I spent the weekend in Cambridge, MA, visiting friends and attending the Boston Art Review Issue 16 launch party (you can order the issue online, my good friend Jameson started the publication nearly ten years ago, and Spencer and I did the branding and website).

I got in around 10pm on Thursday evening, and upon arrival my friends had a teapot of Kettl’s Soba Cha waiting. After a cup of tea, I turned into their very serene guest room for a great night sleep. Soba Cha is my favorite tea, and Kettl’s is outstanding. I’ve already ordered it for myself.

I’ll save the rest of my weekend food endeavors for a guide coming later this week!

2. Wisteria Watch

Cambridge was teeming with blooming flowers on every corner. This wisteria was particularly striking, and made me wonder if the wisteria vines on the corner of 10th St. and Stuyvesant had reached peak bloom. In previous years, local residents have coined the term “wisteria watch” for the practice of waiting of the wisteria to fully bloom on this corner.

3. Wisteria Incense

Bringing the wisteria inside, I purchased this seasonally appropriate wisteria-scented Kungyokudo incense from the Noguchi Museum last week. They choose the perfect packaging hue for each scent.

4. Pond-side Sandwich

With the weather nearing ninety degrees today in Massachusetts, we got sandwiches from the Wine and Cheese Cask and brought them to enjoy alongside a dip in a pond in Lexington.

I got an Italian sub and it was simply perfect. Felt like late summer.

5. Gropius House Table Setting

Not far from Lexington is the town of Lincoln, which holds the Walter Gropius house, which was built in 1938. Though I did not make it there this time, we took a memorable visit there several years ago. Easily overlooked alongside the modernist architecture and notable artwork, I was entranced by their table setting. Delightfully simple, delightfully modern. Filing this as inspiration for my next dinner party.

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I arrived first, sat outside, and read the menu. I typically hate sitting outside in the city. Here, it was not so bad, nice even — well-lit and plenty of sidewalk. When my first friend arrived and asked what looked good, I immediately jumped to dessert: strawberries and cream tiramisu with strawberry milk soaked ladyfingers, strawberry jam, white chocolate strawberry almond praline, vanilla mascarpone whip, and sliced strawberries. By the time our third arrived and we ordered food, we were notified that they were sold out. Devastating.

The dinner menu focused on spring produce — ramps, asparagus, and herbs at the forefront. Our unassuming favorite was the Snap pea salad: arugula and snap peas settled atop a butter beans & basil spread, finished with mint, sumac, pickled shallots, and a pile of rich coppa. The refreshing brightness of the crisp arugula and asparagus, paired with the thinly sliced yet rich pork was sensational.

Doubling down, we got the grilled asparagus, served with ‘nduja and lemon dill creme fraiche. I originally fell in love with ‘nduja after having it in a vegetable soup at Gem several years ago. I love Calabrian chili peppers. Take their heat and smokiness, add the richness of spreadable pork salami and I’m sold. I love La Cantine’s thought to pair it with creme fraiche. We sopped up every bit with leftover sourdough from our bread, chive butter, and saucisson starter.

We had to order the lemon buttermilk crispy chicken and fries with ramp mornay sauce. Creamy cheese sauce, garlicky ramps, and fried chicken can do no wrong. I tend to default to making compound butter, pesto, or pasta during ramp season. I’m adding mornay sauce to the list.

By the time we reached dessert, the restaurant was thinning out and we had made peace with ordering the chocolate cake and bay leaf vanilla gelato instead of the tiramisu. With few guests left, our server offered to check if the kitchen could find enough for one last tiramisu. To our surprise, she came back with good news and we received the last serving. Our server described it as their transitional dish — a little bit winter, a little bit summer. It exceeded expectation. The soaked ladyfingers and jam provided a sweet base, layered with crunchy, nutty almond praline and smooth mascarpone whip. It’s no surprise the strawberries were Harry’s Berries, the producer with a cult following whose cartons go for close to $25 (and are absolutely worth it).

The next night, I planned to make my aforementioned simple salad with asparagus and arugula. I couldn’t resist stopping in the grocery store on my way home to grab snap peas and prosciutto to replicate the La Cantine salad.

This is one of my favorite parts of eating out, it makes your home cooking better!

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I write this dispatch sitting at my desk, next to a bowl of mussels and crusty bread. Spencer is in Paris for work, and when I saw one, lonely bag of mussels left at my fishmonger, I couldn’t help but bring a bit of France home with me.

I initially planned to keep it classic with a white wine broth, but decided to take the opportunity to prepare them my favorite way, in a coconut milk broth. Spencer shares my love of mussels. He does not share my love of coconut milk.

Both grocers nearby were out of lemongrass, but I decided to stay the course regardless and made the broth with shallot, garlic, ginger, a red habanero pepper, lemon zest + juice, and fish sauce. Sweet coconut milk infused with the heat of the chili is heavenly. I finished it off with some cilantro and am now on my second serving.

2. Indoor Herb Garden

Following two foiled attempts to fill my fire escape window box, I had given up on the idea of having an herb garden. When I saw these herb boxes at the farmer’s market this week, I couldn’t help myself. They had several combinations, but I landed on purple sage, chives, sweet green basil, and oregano. I need to find a dish for the bottom, but it is the perfect size for my windowsill! Inside, away from the birds.

3. Peak Spring Produce

Asparagus and rhubarb were beautiful and abundant at the farmer’s market this weekend. My bundle of bright green asparagus soldiers will be used in a simple shaved asparagus and arugula salad, with finely grated Pecorino Romano, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon. I’m envisioning a galette with the rhubarb, but there is a good chance it will become a crisp due to time constraints and my contentious relationship with baking (though nearly just as delicious) .

4. “Horse-Eye” Pottery

I caught the last day of the Kawai Kanjiro House to House exhibition at the Japan Society in midtown today. I was particularly struck by his take on a “horse-eye” plate. I envision this on a table with a stack of vibrant yellow lemons.

While in Kyoto, I visited his former home and studio, and it is a strong contender for my favorite part of the trip. He designed the building itself and nearly every item inside, embodying his philosophy of life and work as one practice. His search for creating beauty in all things is a sentiment I share.

4. Yuzuco

Yuzu is toward the top of my list of favorite flavors. I saw this Yuzu juice concentrate at the market last week and decided to give it a try. I have been drinking it over sparkling water, and can’t get enough. Tart, tangy, refreshing, and just a hint sweet. Unfortunately expensive, but I will be re-purchasing.

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1. Lily of the Valley

I was pleasantly surprised to find Lily of the Valley at the Farmer’s Market this weekend (and for a very reasonable price). I wish I could bottle the sweet scent emanating from them when at this scale.

I bought two bunches, placing one in my bathroom and one in my bedroom. I keep catching their delicate scent when a breeze flows through the apartment.

2. Unexpected Churros

In an unexpected and delightful turn of events, I was surprised with churros twice this week. The first was during an opening at Pace Gallery, where they emerged with ribbon-shaped churros hanging off a wooden umbrella. The spectacle of visitors reaching up to grab a churro while the servers navigated a crowd with large umbrellas was memorable, but unfortunately the churro itself was not.

