Your two favorite editors are up to our ears in all sorts of work and play these days. You know how it goes: a few odds and ends of writing here, a looming deadline or two there, chronic self-doubt casting a cloud over it all. In between it all we’ve managed to squeeze in a little time with our families, flying to California and back again to ring in a new year, and gathering in Westchester last Friday and Saturday for some back to back brisket action with a little bread of affliction and good old ritual order. This is all to say that we didn’t quite have it in us to pull together a full showing this week, but we wouldn’t leave you hanging on this most special of days. You gotta make time for your passions, you know?
It is with that same paschal spirit – why is this issue different from all other issues, just a quick hello would have been enough (dayenu), etc – that we hope you’ll enjoy this brief dispatch from Digestivo HQ, an experimental format for the most extraordinary of holidaze.
GLD: A Chocolate Chip Cookie to Make Right Now
(JS) I’ve got my go-to’s for most archetypal desserts, but when it comes to chocolate chip cookies I’ve yet to find my platonic ideal. I’ve tried egg yolks, malted milk powder, and olive oil, plus olive oil and butter – all valiant efforts, but nothing outstanding. The closest I’ve come is David Leite’s take on the Jacques Torres recipe, but frankly the process is a bit finicky and the cookies are almost too big, not to mention that they require at least 24 and ideally 36 hours refrigeration before baking. Perhaps it's a post Saturn return reconciliation with my Piscean identity, but I dare say Ruth Tam’s sourdough chocolate chunk cookies with rye and espresso were love at first sight – a photo on the Food52 Instagram floated across my feed one night a couple weeks ago and I immediately set about making them. For the less watery readers (Virgos), here’s my pitch.
These cookies have a lot to love – crispy edges, chewy centers, depth of flavor from the rye and espresso (or in my case, cold brew because I’m… you know…), shimmering pools of white and dark chocolate, and a healthy sprinkle of salt. And they can more or less be made on the fly – the butter is melted and browned, and both the egg yolk and sourdough starter (unfed!) go in cold. They technically don’t need any rest, but even just 45 minutes in the fridge will yield rich and nuanced flavor – perhaps prep your dough before dinner and bake them off while you enjoy a little digestivo, herbal or otherwise. (SB: Sounds like the kind of thing you should have on hand for the munchies, in case you missed the subtext.)
POT CHEF: The Hits
Seeking a little outside the box inspiration on this highest of humpdays? Look no further than ye olde Digestivo archive to elevate your edible game! Our debut issue featured an adaptable one-bowl shortbread primed for getting high in the height of quarantine. If you’re feeling an oil-based option instead, try El Rey’s banana sesame bread, perfect for a midday snack or a subtle wake and bake. You could also forgo the oven all together to try out these no-bake buckeyes, inspired by a decidedly pre-salad-era Baked By Melissa.
Should you prefer your sativa more savory, you could give pot bhaji a try. You can keep things subcontinental with a soothing and extremely potent haldhi doodh stem tea. Be warned: it famously inspired the first “wellness check” of our rich collaboration.
Perhaps you’re a fan of the classics. Brownies for 4/20? Groundbreaking. But they’re classics for a reason, and this thoroughly scientific approach (“deeply empirical,” some are saying) offers a lot of insight for your own experimentation.
Hang loose, sweet readers! Until next week, 🎶 smoke weed everyday 🎶