From One Foodie to Another (Issue #6)
This week’s theme is food – my favorite recipes, kitchen gadgets, and food-related memories.
Hi friends!
Leading up to this week’s newsletter, I shared an essential relic of my past on Instagram: old footage from my Grandpa’s camcorder documenting my strong opinions on eggs. More specifically, my long-held belief that restaurant scrambled eggs couldn’t hold a candle to my grandma’s. No one, I felt, could do it like she did. I love this video because it shows just how much my personality has remained the same throughout my life. Once an opinionated child in my Grandma’s kitchen, I’ve blossomed into an opinionated adult with a restaurant budget. Food has and always will be such a precious thing to me, connected to culture, family, friends, celebration, self-care, and so much more. So many of my most treasured memories are punctuated by the food I’ve shared and the drinks I’ve sipped.
What’s ironic about the egg video now is how much I hate scrambled eggs. Their downfall came after my own attempt to mimic my grandma’s recipe. Instead, I got a disgusting yellow mess and a brand-new taste aversion. A mistake of my own making. After all, no one could do it like she did. While I’ve improved at cooking since then, my aversion to scrambled eggs has remained constant. And yet, I still love this video. A little window into a smaller version of the same me.
A round-up of things to watch, read, and listen to as you head into the weekend.
The Outline: There’s Sprite at the Cookout by Ann-Derrick Gaillot
Growing up, my mom always had the fridge stocked with Sprite. As I got older, I noticed that, compared to my white peers, it seemed like Black folks were disproportionately die-hard Sprite fans. I’d long wondered if there was a connection, and turns out, my gut was right!! Since the 1980’s Sprite has specifically targeted Black consumers. By aligning with hip-hop artists and culture they were able to secure cultural relevancy and maximize profits. It’s so fascinating to see the ways marketing becomes part of our broader cultural communities and Sprite is such a good example of this.
This is a sweet watch whether you have kids in your life or not. Hosted by Michelle Obama, the show follows two puppet friends - aptly named Waffles and Mochi - as they travel the world learning about food, cooking, and culture. I especially loved how neutral the discussions were about food, avoiding the shame-centered “good food,”“bad food” categories used by the food shows of my childhood. There are tons of celebrity guests, and I‘ve actually learned a lot about food while watching! Check out the trailer here.
Substack: Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith
This is a rightfully popular Substack that I’ve absolutely fallen in love with since subscribing. Per their description, “Burnt Toast is an anti-diet, fat-positive community about body liberation.” Virginia Sole-Smith has toooons of essays spanning a variety of topics, especially through the lens of parenting (and even though I’m not a parent, I find it just as useful)! I love the intentionality with which Sole-Smith writes and I especially loved this essay, in which Sole-Smith grapples with the ways “awareness raising” about topics like Ozempic can perpetuate harmful misconceptions and fuel eating disorders among readers. Check it out!
A Taste of the Past Podcast: Black Smoke, the African American Roots of BBQ
I listened to this episode while cooking with Andrew, and we were both hooked. Hosted by author and soul food scholar Adrian Miller, the episode explores BBQ's overlooked, rich, and complex history as originating from African American culture. Miller is also the author of the book Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue, which he references throughout the episode.
Featuring someone I’m obsessed with (talking about what they’re obsessed with).
Jessica Jones is an award-winning author, speaker, dietitian, and journalist whose work has appeared in Buzzfeed, SELF, The Oakland Tribune, The Huffington Post, Today's Dietitian, Bon Appetit, and more. She co-founded Food Heaven—a popular multimedia wellness platform and podcast with over five million downloads—and co-authored two books and one textbook chapter. In addition, Jessica pens a newsletter for older millennials titled Internet Elder. With a unique blend of cultural insights and personal reflections, Internet Elder is the ultimate destination for millennials entering midlife. Subscribe to Internet Elder and follow Jessica on IG here.
I’ve been a fan of Jessica’s for a while now, and I’m a huuuuuge fan of Internet Elder.I love her Substack’s focus on elder millennials; as a junior millennial, it is fun to see the similarities and differences. I look up to Jessica a lot, and can’t wait to share her obsessions with you today!