The second was while over at a friend’s place. She passed her phone around for everyone to add food to the group order, then surprised us with an order of churros. This churro was outstanding and inspired me to order a churro next time it’s offered. It remains to be seen if a deliberate churro is as delightful as one that’s unexpected.

3. Window Box Flowers

While my mom was visiting last weekend, I purchased several plants at the Union Square Farmer’s Market for my window boxes. I’ve had issues in the past with birds eating everything I plant (I’m on the top floor), so I purposefully chose plants they would not be interested in. I went with two bell varietals (foamy bells and coral bells) and white hellebore.

Unfortunately, squirrels supplanted birds and won the battle this year, plucking off each individual leaf from the bell plants before I could event put them in potting soil. The hellebore remained untouched. I’m hoping to grow back the bells, while simultaneous looking for squirrel and bird deterrent methods. Deterrent or animal-proof plant suggestions welcome. I have not yet decided on what should go in the remaining space and additional pots.

4. Wild Sorrel Cookbooks

I have been so excited for the opening of Wild Sorrel Cookbooks on 13th Street, and it exceeds all expectations! A perfectly curated mix of secondhand and new books, it makes sense that the lovely owner comes from Third Lives & Co. lineage. The East Village has a new haven for home cooks and food lovers alike.

I walked away with two new volumes of Canal House Cooking, as well as a novel by Ruth Reichel that I have not yet read.

5. Daffodil Candlesticks

Still more flowers, yet these ones less fleeting. The candlesticks I detailed in my post on Spring hosting just arrived after an unexpected detour to California. I love the frosted glass and delicate details.

6. Sunday Night TV Dinner

After my Sunday morning walk around, I settled in and prepped several Japanese-inspired dishes for the week. I marinated salmon in a miso glaze, made cold cucumber salad, simmered kabocha in dashi with sake and mirin, and made goma-ae spinach with sesame. I love making several sides like this on a Sunday to have for the week ahead.

Spencer and I decided to sit down to eat while watching something (usually Anthony Bourdain or Gordon Ramsay) and the fish, sides, and rice formed my version of a TV dinner. The grown-up version of the Kid Cuisine dinners I loved when I was young.

I hope you have a great week ahead!

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Spring is my favorite season for hosting — flowers are in full bloom, friends are eager to leave their homes, and green produce comes out of hibernation. Together, this creates the perfect recipe for hosting a meal.

This weekend, I watched Eric Rohmer’s A Tale of Springtime for the first time. The film is a wellspring of seasonal visual inspiration, from the verdant exterior shots to the Vienna Secession-inspired, creamy interiors. Potential romance blossoms alongside the yellow flowers in the garden, with the spaces reflecting the emotions at play. Though several of the most important scenes of the film occur around the dining table, food itself does not play a central role. Still, the mise en scene left me dreaming up table settings.

In April, I let florals do most of the heavy lifting in setting the tone for a gathering. This month, I’m leaning into the yellow, white, and orange hues of springtime daffodils. Seeing the yellow flowers popping up in the beds surrounding Gramercy Park is always a first sign of hope for the warm weather to come. The Union Square Farmers Market on Saturdays has the best variety and tends to offer bulk discounts.

To highlight the daffodils, I choose a tablecloth and napkins with muted orange and yellow shades — in a similar color family as the flowers, but enough of a contrast that the daffodils remain the focal point. I’d keep everything else simple: creamy white dinnerware, ivory candles, a wood-toned basket, and delicate drinking glasses with a subtle reference to the tulip shape.

In the depths of a frosted glass Etsy search after a deep dive on Lalique vases, I came across these candlesticks that mimic the shape of daffodils and couldn’t help but purchase them.

Underwater Weaving’s products feel like Easter baskets for grown-ups. You can even attend a workshop to weave your own. The joys of adulthood.

Similar to the table setting, I like to keep things simple in feeling. During this time of year, I open a window and rely on the cross-breeze to carry the delicate, sweet scent of the flowers to set the tone.

My album of choice during this time of year is VH1 Presents: The Corrs, Live in Dublin (2002). It was one of the most played discs in my parents’ CD binder when I was growing up, and it never fails to make me happy. My sister made an amazing playlist titled Spring Vibe several years ago that has several songs from this album along with Sixpence None the Richer, The Cranberries, Dido, and more. I have it on repeat at the first sign of warmer weather.

Or, if you’re wholeheartedly committed to a theme (and a bit insane) like me, haunt your guests by playing Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Better yet, plan the entire gathering to watch the Pina Bausch version. The haunting beauty and savage grace makes for great conversation over lunch!

When spring rolls around, I find myself wanting to focus on lunch instead of dinner. Hearty winter roasts give way to lighter lunches that leave plenty of time for an afternoon walk or glass of wine outside afterwards. Here are a few dishes I’ve made this month and are perfect for hosting:

• Nigella’s Chicken and Pea Traybake - a delicious and easy meal (with minimal prep) for when people are coming over from the queen of non-fussy hosting. Serve with potatoes or a salad with shaved asparagus and a zesty dressing.

• Canal House Leg of Lamb served with Mint Jelly - I made this sensational lamb recipe on Easter and it was a hit. Though not available online, their take on mint jelly in the Canal House cookbook is a little sweet, a little savory. Don’t be intimidated by lamb, this was easy!

• Frisée Salad with Bacon Lardons, Blue Cheese, and a Poached Egg - inspired by the Country Frisée salad at the Odeon, I made this salad for Easter as well with a chive dressing.

• Spring Quiche - don’t let the linked article’s title fool you, I make quiches year-round. To make it feel more spring, just add asparagus!

• New Potatoes with Salsa Verde - a go-to recipe year-round, but especially good this time of year with new potatoes. Keep an eye in your inbox for the recipe!

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On the first warm Saturday of the season, I decided to head out to the Union Square Farmer’s Market to enjoy the weather. In the way that only an early spring day can make you feel, I was not satiated — I needed more. I decided to start walking further north, and before long found myself all the way at 93rd St. On Lexington between 93rd and 94th St sits a quiet bookstore specializing in culinary arts. After an hour of browsing, here is the selection that came home with me.

Canal House Cooking Volumes

The Canal House is a multi-use space in New Jersey — studio, workshop, dining room, office, kitchen, and more — for all things home cooking related (and one of the best websites ever). Their restaurant, Canal House Station, closed in December and it is a huge regret of mine to never have visited. I have their larger cookbook, which is a major source of inspiration, and have coveted their smaller volumes for years without ever pulling the trigger to purchase. Seeing them in Kitchen Arts & Letters, I had to pick two up.

Each ~100 page volume follows a theme, be it a season, the grocery store, farmer’s market and garden, or Italian cooking. Each volume starts with a table of contents designed as a menu, outlining dishes by category.

