010: Compromise. Adjust. Overeat.
Ultimately my efforts are meaningless if the stars are not aligned
(JS) Dear readers, we’ve made it to the double digits and I for one have found the post-retreat reintegration into s̶o̶c̶i̶e̶t̶y̶ my cute but poorly ventilated apartment to be a real drag. This is in part due to the fact that much of my time these past couple weeks has been spent indexing an academic volume, a seemingly Sisyphean task that is about as exciting as reading an index full of abbreviations that are largely unfamiliar to you. There’s probably something Foucauldian to be teased out here about Borges’ Chinese encyclopedia and how we organize knowledge (SB: somebody defended his dissertation this spring!), but I’ll spare you my superficial engagement with jargon and instead refer you to Alicia Kennedy’s latest for a thoughtful serving of critical theory, lamenting the lionizing of chefs in food media. (Looking for something low-brow to help you forget that entire paragraph? Here are a few of my favorite recent TikToks).
Taste the tinned fish rainbow
Lately I find myself longing for the regularity of the before times, when federal agents patrolling in unmarked vans was mere conspiracy theory and the internet’s collective desire to psychoanalyze ‘Ye had no direct effect on our national politics. To clarify, I’m not saying we should go BaCk tO NoRmaL -- anyone with a mildly woke Instagram presence can explain why. I just miss structured time, and the full-body rush of a planned break from that structure. In the meantime, I’ll keep trying my hand at new things, hoping it leads to something a little more fulfilling with room for growth, and maybe even healthcare (a girl can dream!).
Speaking of projects: I’ve been doing some R&D for Lunch Group, an operations, curation, and impact consultancy for mission-driven food and beverage businesses founded by friend of the newsletter Dani Dillon. We’re working on a project related to reopening during the pandemic and would love your support in shaping what we create. If you have recently returned to work in F&B, we would love for you to participate in our industry outreach survey. Feel free to share within your networks!
What else is cookin:
A riff on fistikli kebab, using ground beef instead of lamb, with a side of cacik and Egin Akin’s radish and herb salad
Thai cured pork and rice sausages from my freezer, the end of a pre-quar haul from Bangkok Center Grocery, alongside a Night + Market-inspired pomelo salad
Canned sardines, sour cream, and pickles on toast. How’s that for inspiring?
(SB) I surely speak for many of us when I say that I am inspired by Jake's kebabs and candor, this week and every week. Following our digestivo retreat, I cooled my heels mostly at home for a few days before hopping on a (surprisingly fine? mildly dystopian? deeply depressing?) flight to LA to spend the rest of the summer with my parents and sister. In case you’re keeping track at home, that’s a lot of highly blessed escapism in a pandemic. Mindful of my good fortune, this particular escape has felt like a return, reminding me that no matter where you go, you’re still in the throes of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic* and the future remains, at best, uncertain.
Looking out for number one, so to speak
So, I’ve succumbed to all the tantalizing little morsels that Netflix has dangled before me in the past week: a four part Epstein expose (email me to chat, conspiracy heads), Queer Eye in Philly, and perhaps most beguilingly, Indian Matchmaking, the most craven and transparent retelling of the pathologies of upper caste Hindu culture across the South Asian diaspora that I’ve seen to date. If my higher-order brain functions were firing right now, I might have more to say about all those things, but I’ve been reflecting on how, amidst my self righteous scoffing, I found all the astrology perversely enticing. For me, the appeal of turning to the stars is in acknowledging that the universe is vast and likely unknowable, with the bonus of mentally managing and processing the abject powerlessness I feel. Anyway, in addition to getting knee deep into Chani Nicholas’ affirmations and my birth chart, I also:
Made the most of that 10% yogurt stash with many savory yogurt bowls: cucumber, tomatoes, sliced orange/yellow bell peppers, olive oil, some seed-crunch...and a kinky drizzle of balsamic.
Dipped into old recipe exchange ideas with chili eggs some new friend sent my way
I also used all the waning produce in my fridge (sad eggplant, some tomatoes, a couple of chilis, a fat zucchini) and a lot of garlic to make a rustic ratatouille, enjoyed for a few meals with pearl couscous.
*Unless, of course, you go to many parts of Asia or Western Europe where the virus has been totally contained by sane public health policy and a reasonable welfare state.
