Dining in?
We all are.
A special letter from the editor.
How’s everyone doing? It’s a scary and uncertain time, to put it mildly. Unprecedented. Nerve-wracking, changing quickly. Many of us are under orders to shelter in place, quarantine, or at least keep a 6-ft social distance out in the world. And while perhaps the initial shock of this global situation has started to wear off, the reality of anxiety mixed with cabin fever is one we’re faced with for at least a few months.
So, in an effort to care for ourselves and turn home into haven (even when it’s mandated), here are some things we’re cooking, baking, watching, drinking, reading.
COOK
If my local stores are any indication, you all have plenty of canned black beans and canned tomatoes, pasta and frozen vegetables. Let’s dig in.
Spicy (or not!) black bean soup
Coconut curried lentils
20-minute pasta with tomato and spinach (use frozen spinach if you don’t have the fresh stuff. Or frozen kale.)
Garlicky greens with whole wheat pasta (use frozen broccoli)
Roasted aloo gobhi
Homemade pasta with borlotti beans
Homemade pasta with mushrooms
White bean and tomato stew with kale (via goop)
Yotam Ottolenghi’s shakshuka (via Food52)
BAKE
Is there a better time to become a better baker? I think not.
Banana, passionfruit & coconut loaf
Chocolate olive oil cake
Coconut cassava cake
Odette Williams’ bribery cake (above)
Silver cake with pink frosting
White chocolate lavender shortbread cookies
Tahini cookies with pistachios
SHOP
This is the time to support small businesses and local restaurants and shops. Amazon will be fine. Your favorite gourmet pantry place might not be.
Zingerman’s (Incredible breads, canned fish, pastries, meat)
Gustiamo (Foods imported from Italy, like pastas, rice, olive oil)
Brightland (for California olive oil)
Proud Mary and Intelligentsia (Coffee beans)
Masienda (The best masa for homemade tortillas)
Check your local Eater and Infatuation sites (where applicable) for lists of restaurants, food shops, and wine shops offering curbside, take away, and delivery. They’re hurting and in the face of uncertainty have been quick to drum up innovative ways to keep bringing us delicious and excellent food. Support them!
DRINK
This section needs no explanation.
Boozy Nutella hot chocolate
Mezcal Mama
Aperol Spritz-ish
Classic gin & tonic (via BonAppetit)
And a few Whole Foods wines to buy while you’re stocking up:
Côtes du Rhône Blanc
Monterustico Piemonte Rosso
Angels & Cowboys Rosé (I know, but don’t fight it.)
Camino Calixo Cava
J. Lassalle Champagne Brut Premier Cru
WATCH
There’s more to watch than Tiger King. But, yeah first watch Tiger King.
Chris Rock: Bring the Pain
John Mulaney: New in Town
Iliza Schlessinger: all of them
Seth Meyers: Lobby Baby
Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife
I Love Lucy (streaming on Hulu, Amazon Prime)
Fleabag
Somebody Feed Phil
The Chef Show
The Great British Baking Show
The goop Lab
It’s Complicated
Big Night
Sex Education
READ
A few books I’ve had a hard time putting down.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The Dutch House and/or Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy
The Art of Eating by M. F. K. Fisher
My Life in France by Julia Child
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
If you have suggestions to share, please do. (Email us: recipes@totaste.co) To Taste is all about our community and what’s more necessary right now than sticking together (er, digitally)? I hope that when the dust begins to settle and we can come out of hibernation that we’ve all learned to appreciate the day to day, the pleasures of life a bit more. Because now we’ve been reminded just how quickly it can all change.
In the meantime, I’ll be mixing cocktails, making banana bread, dancing around my kitchen, and cooking. I hope you’ll (again, only digitally) join me.