They did not have the Spring issue in stock, so I opted to follow an orange-hued theme with Volume 7: La Dolce Vita and Volume 2: Fall and Holiday. Orange has quickly become my color of the season, between the cookbooks, the amount of citrus I have eaten in the past weeks, and the previously mentioned Inez Olive Oil.

As I am in the throes of planning Easter lunch, I am looking to their cookbooks for spring recipes and Easter menus. More on this next week.

Midweek Recipes

Jess Elliott Dennison’s Midweek Recipes and Weekend Recipes caught my eye while browsing. Upon opening, I found her approach to be similar to mine — simple but memorable meals that do not take a lot of time and are made with delicious, seasonal ingredients.

I opted to purchase Midweek first, and after devouring it over the last two weeks, I will absolutely be purchasing Weekend as well.

The book opens with go-to ingredients, before jumping right into a chapter titled Good Things on Toast before delving into other categories like Pasta, Beans, Soups, and more. My first recipe was Tomato and White Wine Beans with crispy lemon breadcrumbs — a delicious version of my mainstay beans and tomato dish. I think this book will quickly become a go-to.

Feast On Your Life

My final selection was a signed copy of Tamar Adler’s new book, Feast on Your Life. It reads like a daily devotional, with meditations on time spent daily in the kitchen. Every time I cook, I try to write down a line or two about mindful observations. I love reading this from others.

On The Map

Kitchen Arts & Letters

1435 Lexington Ave

New York, NY 10128

Kitchen Arts & Letters is a food and beverage bookstore in the Upper East Side that sells both new and out-of-print titles. Despite the small footprint, they have every hard-to-find book I have not been able to locate at other book sellers in the city.

On the north interior wall sits a section dedicated to antiquarian books and menus. From early editions of M.K. Fisher to New York restaurant menus of years past, it is a fun browse.

In addition to their catalog selection, they also have an outstanding seasonal curation in their front window. I love seeing the collection of green cookbooks signaling spring.

As ready as I am for the new season, the goodbye to winter feels particularly bittersweet this year. In retrospect, this was the first year that I fully leaned into winter instead of viewing it as a trial to overcome. More silent moments, more stillness, more turning inwards. As a final sendoff, I decided to make a favorite meal that gets me through the cold weather every year.

Turkey Ricotta Meatballs in Tomato Sauce served with Broccoli Rabe

In anticipation of at least one message from an Italian relative, I want to be clear that the decision to use turkey in this recipe is entirely because of its pairing with ricotta. This non-traditional, lighter take on a classic meatball maintains the sense of comfort, but is definitely not a replacement for a pork/beef meatball. The simplicity of buying a single container of ground turkey (not to mention my love of ricotta), makes this an easy version.

Depending on how much time I have, I will choose to make the tomato sauce or use jarred. I always have a jar in my cabinet just in case I need to make something in a hurry. I decided not to include my tomato sauce recipe here as I feel it is not yet perfected, but will share when it’s ready!

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan

2 cloves garlic

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 Tbsp chopped basil

Salt

Black pepper

Red-pepper flakes

Neutral oil for cooking

1 bunch Broccoli rabe

Salt

Red-pepper flakes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In a large bowl, add all meatball ingredients. Using your hands, combine and roll into 24 medium-sized meatballs. If you find the meatball mixture sticking to your hands, you can wet them and this will keep the turkey mixture from sticking.

In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add half the meatballs and cook until browned on either side, about 5 minutes per side. You can lower the heat as needed if the meatballs are getting too dark. Don’t worry if some of the meat sticks to the skillet — these delicious crispy bits will join the tomato sauce to become a bolognese of sorts. Once the first batch is browned, remove the meatballs using tongs and cook the second batch, removing the same way when done.

At this point, if there is much residue from the meatballs in the pan, I will opt to deglaze with a little bit of white wine. Not required and not something I always do, but given the uncertainty of an inconsistent NYC apartment stove, I wanted to make the note.

Once both batches of meatballs have been browned and removed from the pan, add the tomato sauce and stir to combine with the crispy bits of meatball left behind. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, add the meatballs back in. Simmer the meatballs in the sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with additional parmesan, chopped parsley, and basil.

To make the broccoli rabe, blanch it in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove it and immerse in ice water long enough to cool. Drain and place on paper or a tea towel to dry. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli rabe and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until tender. Finish with salt and black and red pepper to taste.

Like most things with a sauce, I’ll often serve with a small bowl of bread to sop up any sauce left behind.

Might I Suggest…

Inez Ultra Premium Blend Olive Oil

I can’t get enough of Erah of Inez’s bright, peppery olive oil out of Santa Ynez, California. This version is a once-a-year pressing with a perfect orange label. Great for dressing a simple arugula salad, finishing a roasted vegetable, or drizzled on top of vanilla ice cream with some flaky salt (if you’re into that kind of thing).

The Rice Factory Yumepirika White

I mentioned purchasing this rice in a previous post, and I’m following up a few weeks later to sing its praises. According to their handy graphic on site, Yumepirika falls on the sticky and softer side.

Nigella’s intoxicating appeal lies in her authenticity. In Nigella Bites, she moves confidently around the kitchen, but in a way that is distinctly feminine. In one breath she unflinchingly cuts a chicken carcass with total control, and in the next she dips her fingers directly into a bowl to taste the sauce, or tosses a salad with her bare hands. Others have criticized her as messy and unprofessional, but to me there is nothing more alluring. She is confident in her domain in an unfussy, feminine way.

In contrast to Martha Stewart’s unwavering precision, Nigella’s ease feels warm and human. She cooks in the same way I do — without precise measurements, reliant on intuition. From the first episode (playfully titled Fast Food) she comes across as accessible and relatable. Prior to cooking, she drops the kids off at school and visits a no-frills supermarket. The episode ends with her sneaking back downstairs in the dark for a late night snack.

In one of my favorite episodes all about entertaining, Nigella has friends over for dinner. She prepares several shared appetizers such as prosciutto-wrapped green beans, hummus, and guacamole ahead of serving tiger prawns with garlic and chili. Her enviable dining room is directly off the kitchen, surrounded by bookshelves on all sides with enough room to comfortably seat ten (I think about her home often).

Nigella’s first book is titled How to Eat. In the first episode of Nigella Bites, she remarks that unlike restaurant chefs whose goal is to innovate, her “skill lies in eating.” By titling it How to Eat as opposed to How to Cook, Nigella makes the pleasure of eating the primary metric for success.

After indoctrinating a friend into the cult of Nigella, she gifted me her cookbook How to Be a Domestic Goddess. The book focuses on baking. As I’ve noted before, baking is not my strong suit. Nigella brings the same laid back attitude towards baking, while calling attention to the required precision. It is the most rigid we see her.

“This is a book about baking, but not a baking book – not in the sense of being a manual or a comprehensive guide or a map of a land you do not inhabit. I neither want to confine you to kitchen quarters nor even suggest that it might be desirable. But I do think that many of us have become alienated from the domestic sphere, and that it can actually make us feel better to claim back some of that space, make it comforting rather than frightening.”

That’s Nigella — reclaiming domesticity in the way that makes sense to her.

