Tis the soup season
Plus, latkes & vokdas, za'atar cacio e pepe, and cream cheese
It’s moving day (again). Dale and I are moving back to Brooklyn today after a little over a month in Queens. It’s been a really special month and it culminated this weekend with the return of our Latkes and Vodkas party (we all got Covid tests beforehand). I’m hoping to spend the rest of the year getting settled in our new apartment, resting, and making some big plans for 2022.
Now, let’s dive in.
Something to cook:
My dad knows we love cacio e pepe and made us za’atar cacio e pepe with bucatini for one of our last dinners at home. It was SO good and it’s definitely something I want to try (I wrote about my favorite za’atar brands here)
Now, latkes and vodkas! Latkes (potato and zucchini) are the centerpiece and preparation is essential. My parents did latke mis en place with bowls for each batch of latkes with potatoes, peeled onions and premixed dry ingredients, which made things much easier (my other big tip: open every window in your house). Each batch just fit in the food processor, a major timesaver. Our toppings included caramelized onion jam, lox, horseradish yogurt, whipped feta, applesauce and lemon herb yogurt (we label everything with index cards). For snacks, we had chex mix (my Grandma’s recipe that I’m sharing with paid subscribers later this week), hummus and crudités. To make sure no one went hungry, we made a huge bowl of this kale apple salad and had a crockpot full of orange soup, which was a big hit (don’t skip the topping, soups need texture).
The drinks situation is also very special and my dad made a sheet of suggested drinks, with mixers like ginger beer, cranberry syrup, kahlua, vermouth and more. We also had sparkling wine, red wine, and liters of seltzer (luckily, it was cold enough to use the back patio as an extra fridge).
People brought such good desserts (Jill made incredible brownies with a peppermint topping) and our neighbor Rory made doughnuts to order, which never made it out of the kitchen. They tasted even sweeter since we couldn’t have them last year. It was such a special night and lighting menorahs all together felt so good. My cousin Kaitlin had a Hanukkah party the same night across the country and it was lovely to do the same thing in different places.
Something to order:
I’m absolutely going to miss the noodles from Xin Taste now that we’re back in Brooklyn. The hand peeled ones in particular have such a great texture and the soup makes a delightful lunch, with ample chili oil. Go if you’re in the area!
Dale and I had dinner at Mesa Coyoacan with a client of his and it was delicious as always. We’ve tried all of their margarita flavors (the grapefruit and classic spicy are my favorites, Dale likes the mango) but my current fave is their paloma with mezcal. And the mushroom huitlacoche tacos, forever.
My parents and I took a little excursion to Astoria. We went for a walk in Astoria Park stopped for lunch and treats at Bench Flour Bakers. We got grilled cheeses to take home (so good, get the house hot sauce) and pastries for later. The chocolate chip cookie is great as is the crumble covered coffee cake. Call ahead if you’re in a rush.
Juliannce helped measure the new apartment on Friday and we fueled with egg and cheese bagels from Bagelsmith (with bacon for her). I also had a great bagel yesterday from Hot Bialys Appetizing, the bagelshop I grew up on. Both shops had adequate cream cheese supplies but the shortage is worrying.
The night before a big party is no time to cook, so we picked up Metro Taco on Friday night and had enough leftovers for a pre party lunch. I love their version of a crunchwrap supreme, which is huge and reheats well.
Something to read:
Retiring in Italy after wanting to live there for decades
I want to try the eggplant sandwich from Doctor’s Cave in Bed-Stuy
Preserving the heritage of Appalachian apple varieties
Bummed that Lavender Lake is closing and hopeful they find a new location soon
This would be so much fun to do if you’re home for the holidays: four weeks of wine and cookie pairings from Madison of Your Weekly W(h)ine
Using the ritual of food to remember loved ones
The escalating costs of being single in America
When everything feels wrong, only baked pasta feels right (so true)
More Mexican restaurants in New York are highlighting Indigenous dishes
How Instagram’s Granola King earned his name (I’ve been an avid Eva Chen follower for years and this was such a fun story)
What is dal? (Someone forward this to Alison Roman and her gentle lentils)
Grossy Pelosi shares his tips for hosting a cookie party
Dorie Greenspan takes us behind the scenes of her latest cookbook, highlighting the work of her food stylist Samantha Seneviratne. Worth the read for the pictures alone.
Pastry chef Caroline Schiff shares her beauty uniform
Who really owns a recipe? It’s tricky
It’s a really good time to donate to an abortion fund. Also bookmark this site if you’re looking to get abortion pills by mail.
Now, let’s stir the pot and talk about your favorite soups. Consider this your agenda for the rest of winter (I know winter hasn’t technically started but it can’t hurt to be prepared).
Martha recommends Smitten Kitchen’s carrot miso soup!
Rebecca packed soup for school lunch (same): Pasta e Fagioli was one of my FAVORITE soups growing up! My mom would always pack it in a thermos for me and my brother's school lunches!
Claire’s favorite soup includes refried beans and I can’t wait to try it: My soup du jour/soup de l’éternité - black bean soup. This is an ancient Real Simple recipe and just involves broth, a can of black beans, a can of refried beans, and a tub of fresh salsa. Put the salsa in a pot with olive oil to cook it slightly, and then add everything else (and anything else you want - corn, hot sauce, that half bell pepper on its last legs). Simmer until warm, top with cheese. It takes maybe 15 minutes, and is so delicious.
Ali’s soup rotation sounds so good: Some favorite soups! This curried chickpea & red lentil soup is so flavorful and is mostly pantry staples. These thai-spieced rice bowls aren't exactly a soup, but it is brothy, so maybe it counts? It's nice because you can top it with whatever you have, and it's very warming but a different flavor profile than most soup. Lastly, I don't think the recipe is online but the lentil soup recipe in Bryant Terry's Vegetable Kingdom is fantastic. The soup itself is simple, but sizzling a lot of paprika and other spices in coconut oil and dumping in on the top at the end tadka-style takes it to the next level.
Steph’s suggestion is hearty and delicious: The easiest and tastiest soup I've ever made is this Kale, Orzo and White Bean soup. I haven't tried freezing it because there is never any left. :)
Julianne knows soup is a gift: I have made HUGE batches of soup (typically chicken noodle) at a calm time of the semester to dig into when things get crazy or if I don't feel myself. I have made the stock from scratch from veggies and chicken bones and it's always such a treat from Past Me to Future Me!
Jen’s soup swaps sound so cool: During the pandemic my friends and I have done a couple of soup swaps where we all meet up in a park to trade, so you end up with a bunch of servings of different types. That's how I discovered this amazing Hungarian mushroom soup, which a friend made and I liked so much I had to find out how to make it for myself. It is SO uniquely satisfying and can be made with any mushrooms you've got, although I love using chanterelles when I have them! (I wrote a bit about it here.)
Thank you for sharing your favorite soups with me! I so value the conversations we get to have here. This week, I’d love to hear what you like to put on a bagel (this is me trying to manifest a healthy cream cheese supply). I love an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese, red onion, and tomato if the tomatoes are good.
I’ll be back on Thursday with chex mix and the first newsletter from my new apartment for paid subscribers!
Take care and thanks for reading!
xo, Abigail
P.S. If you’re still doing holiday shopping, my gift guide is chock full of suggestions and there’s a handy gift option for the upcoming meal prep classes I’m teaching with Erica.
You got my attention with Latkes and Vodkas! Sounds like a blast. In terms of a bagel, I take an everything with cream cheese, tomato, and smoked salmon.