Step into the Daylight
We made it to 7 p.m. sunsets & a special sale
We did it! I was hoping for a bright spring day as I wrote this but no, it’s grey and rainy. Even so, I’m relieved that we’ve adjusted our clocks (hopefully for the last time) and will enjoy later sunsets until the fall. My daily Vitamin D supplement was working overtime and I’m glad she’ll get a break.
Surviving winter is something I feel invested in with this community (Gentle January is a game changer) and I’m excited to delight in the wonders of spring as a collective. March is a tough month, we’re not quite out of the winter woods, but having more daylight is the start of something good and I’m ready to enjoy it.
To get you in the springtime spirit, Erica and I are offering a sale on our ebook, Meal Prep Made Simple, which is full of menus for eating well (and reducing decision fatigue) all year long. We are both huge fans of the summer months and late sunsets and have been waiting for this moment. Since March is a rollercoaster, the book has cozy dishes like go-to green soup and shepherd’s pie as well as brighter dishes like slaws, citrus cocktails, and BBQ veggie burgers for when the sun comes out (and it will). And it includes remixes, game plans, and tips to make meal prepping easier and less stressful. Use code DAYLIGHT at checkout to take advantage!
On Thursday, paid subscribers will get the recipe I repeat most often from our meal prep classes (it’s a flexible and easy pasta that’s absolutely perfect for feeding large groups), plus the next installment of the TNHS advice column.
Now, let’s dive in.
Something to cook:
For Bachelor monday, I tried a new pasta shape from Sporkful and Sfoglini, the Quattroni, which reminded me of a rigatoni/bucatini hybrid. Trying a new pasta shape is a fun novelty and this is a traditional shape from Sicily. It was great with Our Pantry’s arrabbiata sauce and some roasted broccoli cooked at 425 with olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes. Once it’s crispy, top with lemon zest and lemon juice.
Sometimes, when you realize it’s 2 pm and you haven’t eaten lunch, cheesy scrambled eggs are the best thing! Simple and satisfying.
I had Tilden over for dinner on Friday (we watched Daisy Jones and the Six, which keeps getting better) and made squash toasts with Newlight Breadworks sourdough and ricotta from Emily’s Pork Store. When making something really simple (it’s just squash and onions on toast), it’s fun to get really nice ingredients from local shops to make it feel special (learned it from Ina and my parents). With it, I made a raddichio salad with radishes, mint, and carrots and Tilden made a simple sherry vinaigrette.
Leftover bread and leftover ricotta are always welcome in my home. I’ve made avocado toast, and ricotta toast with jam and will be using the ricotta on some pasta later this week.
Stovetop popcorn is a staple around here and I have to shoutout this universal lid that gives a very good seal. Popcorn is very easy to burn and I have best results putting one kernel in, waiting for it to pop (stay close by, it’s a quiet sound) and then adding the rest of the kernels. Top with ghee, salt, and nutritional yeast.
Something to order:
Here’s a life hack: if you have to fast before a doctor’s appointment (I was getting bloodwork at a physical), bring a sandwich with you. My appointment was at 1:30 and I was so hungry. I stopped at Bite on my way to the office to grab a Middle Eastern Vegan sandwich, which is two types of eggplant, roasted red peppers, hummus, mixed greens, and spicy sauce in a pita. It’s under $10 and so good. I ate it on the street as soon as the appointment was over, no regrets.
I also visited the new Pop Up Grocer location on 6th avenue. It’s adorable and has a few tables to enjoy your treats (there’s a rotating bakery case, currently from Librae). I got a chocolate chip tahini cookie and hung out for a bit. There’s also a nice, clean bathroom.
Lillie, who I met when we were both living in Guatemala, recently moved to New York and we had a last minute hang that was delightful. We started with wine and beet salad at Le Dive and then moved to Scarr’s for slices and Lambrusco at the bar. There’s usually a line at Scarr’s, it is always worth it.