Nevertheless, I can’t help feeling that the one thing standing between me and goddess status is mastering her molten chocolate cake. I plan to attempt it later this week and will keep you posted.

After recovering from that flu in 2021, I got out of bed and wrote the initial plan for Dinnertime. Nigella remains one of my biggest influences.

Every episode of Nigella Bites can be found on YouTube, and I cannot encourage a watch enough. If you enjoyed this, forward it to a friend who cares about food and hosting.

Here is my guide to eating, drinking, and homeware shopping in Tokyo. Similar to my Kyoto guide, it is no means is it comprehensive (nor do I think it could possibly ever be in Tokyo). These are the places that I loved in Tokyo.

Margo

Margo is a restaurant serving natural wines, and was one of our most special experiences in Tokyo. Recommended by friends, the lovely owners serve healthy fare, where California cuisine meets Japan. While the steak and other dishes were amazing, I am still stuck on the simple kale salad with the unexpected introduction of grapes. Straightforward, but delicious.

Kanda Matsuya

The best soba I had in Japan was at Kanda Matsuya. The family-run restaurant has been serving soba since 1884. It was also the only place I allowed myself to wait in line. I would wait in the twenty minute line four times over to eat it again.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club feels like Far Rockaway in 2016 (Mac DeMarco, Weyes Blood, Andrew Vanwyngarden) in the middle of Tokyo. After two weeks of eating Japanese breakfast, eggs, pancakes, bacon, and avocado feel like home.

Sushizanmai

When at Studio Mule (below), we asked the owner where we should eat dinner. He said, if you want to eat like a local on a Thursday night, go to Sushizanmai. The restaurant is a large chain throughout Japan run by “The Tuna King,” Kiyoshi Kimura. While I found that tuna was far less often served in Japan in comparison to salmon and sea bream, this restaurant maintains sharp focus on tuna. Absolutely no frills, but delicious.

Tyon

Another recommendation by a friend, Tyon is a new Indian restaurant in what feels like an apartment. The complexity of flavor with Japanese influence was unlike any other Indian food I’ve had.

Hashigo Ginza Hon-ten

Our favorite ramen we had was at this counter in Ginza. Alongside the rich and delicious noodles, white rice and pickles sit on the counter free of charge. On a rainy night in Tokyo, what could be better.

Old Imperial Bar

While the Old Imperial Hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright sadly no longer stands, the Old Imperial Bar in the new hotel maintains a peek of its charm. From the preserved fireplace mural to the attentive bar staff, being there feels like taking a step back in time. The Mount Fuji, Oriental Jewel, and the Tinkerbell are some of the best cocktails I’ve had. I love watching the mixologists at work, including their practice of setting the bottle in front of you while you drink. We visited several times during our stay. By a mile, the best hotel bar I’ve been to.

Studio Mule

Studio Mule is the best version of a listening bar that serves natural wine. No wine menu, they just pour what’s open and pull from their record collection. Simple and perfect.

Dume Bar

I wanted to explore Shinjuku’s Golden Gai without it feeling like a tourist trap. We happened into Dume Bar, walked up ten extremely steep steps, and arrived at the tiniest, best sake bar. A wide-ranging sake selection, tamari-coated popcorn, and smoking indoors. Dinner made on a hotplate by your bartender. An experience you could never have in the United States.

Eatrip Soleil

A more humble version of a Happier Grocery or Cookbook in LA, situated in a shopping mall in Shibuya. Pantry items, ceramics, and tableware line shelves and mismatched tables. I purchased a small green plate with a captivating glaze, only to realize months later it was produced by my favorite ceramicist, Shoshi Watanabe. I regret not buying so much more here.

CIBI

I somehow failed to take a photo here, but great coffee shop recommended by a friend that serves great food, pastries, coffee and sells lovely homeware. I bought their cookbook at my friend’s recommendation, and I enjoy cooking from it. As per my friend’s recommendation, the perfect lunch after visiting the nearby Asakura Museum of Sculpture.

道具と雑貨、かなかな

Tucked away on a street across from CIBI, this homeware shop has fun kitchen tools and homeware. I purchased a small pouch with a wire frame that I use as a makeup bag.

Kappabashi Street

While I unfortunately did not make it there during my trip, I plan on exploring the cookware district during my next visit.

Kyoto is a peaceful city nestled between mountains on three sides. Kyoto is home to numerous shrines, temples, gardens, and palaces. While my favorite part of traveling in Kyoto was exploring the beautiful temples, the food was a close second. People warn of finding the city extremely touristy and crowded, and while that might be true of some places, I instead found it beautiful, harmonious, and inspiring.

Here is my guide to eating, drinking, and shopping in Kyoto. By no means is it comprehensive — just places I loved.

Farmoon

Farmoon is my top recommended restaurant in Kyoto. It feels far more like sharing an intimate meal at a friend’s home rather than a traditional restaurant. Housed in a machiya, food is prepped in front of you in the kitchen, over a large stovetop and fireplace overlooking the inner garden. Local ingredients are sourced to make vegan dishes, served on local dinnerware.

Kijurout

Outstanding restaurant specializing in wagyu rice bowls that overlooks a garden in Aarashiyama. Go for an amazing lunch set following a morning at Saihoji and the other nearby temples.

Higashiyama Yakiniku Hormone Ando

Small, intimate restaurant for Japanese BBQ with vegetable sides. Perfect for a late night meal. A feeling of Midnight Diner.

Kyomachiya Obanzi Kohaku

While in Kyoto, I wanted to try obanzai. Obanzi is Kyoto-style seasonal home cooking, focused on vegetables and simple preparations. For food to be considered obanzai, at least half of its ingredients must be produced or processed in Kyoto. Kohaku was a local’s recommendation and has an excellent sampler that is a taste of Kyoto.

Murin-An

I truly believe Murin-An might be on the list of best place on Earth to drink a cup of tea. The garden feels like a separate world hidden behind a wall in Kyoto. Sit in peace and drink a matcha in the teahouse while overlooking the historic garden.

Ginza Music Bar Kyoto

We visited several listening bars in Kyoto, and Ginza Music Bar was our favorite. Outstanding cocktails, great DJ’s. My favorite drink that I had several of over our time in Kyoto was a grape cocktail served in a tiny martini glass.

Ichikawaya Coffee

Coffee and cafe in a converted historic home. Perfect place to stop right after visiting Kawai Kanjiro's House (a highlight of the trip for me).

Ryuoen Tea Store

Outstanding historic tea store with a wide selection of teas. I purchased several and all are amazing.

Maana Atelier

Curated homeware featuring local artisans, situated in a traditional home. They also produce workshops and experiences with local craftspeople.

Yamahon

Gallery-style store of local ceramics and other table and homeware. The employee was knowledgable about each of the many artists and gave me a slip with information for each piece I purchased.

Sowgen Antiques

Recommended by a friend, this was a treasure trove of antiques. I purchased two antique wooden trays here, as well as a textile that is now hanging in my kitchen.

