed these instructions and made two smaller pizzas). The biggest challenge was getting the oven hot enough—next time I’d preheat the pan too.
We hosted a housewarming party on Saturday and it was so wonderful to have friends over, most of them for the first time! For drinks, I set up a Paloma station with grapefruit juice, lime juice (which I squeezed by hand because store bought lime juice is gross), seltzer, and tequila and we also had Ghia for a NA spritz. I wrote out a little recipe card with ratios. For snacks, I made a cheese board with some lactaids on the side and cherry chai jam. The aged gouda was the most popular cheese and the most popular snack was nacho cheese Doritos. Next time we will get a bigger bag.
Last night, I made such a springy salad to go with leftover pizza: it was arugula, carrots, toasted almonds, leftover gouda from the party, dates, and a balsamic vinaigrette. I’ve been very into the bright peppery flavor of arugula lately, it wakes everything up.
Something to Order:
In 2019, my parents got tickets for the Music Man revival with Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman. It’s been postponed so many times due to Covid, but we finally got to go last week. It was my first time at a show since before the pandemic and was such a blast (theaters are, for the moment, still checking vaccines and enforcing mask wearing). We had a pre theater dinner at Bice Cucina Midtown and the appetizers, especially the pinsa, were so good.
Dale and I ordered a grandma pie from Williamsburg Pizza as our pre party meal and the leftovers were perfect for the day after as well. It reheats so well and I always top it with lots of Burlap and Barrel chili flakes.
Our first stop yesterday was brunch at Mesa Coyoacan, which is always so good. We started with chips and guac and I love their huevos rancheros. Ask for the salsas.
Something to read:
I share five additional reads in the Thursday newsletter (this week, it’s bread themed). Subscribe now to support this small business and get exclusive content.
Spring 2022 cookbooks are coming!
The Bat Mitzvah turns 100 years old and I will not be sharing photos from mine on the internet. Such an awkward age.
New York lawmakers reject to go cocktails, for now (ugh)
Stop changing the subject from Anti-Asian racism
I have a story in the April issue of Food & Wine! Tag me or send me a picture if you see a copy! Would you be interested in a Thursday newsletter on how a magazine story gets made?
Pizza wine is one of my favorite categories of wine
To Learn About Trinidad and Tobago, Start by Cooking Pelau
A history of Pure Food and Wine, the subject of another scammer show, Bad Vegan
A true sign of spring is the return of the Mister Softee truck
Carolina Gelen’s pantry is well stocked
Asian American owned food business face a specific kind of troll
Mushrooms are so special: Hongos Forever: Modern Vegan-Mexican Cuisine Chefs ‘Reawaken the Ancestral Memory’ with Mushrooms
I learned a lot from this piece about Soviet Jewish food and Hamantaschen
How One New York City Restaurant Fought to Survive. Saigon Social opened on March 13, 2020 and it’s been two years of challenges.
It Could’ve Been the World’s Largest Potato, if Only It Were a Potato
A New Approach to Keep Former Foster Youth from Facing Food Insecurity
How Do You Fight For Your Country When You’re 5,000 Miles Away? Julia spoke with the Ukranian community in Brighton Beach
San Francisco’s Only Vineyard Aims to Break Racial Barriers, Give Locals a Sense of Ownership
‘Why? Why? Why?’ Mariupol Descends into Despair. This is very hard to read and the violence is horrifying.
Last week, we talked about prepping for spring! I got my first iced beverage of the season (I don’t like cold brew so I usually get an iced americano since regular iced coffee is hard to find).
Jen is getting her garden ready: I just ordered seeds for this years' garden— I can't wait to start growing food again! (All that really exists in my garden over the winter are a few hardy herbs.) I'm already clearing out space in my freezer for what I'll make with the abundance of spring and summer.
I also saw many of you make my Hamantaschen recipe, which is always such a joy (more backstory here). Thank you for making it and sharing the delicious results!
This week, I’d like to hear about your favorite party snacks. What’s the food you’d make a beeline to if you saw it at a party? Clearly, Doritos are a winner and I also love a raw bar (at a fancy event I am not paying for). Reply to this email with your thoughts and I’ll share them next week!
I’ll be back on Thursday with a bread related newsletter and Recommendation Station, the TNHS advice column (submit questions anytime).
Have a great week!
xo, Abigail
why yes, I want a party snack!