HOT IN HERRE: Fruit Salad
Pretty much every time I eat straight grapefruit I ask myself: do I actually like this? Generally speaking I’m a real citrus head and tend to love bittersweet flavors, but all by itself I find it to be borderline aggressive. Halved grapefruit sprinkled with sugar and broiled is visually stunning, but frankly I’m just not here for hot fruit (SB: *wink*) without a proper crumble/crisp/crust in tow. For me, grapefruit is best enjoyed when treated like a vegetable, mixed in with savory flavors and dressed up a bit. Try it sliced with shaved fennel, pickled red onions, and a tangle of arugula; supremed, with cubes of feta, slicked with good olive oil and cracked black pepper; or in the aforementioned Thai style, tossed with toasted coconut and fried peanuts in a pungent lime and fish sauce vinaigrette, then showered with fresh herbs. (SB: I need to eat these right now.) I suppose this is all a long winded way of suggesting you indulge in fruit salad, a cool and refreshing treat for any time of the day.
Yam sam-o? More like o so yum (sorry)
The term “fruit salad” likely conjures up a sad and sticky bowl rich in color but perhaps lacking in flavor. Many a picnic has featured this languid assortment of cubed cantaloupe and pineapple, red grapes, strawberries or blueberries, and the requisite sliced kiwi.* But fruit salad need not be this way! My suggestion is to think less fruit and more salad.
Instead of throwing a bunch of fruits together willy nilly and hoping for magic, start with just one or two and proceed with intention. A little lemon or lime juice and a pinch of salt does wonders for bland melon, but you could also experiment with vinegars instead of citrus. A bit of heat provides some unexpected contrast. Mango chili lime? Name a more iconic trio. Round that all out with some leafy herbs, and you’re well on your way to fresh fruit salad bliss. If you’re using mint or basil, make sure to tear or muddle them a bit in order to release their natural oils. You can serve this immediately, or let it marinate for more pronounced flavors. Just keep in mind the texture may change over time. Feel free to experiment with more toppings like toasted nuts, puffed rice, or your preferred fried alliums, though I would recommend adding those just before serving, lest they lose their crunch. Same goes for salty cheeses.
*Should you find yourself with this classic bowl of disappointment, Gabrielle Hamilton offers a suggestion in the Prune cookbook: let fruit salad sit in the fridge for a couple days to ripen and approach fermented (“Not rotten -- but ‘interesting’ or ‘mature’”), then puree with a ginger infused simple syrup, and churn into a sorbet. FWIW I imagine it would probably spike well.
TMYK: Raita, a Love Story
Famously, my Indian Origin Story is one of divided loyalties between regional cuisines (under investigated in Indian Matchmaking, IMHO): my paternal roots are roti and dal, my maternal, luscious coconut milk curries and dosa. My dadhi might make a raita, my valiamma a pachadi. My... just kidding, I’ll spare you. But, suffice it to say, we love yogurt-based side dishes up and down the subcontinent, and I think you might too.
You’ve likely had a raita if you’re at all familiar with South Asian food; the most common in America is likely a northern cucumber raita -- chunks or grated cucumber in a thinnish yogurt sauce. If you’re lucky, you may get a little bit of mint or cilantro in there, too. A very common South Indian pachadi features chopped tomatoes, curry leaves, coconuts, and yogurt. Both dishes are served as a kind of side dish or sauce, heaped on to cool off a curry or bring down your body temperature. The possibilities, however, are endless, and excellent for the summer in particular.
Here, I’d like to offer you a little primer for how you may run with the form. In my opinion, a good raita should be yogurt forward. I prefer starting with a regular, full-fat yogurt, but some will have you begin with a strained Greek yogurt. Begin by whisking your yogurt (perhaps adding a little water or buttermilk if you’re Going Greek) with a little salt to break it up. It should look like a smoothie, but you may prefer a thicker or thinner raita. If you’re making pachadi, here’s where you’d likely add a little grated coconut.
You can then add some sort of mix-in: carrots, beets, cucumbers, tomatoes (either cubed or grated.) The form is flexible, but I urge you to be mindful of texture here -- overloading a raita makes for a more salad-like experience; be mindful of the way that seeds in your tomatoes or cucumbers will change the raita’s viscosity. Boondi, small bubbles of deep fried chickpea flour, are by far my favorite raita mix in. You can make these, but store bought is fine in case you’re not a maniac. If making a boondi raita, be sure to soak the balls in water for a few minutes and then squeeze out (most of but not all) the water before adding them to the yogurt.