Yugen

Unfortunately they happened to be closed during my trip, but this tea shop and tableware store was high on my list to visit. Will definitely visit next trip.

After publishing my first post on Substack, a friend texted me some words of encouragement:

The second sentence has become a kind of mantra. Spencer and I find ourselves repeating it daily as a reminder of the level of intention and attention we want to practice.

In the six months since our trip, my morning routine has leaned increasingly Japanese-inspired. Here are the ways I “keep Japan mode on.”

Daily Miso Soup

On Valentine’s Day, Spencer and I took a romantic visit to Dashi Okume in Greenpoint to purchase dashi. I ended up just going with their Classic Dashi bags and have been making daily miso soup in the morning. I boil one dashi bag with 2 cups of water, then dissolve 2 tbsp of miso using a strainer and add seaweed, tofu, scallion.

At their store, you can create your own dashi blend from their ingredient list. It was too busy while we were there, but I am planning another trip.

Breakfast

My weekday breakfast has morphed into a small amount of cooked rice, a soft boiled egg, ponzu, scallion, plum sesame, and a few nori sheets (alongside the miso soup). My Zojirushi Rice Cooker makes this easy. We turn it on the night before and wake up to perfect rice.

Other Ways I “Keep Japan Mode On” Daily

Starting My Day at 6am

One of the biggest differences I noticed between Japan and the U.S. was their practice of intentional silence. Instead of turning on background music while cooking, cleaning, and in transit, I have since relished in periods of contemplative silence. In New York, one of the few times I can truly replicate this feeling is early in the morning. I’ve started waking up at 6am, and it is a change for the better.

Wonder Valley Hinoki Body Oil

This body oil from one of my favorite olive oil companies instantly transports me back to the onsen town of Shuzenji. I slather my entire body in it twice a day. I love it so much I purchased the body wash and roller of the same scent. Rolling it on in the middle of the day instantly grants me perspective within the daily chaos.

Wonder Valley Sandalwood Yuzu Shampoo and Conditioner

The companion shampoo and conditioner by the same brand take me back to the many Yuzu beverages I drank in the unrelenting heat.

Kungyokudo Incense

In Kyoto, I bought two boxes of this incense produced by the oldest incense house in Japan. I recently learned that it is sold in the museum shop at the Noguchi Museum in Queens (a perfect museum shop). I have been using it sparingly thinking it was not sold in the U.S — game changer!

Daily Sauna

While I don’t have access to a hot spring, I try to replicate the impact of a daily plunge by spending 10-15 mins in the sauna daily. Gym sauna will do!

These new habits have made me think back to other favorite trips or places I’ve been and consider how I can incorporate the elements that resonate into my daily life. Whether that be having a jasmine plant reminiscent of California, or a paying frequent visits to museums like when living in Boston, I want to bring that feeling of being in a place I love into the daily.

With snow expected on Sunday, it felt like a perfect opportunity to plan a dinner for two at home. Without pulling out all the stops reserved for a dinner party, I wanted it to still feel different than a daily meal.

Look

Anytime I plan a gathering (even for two), I start by thinking about the throughlines I’ve been mentally drawing as of late. In February, pinks and reds always come to mind. Hues of these colors that I’ve encountered over the years have been percolating in my brain, and I decided to lean in.

Several years ago, I bought a red checkered tablecloth that has hearts dotted along the entire length. There is a very short window of time in February the tablecloth feels appropriate, so I pulled it out for its yearly debut. Though, if I had carte blanche on purchasing a new tablecloth for each month of the year, I would choose Studio Ford’s Eros for February.

I’m currently in the market for a set of soba trays (several options I’ve seen: here, here, here, here, and here). I’m planning a trip to Bowery Kitchen supply to see what they have before committing. In the meantime, I used my daily Hasami Porcelain tableware. I’ve had it for about five years and love it. The way it all stacks is perfect for an apartment with limited storage (and for my brain that craves perfect organization).

Beyond that, I kept it simple with ivory candles in glass candlesticks, and white carnations Spencer brought home earlier in the week.

Feel

With a candlelit dinner, intimacy comes easily! We turned on Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool while eating.

After dinner, I lit Santa Maria Novella’s incense papers that smell amazing and come in a red case.

Taste

The shades of pink tuna from a late night dinner we had in Tokyo (see mood board, top right) live permanently in my brain. I decided to run with it as a theme, and on Saturday I headed over to Osakana and purchased a half pound of tuna, opting for the lean Akami.

After prepping rice in our rice cooker, we thinly sliced the tuna, marinated it with ponzu, and served it over the rice with plum-coated sesame seeds and wasabi.

Alongside the tuna, I decided to make miso soup and cold soba. On Sunday around noon (right as the snow started), I ventured out to Ni Japanese Deli in Essex Market nearby, and purchased soba, a bag of rice from The Rice Factory (cannot recommend enough), and some dried seaweed for the miso soup. If I had better foresight, I would have picked up a bottle of sake.

I boiled and washed the soba, made the dipping sauce with a mixture of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin, and served with nori, scallion, and wasabi.

For dessert, we had pink and red candy (heart shaped jelly beans and sour strawberry belts from a rare Trader Joe’s trip earlier in the week) while watching a movie. We concluded the snow day watching the episode of No Reservations set in Hokkaido, where Anthony eats soba après-ski.

I think soba at home is a snow day ritual in the making. To my readers on the east coast: what did you cook while snowed in? Stay warm!

Upon entering the iconic restaurant, you are greeted by a certain kind of warmth that can only be found in California. The feeling is aided by a wood-fired oven with logs piled around it.

The wood-fired oven’s primary function is to cook the dozens of roast chickens that are served each night. In keeping with Californian cuisine, the simple roast chicken with crispy skin is served on top of a warm salad with toasted bread and seasonal greens. It takes an hour or longer from order to arrival at table.

If you look in the Zuni Cafe Cookbook, you’ll find that the recipe for this dish spans four dense pages. The entire book takes two hands to lift and comes it just south of 550 pages. Simplicity takes much effort.

I set out to replicate the dish in my tiny apartment. The recipe is so long and thorough, I had to write down my own version in order to see it all in on one page and understand the timeline.

The chicken itself is quite straightforward. They instruct you to season 1 - 3 days in advance. One instruction I missed but will try next time is turning the bird over after 30 mins, briefly roasting it on the other side, then flipping it back right-side up. My oven that does not hold temperature is unfortunately no wood-fired stove.

The bread salad has several moving pieces. The bread must be broiled, then combined with olive oil and champagne vinegar. Currants must be moisten with red wine vinegar. Pine nuts must also be roasted. Garlic and scallions must be softened. Chicken stock must be added. Then it must all go in the oven. Finally, the pan drippings are poured over the bread salad before greens are added.

The resulting dish? Magical. I have been craving the crispy, dripping doused bread, plump currants, and toasty pine nuts ever since. The chicken had crispy skin and was juicy, though tasted essentially the same as our regular, very similar, roast chicken recipe. The bread salad was the main event.

