Wine and Cheese, Yes Please

Hi friends,

Welcome to This Needs Hot Sauce (And Other Food Thoughts), a newsletter sharing something to cook, somewhere to eat out, and something to read. I'm a native New Yorker who spends far too much time thinking and reading about food. I love helping people find better things to eat and solving problems, so let me know how I can help.

It's June somehow, and it's time to listen to J.Lo and eat outside as much as possible, despite these weird temperature swings. This week I'm announcing an exciting event so make sure to read this all the way to the end...
Something to cook:
I came home on Wednesday after phone banking with the Brooklyn NAACP and Repair the World (hey, the New York Primary is June 26th and you can make sure you're registered with TurboVote) and thought I had nothing in the house. After a quick fridge sweep, I realized I could make a version of this peanut soba noodle bowl. The dressing is great (Kate is the blogger behind my other favorite peanut sauce, so this came as no surprise). Make yourself some peanut noodles this week, you deserve it. 

Other great things to cook/assemble: a cheese plate (get a full guide here). Frida came over last night and did some heavy snacking before dinner. I set up a plate with this great gouda she brought, peach jam in a little bowl and a pile of pistachios. She also brought olives and it was lovely. My friend Charlotte, a professional cheesemonger has more tips right here, but a good rule of thumb is: buy whatever's on sale at Whole Foods and add any condiments and salty crunchy things you have in the cabinet.

Julianne and Ian are great cooks and neighbors, and this week they outdid themselves with homemade pizza. Ian made the dough in advance and we came over to assemble and eat together. They have a pizza stone and heat the oven to 500. This is not an easy thing to make- your kitchen will get hot and once it's time, it all happens quickly. I'm sharing because a) pizza is delicious and I believe you guys are great cooks and b) because you could use these toppings suggestions for other types of pizza crusts (they sell frozen dough at most supermarkets or you can get it from a local pizzeria). Even a pita pizza would be good.


We made two types of pizza: their signature one which uses marinara sauce, ricotta (make sure to season it with salt, shredded mozzarella,  soppressata (with a little corner left vegetarian for me), basil and a white pie, with ricotta, mozzarella , thinly sliced zucchini which I sauteed with some oregano, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and black pepper. Precooking the zucchini is crucial - you want to get some of the water out and get a little bit of color. The secret ingredient in both pies was garlic oil (minced garlic in olive oil), which we put on the dough before adding any toppings. It's helpful to have everything set up in bowls so you can stretch out the dough and get them in the oven asap. Then Ian slid the pies onto a pizza peel, while the rest of us held our breaths, and then he slid them onto the pizza stone. They cook fast, in less than 10 minutes, and you should take them out  (carefully) when the crust starts to brown. We ate on the roof, with wine, and a greek salad, and it was the start of a great night.  
Something to order:
Diners are special and I finally got to visit Bushwick institution Tina's yesterday after hearing Emma, Jesse, and Frida recommend it nonstop. Breakfast is $4 if you get there before 11, but Julia and I were um, not on that schedule. We had eggs and homefries and toast and even diet peach Snapple (hello, throwback) because it felt right. It's cash only and has so much character. Tina's even sells a variety of OTC hangover remedies proving the old adage: know your customer. You won't spend more than $10 and you'll leave full and happy.


Bunna is a cash-only Ethiopian spot in Bushwick that's lovely to end the week. Julia, Tilden and I devoured the platter for 2 and arrived a whole four minutes before happy hour ended (plenty of time to place an order). More on Bunna next week :)

Continue the night post - Bunna at Brooklyn Cider House down the block. I went back for the first time since reporting this story and the patio is open! We tried two cider flights to sample all the ciders on offer, and then all ordered the half sour. So if you can live without trying them all, go with that one. The patio is spacious and there was plenty of room on a Friday night. 

I've mentioned Lighthouse before, it's one of my bad day restaurants, and I went back for the first time in a few months. It's so good, a little slip of a restaurant with fresh veggies and a great burrata app. I got pasta but should have stuck to my favorite weird yet delicious dish: the grilled escarole with tahini. They're closed mondays or else I'd suggest you eat dinner there tonight.

Something to read: 
Are summer fast food jobs for teens a thing of the past? 

Stop telling me to clean as I go 

Getting tacos with the city's new nightlife mayor

An Alabama pastry chef finally gets her due 

Jeff Goldblum was hilarious on the Bon Appetit foodcast. He's living a good life.  

Vegan athlete food diaries are my clickbait 

Why don't we hear the stories of women chefs? 

What does an international pizza consultant do? 

One twisted jawn: The story of Philadelphia soft pretzels (Molly, this one's for you!)

Sqirl's avocado toast is ridiculously good and yes, it's got 22 ingredients. An easier (still delicious) avocado toast is here.

"No one needs another lecture on how modern society is beating the shit out of Mother Nature on a daily basis." As restaurants and bars around the country struggle to phase out straws, the trend is clear: Straws are out. Have you changed how often you use them? Reply and let me know!

I need to try these cold noodles 

A Day in the Life of Ina Garten's assistant Lidey 

Finally, I have a very exciting announcement: This Needs Hot Sauce is having a happy hour on June 14th from 6:30 -8:00. We'll meet at the Tuffet, a lovely spot with excellent wine and cheese and a backyard (pray for sunshine). I've loved spending time with so many of you at Supper Clubs over the past few months and am excited to host an event that can accommodate a larger group. RSVP via this form so we have a headcount.

As usual, I'm fundraising for a charity I care about at every This Needs Hot Sauce event.  If you're coming to the Happy hour, I'd so appreciate donations ($10 suggested) to support Mayan children's education in rural Guatemala. This organization Pueblo a Pueblo is one that many of my friends in Santiago worked at and they're so close to meeting their goal for this project. I'll be donating too, so feel free to venmo me if that's easier for you: @abigail-koffler.

Have a great week and I hope to see you guys at Tuffet. Bring your friends, family, boo thangs, and let's hang out .

Happy eating and thanks for reading.
xo,
Abigail