And now onto Jessica’s obsessions…
This quote about how the 40-hour work week is a scam - We’re all chronically tired. Perpetually stretched too thin. Oliva Pope had us believing that we could handle it, but are we setting ourselves up for failure by subscribing to the notion that we can do it all? ALL SIGNS POINT TO YES.
Ashley's Furniture Maimz Sofa - We spent months searching for the "perfect" couch for our new house, but nothing seemed decent at a reasonable price. Between buying our house and renovations, we ran out of money, so we couldn't afford the $3 or 4K price tag that most good couches come with. Then we went to Ashley's Furniture. I thought Ashley's was for people who prefer hideous clunky reclining couches over stylish ones. And it is, mostly. However, against all odds, we took a chance by going in and happened to fall in love with this Maimz pleather (err I mean vegan leather) couch set. Each couch was "only" $799, and they are firm but comfortable. Will it last 15 years? Probably not, but I love it for now!
Why Misery Loves Company (an article) - Ever notice how some people just can't handle seeing others happy? Turns out, there’s a study to back this up. People actually feel better about their own misery when they see others feeling down too. But why? According to Ingrid Fetell Lee, author of The Aesthetics of Joy, it's all about our scarcity mindset. This article is a quick and fascinating read that gives tips on embracing abundance and transforming your life. It also explains why celebrating other people's happiness is a win-win.
Vibe Check - I have never binged a podcast (aside from a true crime or scandal pod), but I just discovered Vibe Check and am legitimately obsessed. The hosts are all elder millennials, writers/journalists by trade, and can have intelligent yet entertaining conversations on everything from pop culture to politics. The episodes don’t drag on either, they all come in under an hour with no useless fluff. Start here.
Things to try + share in the group chat.
I recently stumbled upon Kitchn Cooking School, an online program with “20 days and 20 lessons to help you on the journey of becoming the cook you've always wanted to be.” It’s a free program, with videos covering everything from basic knife skills to the basics of cooking beans and grains. It’s a great program for new cooks looking for a solid foundation, and for old cooks looking to refine their skillset.
This recipe suggestion I found on Ashley Spivey’s Instagram, for Sticky Apricot Chicken and Broccoli had been sitting in my bookmarks for a while before I finally had the chance to try and once I did, I wish I had sooner! A perfect weeknight meal that comes together in minutes!!
After an evening hanging out with a friend, I asked her what she had going for the rest of the night, “Oh another meetup with friends, but first I’m gonna run home and make a cake quick.” I laughed, “What do you mean make a cake quick??” But let me tell you, my friend has the quickest, best cake recipe that outdoes most other desserts. Her secret is this Flourless Chocolate Cake that looks great, tastes amazing, and can be prepared ~ between~ two hangouts on the same night. If you don’t have espresso powder on hand, her tip is to sub out for dark roast coffee grounds of your choice.
This scene from Arthur (in which he climbs out of the dump and cuts his knee on a lima bean can) is tattooed on my brain forever. And that long-held fear of the sharp edges of a can, is why I love this can opener so much. The secret is that it cuts through the glue that keeps the lid on the can, which means no cutting through metal and no sharp edges!! I have the Tupperware version, but I bought the Williams-Sonoma version for my sister as a wedding shower gift and it works just as well. Highly recommend it for a kitchen gadget you’ll love and actually use.
By now, you’ve probably heard the hype about Crying in H-Mart, and let me tell you, the praise is well-deserved!! The memoir, written by Michelle Zauner (lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast), follows Zauner’s life and reflections before and after her mother’s death from cancer. Much of the book is focused on food and how cooking shaped her relationship with her mother, her culture, and her life growing up. It had me reflecting on my own food memories, as I reflected on my own life and family relationships—a very tender, emotional, beautiful read.
Writing this issue made me hungry, and you’ll want to make sure you keep reading after the signature line for today’s PS, where I share a family recipe you’ll want to make for your next special gathering. I hope you have a fabulous weekend, full of the most delicious food imaginable.
P.S. Forget the turkey or ham! This recipe is a STAPLE at all my family holidays.
Final thoughts, reflections, and vulnerable shares (This is an exclusive section to my paid followers. Thank you for your support!)
As I mentioned throughout today’s newsletter, food has always had an incredibly special role in my family history and culture. So for today’s P.S., I wanted to walk you through a family recipe that’s a staple at every holiday, and special occasion.
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