Next, you’ll need to add some spice. Tempered cumin seeds, dried chilis, or that fateful combination of ginger-mustard seeds-curry leaves-and spice in coconut oil would all be nice, depending on what you’re going for. You might opt to skip the tempering and just add a sprinkling of chaat masala, cumin, or even amchur (dried mango!!!!) powder on top. Some in this house have added the Trader Joe’s chili-lime mix and the Trader Joe’s everything bagel seasoning atop (separate) raita (JS: my culture? Not a costume).
If you’re looking for some inspiration, aforementioned Meera Sodha’s raita-pachadi bench is impressive, featuring at least half-dozen thick ‘n chunky, colorful, and vegetable-forward raitas (raita?) for your pleasure across Made in India and Fresh India. Some online-accessible recipes you may consider include, a golden garlic; carrot raita; beetroot pachadi; pomegranate raita; pineapple raita, or Ottolenghi’s preserved lemon raita as a representative of fusion-raita. There’s also some sweet raitas, but, as we like to say, that is not my ministry.
GLD: Raspberry Cream Pie
A couple weeks ago I mentioned a raspberry cream pie from Missy Robbins, which she claims was inspired by an unforgettable pie she’d tasted while visiting friends out on the North Fork of Long Island. I don’t know much about the North Fork -- I imagine for no specific reason that some vaguely queer ecotourism operation with a robust F&B program would thrive (is thriving? Is this my pivot?) out there -- but I can tell you the fresh blueberry and peach cream pies from Briermere Farms in Riverhead are among the best summer desserts I’ve ever tasted, and I have more than an inkling of suspicion these babies were her jumping off point. I’ve streamlined her recipe just a bit, omitting gelatin from the filling and opting for fresh fruit on top, in lieu of her jammier version.
Anything can be a pie pan if you’re not baking it
Missy’s pie swaps the traditional crust for an amaretti cookie version, offering a hint of almond flavor, but more importantly, forgoing any oven use. Just melt some butter and pour it over the crumbs, mix with your hands, then press into a pie pan. The second time I made this, I low on amaretti and subbed in half graham cracker crumbs. I imagine ginger snaps would also work, as would benne wafers. Really any crispy cookie should be fine.
For the cream filling, she beats equal amounts of cream cheese and mascarpone with confectioner’s sugar until smooth, then folds in some unsweetened cream that’s been whipped to soft peaks. I cut the sugar back and threw in a bit of sour cream to taste. Pour this into your crust, smooth out the top, and leave it covered in the fridge to chill for a few hours, or ideally overnight. Once the pie has set, top with your favorite fresh summer fruit: I used raspberries, but any summer berry, sliced stone fruit, or some combination would work wonders. (If you want something closer to the Briermere original you can glaze the fruit, though I don’t think it adds much).
PERMANENT ROTATION: Creamed mushrooms, excellent on chive butter toast and probably decent in a dosa. Rich AND no oven necessary.
WISH LIST
(JS) I have long praised Need Supply as the number one source for discounted Maison Louis Marie, hailed by The Strategist as the best affordable fancy candles. Unfortunately the beloved Richmond boutique is going out of business, so I implore you to stock up one last time on fan favorites like Bois de Balincourt (aka the candle partially responsible for Ty Haney’s downfall) or my personal pick, Scalpay, described by friend of newsletter April as smelling like “a hot guy” (the nose knows).
(SB) Lots has changed since I was last on the west side, and I’m feeling nostalgic for the days of Luna Garcia ceramic-ware. In the spirit of manifesting, I’d love a set of ceramic dishes and a dining table that fits in my weird-shaped NYC living room. Less art-ily, I have accepted that I want and need a high speed blender for home dosa purposes. More astrologically, I suspect I’m about to drop some actual money on a chart reading.
(JS & SB) As you know we frequently flirt with the idea of quittin’ this hot garbage town to try and make it in LA (SB: remake it! Make it once again! I grew up there! Is anyone listening? Is thi-). Community space Junior High, the brainchild of tarot queen and certified internet girl Faye Orlove, is a staple of the Los Angeles arts and activism communities, and one of the many draws luring us west. Friend of the newsletter and fellow internet girl Sewa has found a home there, learning to love herself and putting together some incredible digital programming in the process. We’re hoping you’ll donate to their year five fundraiser, which aims to cover relocation costs, expand pandemic-safe programming, provide community anti-racist training, and pay their staff.
Wishing the happiest of birthdays to our Canadian king, Alex Trebek!