By the time it was cooked, it was dark out and my photo could not do it justice. It does however capture the ethos of Zuni Cafe — complex, intentional flavors shrouded in simplicity. I will make this dish many times over.

The rest of the cookbook carries the same ethos. Each recipe is turned into an epic — “[Modern braise] lacks the romance and risk of the original technique but relies on the same principal of trapping the meat as its juices in a moist, fragrant chamber surrounded by steady, low heat.”

Other dog-eared recipes to try next:

• Chopped Lemon Bagna Cauda

• Zuni Caesar Salad

• Pasta with Giblet-Mushroom Sauce (the chanterelle ravioli pasta we had while there was outstanding and would probably have been the best pasta I’ve had at a not strictly Italian restaurant, had I not dined at Chez Panisse the night before )

• Any of the many pairings in the Dishes to Start a Meal chapter, such as:

  • Six different ways to serve prosciutto, such as Prosciutto with Warm Roasted Figs and Hazelnut Picada

  • Three parings for air-dried beef, such as Air-Dried Beef and Fuyu Persimmons with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar (pictured below)

  • Mixed Lettuce with Roasted Cherries, Hazelnut, and Warm Saint-Marcellin

While perhaps not a day-to-day go-to, The Zuni Cafe Cookbook is one that truly inspires, and one I continue to think about even when not cracked open.

On The Map

Discovery Wines

16 Avenue B

New York, NY 10009

The day after I turned 21, I was visiting New York. I sat down at a wine bar in Soho and Spencer asked the bartender to show me the ropes. He happily obliged and poured a few selections for me to try. He asked me to describe what I tasted. I drank from the first glass, and immediately identified the sweet, fruity flavor as Riesling. He said I must be either a prodigy sommelier or lying about my age. Riesling was the one wine my parents love and I drank on a trip to Germany two years prior.

That incident was the last time I felt like I knew what I was talking about when it comes to wine. However, over the past three years, I came to believe I must have developed some internal sense of taste, as every wine I have chosen and brought home has been great. Only recently when a friend who works in wine commented that my local wine store, Discovery Wines, is the best wine seller in the city, did I realize that I was experiencing the secondhand effects of expert curation.

What I love about Discovery is that they are down-to-earth experts. They meet you where you are and cater to what you want, not guide you towards a technically better choice. I always feel excited to go in, never prepared for the humiliation ritual I’ve experienced at other stores. They have a large selection of natural and small batch wines.

Every Friday from 6-8, they have free wine tastings. One of my goals for this year is to go more often to broaden my understand of wine. Check out last week’s newsletter for a recent bottle I loved and bought at a wine tasting at Discovery.

If you read the newsletter in a web browser, Dinnertime’s homepage got a facelift!

You’ll also now notice a few new links at the top to making browsing by category easy:

• Cook - Meal In

• Eat - Meal Out

• Read - Off the Shelf

• Host - Meal Prep

Finally, you’ll see a link to the Map! I’ve created a simple Google Maps guide that gives you a quick view of all previous Dinnertime recommendations in one place.

Moving everything back into the kitchen left me considering functionality and the things I cook most often. Growing up, my dad had an arsenal of daily aphorisms, such as: “early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” He is committed to routine and prioritizes it on a daily basis.

Being raised with that mindset, I spent years fighting against regularity out of fear of monotony and stagnation. It’s taken incremental progress over the course of years to arrive at a place where I truly believe that routine creates both freedom and space for creativity.

Over the past five years I have come to embrace routine in the form of early mornings, running, meditation, daily sauna, and reading before bed. (I cannot recommend this planner enough, it even has a dedicated space for logging daily meals). Yet, it has taken until recently for that ethos to extend to food.

When it comes to cooking, I love exploration. I find nothing more enjoyable than buying, tasting, and transforming a new vegetable from the farmer’s market. Every meal is an opportunity to try something new or improve upon past versions.

Over the past several months though, I’ve found myself wanting to create a recipe repertoire of go-to meals. Most of the time, I do not want to cook an elaborate meal after working all day. I want something that feels healthy yet sophisticated, without a major time commitment. I want to save the experimentation and fun for the weekend.

This newsletter contains two such meals that have emerged: ground turkey rice bowls with Mediterranean sides, and roast chicken thighs with shallot and olives. Neither sexy (dimly lit evening photos do no favors), but both elevated enough to feel intentional. Most importantly — both have white rice as the base, and all other elements come together in the amount of time it takes the rice to cook.

Mediterranean Ground Turkey Rice Bowls

Ground turkey is truly the quickest meat to cook. While it definitely gives “taco night vibes” (directly quoted from my husband), paired with what is my easy take on tabbouleh, tzatziki, and roasted tomatoes, it tastes great.

Every time I make this I have to resist the Italian urge to roll the turkey into meatballs. While they would certainly look better, the primary metric for success of a go-to meal is time spent doing other things than cooking.

White rice (I used Jasmine)

1lb of ground turkey

Ground coriander

Ground cumin

Ground garlic

Carton of cherry tomatoes

1 medium sized tomato

Parsley

Mint

Dill

1 red onion

3 Persian cucumbers

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sumac

1/2 cup unsweetened Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cook rice according to package (typically 1 cup rice, 2 cups water).

In a small container, combine tomatoes (if you don’t have a medium-sized tomato, withhold a few cherry tomatoes for the tabbouleh) with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Put them into the oven and let roast for the same length as the rice (about 15 mins), until soft and juicy. While the rice and tomatoes cook, prepare everything else.

Dice half of your red onion. Add a tbsp of olive oil to a large, hot pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened before adding the turkey. Let the turkey cook for a few minutes undisturbed to brown, then season with salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, and garlic. Stir to break it up and disperse the seasoning. Cook the turkey until no longer pink, stirring regularly.

To make the tabbouleh, dice the tomato, the cucumber, and the other half of the red onion, adding them to a medium-sized bowl. Finely chop a handful of parsley and mint, adding to the vegetables. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil and add the juice of half a lemon. Season the mixture with a pinch of salt, pepper, sumac, and coriander. Stir to combine.

For the tzatziki, add the Greek yogurt to a small bowl. Finely dice the remaining cucumber. Finely chop another handful of parsley, mint, and dill. Add all to the yogurt. Season with salt and the zest of the remaining half of the lemon. Add the juice of the lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine. (Often times I will make extra of this to use throughout the week.)

Once the turkey, rice, and tomatoes are done, assemble your bowl with rice at the base, all other elements on top.

Roast Chicken Thighs with Shallot and Olives

On an evening where I think I’ll likely be working late the following day, I’ll marinate chicken overnight. This makes it especially easy the next evening to get dinner together quickly. In a pinch, instead of preparing a vegetable, I opt for sautéed shallot and olives alongside leftover tzatziki.

~1.5lb Chicken Thighs (always tastier bone-in, skin-on, but on a weeknight I will often choose boneless, skinless)

Salt

Ground coriander

Medium-sized Shallot

~20 Castelvetrano Olives

Zest and juice of 1/2 orange

The night before, add the chicken to a bowl with olive oil, coriander, salt, and pepper. Cover and let marinate in fridge until ready to cook.