Thursday’s event at Club Curious was a blast. We sipped Curious Elixirs, heard a beautiful performance from MCP and enjoyed the space. Curious Elixirs is hosting events every Thursday in March if you want to check them out! Elixir 3 is a cucumber moment that’s perfect for early spring!
Levain has a new vegan/GF version of their signature chocolate chip walnut cookie and I was invited to try it. I’m normally not a fan of Levain’s super gooey cookies but the vegan version is a little crispier and less sweet and still has great flavor and texture. I would definitely get it again. In blind taste tests, people did not guess it was vegan or GF (I shared with two friends who were very into it).
Dale’s been out of town for work so I took myself on a solo burrito date, armed with this lovely book. I got a rice and bean burrito at Super Burrito and it was very satisfying. It’s worth it to add the avocado and sour cream and I wish they had housemade salsa on the side. They have Valentina, which is a great hot sauce, but why not both?
I ended the weekend with dinner at Lighthouse with Julia and Tilden. We got oysters (the best), fries, a tahini caesar, and whipped feta. Happy hour goes will 6:30 and it was a perfect meal before watching the Oscars with popcorn, cookies, and Topo Chico.
Something to read:
I share more reads every Thursday for paid subscribers.
Adam Brody is rewatching the OC!
The hottest trend is fancy ice. I’m skeptical but it’s pretty.
Creator of my favorite vodka sawce, Grossy Pelosi, wrote a cookbook. I preordered immediately.
NYC public defenders are facing a funding crisis (and some are working three jobs)
An expansive book of Jewish food from Claudia Roden
Revisiting Heartburn on its 40th anniversary. It’s always a good time for a reread.
‘We’re book nerds’: the female friends opening bookshops together
A must read on Influencer Parents and The Kids Who Had Their Childhood Made Into Content
People Think Gen Z Is Sex Negative, But The Truth Is More Complicated
Food influencer Half Baked Harvest accused of disregarding, appropriating Vietnamese culture (again)
Toxic fumes detected at popular Brooklyn shuffleboard club for past 2 years. It’s still unclear to me when the owners knew about this but it’s inexcusable that they put workers at risk for so long.
The self-fulfilling prophecy of “temporary workers”
Food waste isn’t all trash—a lot of it could be delicious
Speaking of food waste, I got to review the Mill Bin for Food52. It’s a bin about the size of garbage can that grinds and shrinks food waste and reuses it as chicken feed. I’ve been composting since 2019 and it was fun to try an alternative. Mill was really seamless to use and made our trash load so much lighter (and less stinky). I still love and support composting and support as many ways as possible to keep food out of landfills. I had the Mill bin for almost three weeks and was sad to see it go.
Now, let’s hear about your food traditions.
Jamie’s is a classic for a reason: We have pizza every Friday night!
M.Q. pulls out all the stops: One of my rituals, isn't really baking BUT when I come to a fall/winter/spring holiday gathering of friends and family, if I don't bring homemade Gravlax with my dilled, horseradish-mustard sauce, folks get a little dewy-eyed...It is so easy to make and so worth the time (4 days) to properly make it.
Carol’s food tradition sounds cinematic: My family usually does a shrimp boil each summer in August! It's a really fun meal to make outdoors (we use a giant turkey fryer set up in the back yard over a propane burner). I always feel like a witch stirring her bubbling brew as I drop in seasonings, whole heads of garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, corn on the cob, andouille sausage, and finally the main event: shrimp! When it's done, we run a long sheet of butcher paper down the center of the table and dump it! We put out crusty bread, butter, cocktail sauce, mustard, and lots of napkins! It always feels like the last big event of summer, and who doesn't love eating with their hands?
This week, I’d love to hear your excitement about later sunsets. Tell me if you’re planning after work walks, picnics, or something else and I’ll share the good vibes next week.
Thanks so much for being here and remember, if you want to gently cook your way into spring, use code DAYLIGHT to save.
xo, Abigail