Cook rice according to package.

Place the marinated chicken in a heated cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Cook on each side until browned, ensuring it reaches 165°F.

Slice the shallot crosswise into thin rings. Place all olives in a bowl, and lightly press on them with a to slightly flatten (I use a surikogi pestle, but can use the back of a spoon).

In a small pan, heat a tbsp of olive oil and then add the shallots. Once the shallots start to go translucent, add the olives. After the olives are warm, add the orange zest and juice to the pan and stir. Once heated, set aside to serve.

When the rice and chicken is done, assemble your bowl. Place chicken thighs over the rice, adding the shallot/olive mixture directly on top. I served with leftover tzatziki!

Might I Suggest…

le Mazel Cuvêe Paulou

My friend Riley held a tasting at Discovery Wines a few weeks back featuring this wine. In his words, everyone wants a hint of summer in the winter. I bought a bottle and we enjoyed it after dinner.

Bezi Labneh

I happened across this labneh in the grocery store and I can’t stop eating it. Serve with seeded crackers. The hot honey version is my favorite — spicy and sweet.

When we arrived, precariously stepping over the snow bank and heading inside, I was reluctant to give up my coat. When we were led into the dining room, I immediately knew I had made the wrong decision in keeping it. We were seated opposite a large wood burning oven and not far from a lit fireplace. All weekend, I had said that the only thing that could have made our apartment more cozy was a fireplace, and suddenly I had two.

Borgo feels like Stissing House’s older sister who recently moved into the city. She has the shared rustic touches of a wood-burning oven and dinner by candlelight, but on a contemporary block in Flatiron instead of a 1782 historic inn. The trattoria-style menu makes you feel welcome and service feels relaxed while still expertly attentive. The fireplace makes the double-wide space still feel intimate despite its size and location.

Menu highlights included the chicory salad, the ravioli di zucca, and the fettuccine with Guinea hen ragu. The bitter chicory paired with sweet apple, rich hazelnuts, and creamy gouda was for me a perfect pairing, expertly executed. The Borgo focaccia was good, but Spencer and I agreed we preferred the sourdough served alongside the excellent fava bean puree.

We opted to get three pastas instead of an entree (a “pasta party” as our server called it). The fettuccine with Guinea hen ragu was the closest dish I have had to the pasta at Chez Panisse. Extremely thin pasta, light sauce, subtle with a depth of flavor. The squash ravioli was an unexpected hit for me; their small size felt like wrapped candy that bursts in your mouth when bitten into. The lasagna with wild boar was good but paled in comparison to my Sunday favorite of similar profile at Il Posto.

Alongside the check, our server presented a small, quarter-sized meringue for each of us. As a vocal meringue hater, this was one of the first I have really enjoyed. Borgo’s version made me realize that it is an issue of scale, not the meringue itself. Chalk it up to the weather, but the white, snowy mounds were the perfect punctuation to a snowed-in long weekend.

Other Recent Favorites

Sushi that transported me back to a ryokan in Japan. A perfect frisée salad with bacon lardons, poached egg, and blue cheese. Our go-to ramen the moment we start feeling sick. New Year’s Day dumplings in a spicy peanut sauce. These are other meals I’ve enjoyed this month.

Waking up this morning felt like that. Cold and snowy outside — a stark contrast to the cozy apartment inside, kept warm by the purring radiators.

For this month’s Meal Prep, I had a vision of a mid-winter, Ina Garten inspired brunch. Due to the weather, this gathering quickly became a brunch for two. Undeterred, I spent the morning making quiche, turkey sausage patties, and a bright salad. We sat and ate while watching the snow come down.

We followed our lunch with affogato. Cold vanilla ice cream topped off with hot espresso feels like the perfect pairing for a snow day.

We’ll have to wait until next month for a true Meal Prep, complete with table setting and more. In the meantime, make this perfect winter breakfast for two or for a group.

French Ham, Leek, and Gruyère Quiche

Pre-baked pie crust (one 9-inch or two smaller)

2 medium leeks

Sliced French ham, cut into small pieces

Unsalted butter

Extra virgin olive oil

4 large eggs

2 cups heavy cream

Gruyère cheese

Dijon mustard

Thyme

Salt

Pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 325°F. To make it easy, I purchase pre-baked pie crust. Trim the dark green ends and roots off the leeks. Cut the remaining leek in half and thinly slice.

In a stainless steel pan, heat a tablespoon of butter and of olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add the leeks. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir often, cooking until the leeks are soft and tender. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, and about a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Add salt, pepper, and thyme to your liking. I like to grate some Gruyère directly into the egg mixture.

From there, assemble your quiche. Place the crust on top of a baking sheet, in case of overflow. I start by adding the leeks and ham to the crust, distributing them evenly across the bottom. Next, I grate an ample amount of cheese on top of the leeks and ham. Add the egg mixture, filling to just below the top of the crust. If no leeks and ham have risen to the top, give the mixture a stir, being careful not to puncture the crust at the bottom. Finish with another grating of Gruyère.

Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for about 45 mins. I look for color evenly across the top of the quiche before taking out of the oven and placing on a wire rack to cool.

I often prepare two quiches at once and keep one in the freezer for unexpected guests. When I know I will be doing this, I might opt to pull the quiche out a few minutes earlier rather then letting it get the perfect color, knowing it will be going back in the oven at a later date.

Homemade Turkey Sausage Patties

1lb ground turkey

Sage

Thyme

Rosemary

Dried oregano

Smoked Paprika

Garlic

Salt

Pepper

Red pepper flakes

Maple syrup

In a small food processor, combine a few sage leaves, a few sprigs of thyme (leaves removed from stems), a sprig of rosemary, dried oregano, smoked paprika, a clove of garlic, and salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Grind these until you have evenly-sized, small pieces forming a mixture.

In a large bowl, combine the herb mixture with the ground turkey. Using your hands, mix to combine. Form the entire mixture into ~1.5in meatballs. Once you your meatballs are formed, drizzle a small amount of maple syrup on top and mix them around.

Heat a large cast iron pan over high heat, then add oil (I used avocado oil). One by one, add the meatballs to the pan, pressing each down with a spatula or weight to form a patty. I like to use a square of parchment paper to ensure nothing sticks (think hamburger). Once one side becomes browned, flip the patty over and cook until both sides are browned to your liking. When done, add to a paper towel lined plate.

Simple Salad with Fennel and Shallot Vinaigrette

Half a Shallot, minced

Dijon mustard

Champagne vinegar

Squeeze of juice from an orange

Salt
Pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Butter lettuce

Half bulb of fennel

In a small bowl, whisk together the shallot, a tablespoon of dijon mustard, and a glug of Champagne vinegar. Squeeze an orange (any kind, I had a mandarin on hand and that was great) for just a touch of sweetness — no need to squeeze the whole fruit, just a small splash. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Top with olive oil and whisk together.

Using a mandolin, thinly slice the fennel. In a medium sized bowl, add the lettuce, fennel, and top with the dressing. Mix before serving.

I quickly spotted the food section, and saw a note that said, “Read this if you love nothing more than food, design, and New York City.” Without further consideration, I picked it up. It ended up being Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl, a memoir detailing her decade as editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine.

My second selection this month, Earth, Water, Fire, Air, is a new age cookbook with truly unforgettable photography (though somewhat forgettable recipes). It felt like a natural choice alongside Ruth Reichel’s memoir, in which she describes modernizing Gourmet’s photography (including an October issue with Rocco DiSpirito “dancing” with a massive fish that I cannot stop thinking about).

Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl

The Laguna Beach Books staff did not disappoint. Save Me the Plums was exactly as advertised. Berkeley hippie meets corporate NYC as Reichl takes the reins of the staid Gourmet magazine, transforming it into a sleek, contemporary publication. I loved every part about this, from her delicious description of food and honest discussion of feeling unqualified for the job, to her gifted way of weaving personal stories in with her professional narrative. Reading this memoir left me considering my ideal career, feeling nostalgic for New York in years past, and ready to enter the kitchen and cook a meal.

As a result of reading, I found and subscribed to her delightful Substack which has become a new favorite.

Earth, Water, Fire, Air by Barbara Friedlander

I discovered Earth, Water, Fire Air, at Bonnie Slotnick Coobooks. Growing up with a mother and grandmother who once followed a macrobiotic diet, I always find myself perusing the small dedicated section in her shop on 2nd St. This particular book caught my eye because of the striking cover image and typography. Upon further inspection, the photography throughout the entire 1972 cookbook felt distinctly modern. All in black and white, the photos rely on the richness of the colors of produce to provide stark contrast to the simple wood and white tablecloth backgrounds.

In the entire cookbook, there is not a single photo of a completed recipe. In featuring photos of produce versus the assembled recipe, a focus is placed on the ingredient quality over the preparation.

In my experience with macrobiotic cookbooks, they often tend to shine in their exposition, produce glossary, or overall concept. This one is no exception: the approach is inspiring (think Alice Waters if she were even less tethered to day-to-day reality than her critics like to suggest), the vegetable glossary is a highlight, and each recipe includes a song or mantra recommended by the author.

Earth, Water, Fire, Air is more a “way-of-life book” than the kind of cookbook you are used to consulting. We offer this book to all your five senses. By using it in this way it is hoped that the sixth sense, the sense of awareness, may be tapped.

On The Map

S.O.S. Chefs

104 Ave B

New York, NY 10003

S.O.S. Chefs is the best spice shop in the city, that happens to be in my neighborhood. While they have everything, what really makes them special is their thoughtful curation. Every time I visit, I leave with a new spice or pantry item I have been introduced to, often seasonal.

At the store you are greeted by their friendly cat, richly scented incense burning within a hollowed out rock, piles of Moroccan carpets, hanging lanterns, and (of course) tall walls of spices. The owners are so lovely and engaged, always taking time to explain, introduce, and often offer a sample.

Some of my consistent purchases are:

• Vadouvan Curry - A French take on the Indian spice, they describe it best: “Our house made Vadouvan is a jazzed up version of curry powder. The earthiness of the curry leaves along with the acidity of the kaffir limes and the subtle heat of the chilis combine perfectly for a punch of flavor.” I use it to make spiced leek and potato soup.

• Trip to Tokyo Blend - Whenever I make tofu, I finish it with this Japanese sesame seed blend

• Dukkah - After being introduced to this Egyptian spice at Botanica in LA years ago, I will put it on basically anything.

• Plum Sesame - I am addicted these sweet sesame seeds and often add them to rice dishes.

• Togarashi - I love this spicy, Japanese seasoning on potatoes

I am on a mission to replace all of my seasoning cabinet with their spice containers. Every time I run out, I eagerly run to the store to replace it. There is always something new waiting, whether it be dried mushrooms hanging from the ceiling, orange blossom water, or yuzu kosho.

I apologize for this dispatch being a week late. I will be publishing a second post later this week!

Welcome to the first dispatch of 2026. I’m settling back into routine after spending Christmas at my husband’s parents in Southern California. This provided a welcome escape from New York winter (and root vegetables).

After morning yoga in the park (leaning fully into the Southern California lifestyle), my friend Jameson and I visited the farmer’s market and I loaded up on all the California citrus and fruits — lemons, mandarins, persimmons, oranges, and apples.

Persimmons are my favorite winter fruit that I did not discover until spending time in California. They have the perfect amount of sweetness. The most common varieties are fuyu and hachiya. Fuyu are squat and round, whereas Hachiya are longer, more acorn-shaped. I more commonly find Fuyu in New York than Hachiya. Fuyu can be used in both savory and sweet dishes while still firm, whereas Hachiya are best eaten when fully ripe and pudding-like.

Several years ago I discovered hoshigaki, dried persimmons whose natural sugars crystallize on the surface during drying. In 2020, I had California Hachiya persimmons with stems still in tact delivered to our apartment to make them. It is a fun winter tradition that involves hanging persimmons from twine and routinely massaging the fruit as it dries. My in-laws recently found this guidebook to making hoshigaki and sent it our way. I could not make them this year since we were traveling, but look forward to doing it again in the future!

For this month’s Meal In, I wanted to share two versions of a persimmon salad — one California style, one New York style. California produce demands little else, whereas New York produce in the colder months can often use some support. The California salad is simple — little gem lettuce with persimmons, avocado, and roasted pumpkin seeds in a shallot dressing. The New York version is more complex and winter inspired — persimmons with red endive, ricotta salata, and hazelnuts.

California Persimmon Salad

Little gem lettuce, persimmons, avocado, and roasted pumpkin seeds in a shallot dressing

Slice the ends off, wash, and dry the leaves of two heads of little gem lettuce (or any other lettuce you have on hand). I prefer to use a salad spinner to make this easy. Place the lettuce in a medium bowl once dry.

Cut two ripe fuyu persimmons into slender wedges. Slice one half of an avocado. Add both to the bowl.

Toast two handfuls of pumpkin seeds. I do this in a cast iron on the stovetop, turning them over after the first side gets toasty and you begin to hear the seeds pop. Scatter the toasted seeds into the bowl.

For the dressing, finely mince a medium-sized shallot and add to a small bowl or jar (I like mine shallot heavy, use less if you don’t). Grate a clove of garlic and add. Add the zest and juice of one lemon, and half a tablespoon of mustard. Pour enough olive oil over the ingredients so it sits in line with the top of shallots. Add salt to your liking. Stir or shake to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad, mix, and serve.

New York Persimmon Salad

Persimmon with red endive, ricotta salata, and hazelnuts

Slice the bottom off of two red endives and separate out the leaves. I took half of the resulting leaves and chopped them to make it feel more “salad-y”. Slice a ripe fuyu persimmons into wedges. Add these two to a bowl.

Shave a few thin pieces of ricotta salata and scatter atop the salad. Roughly chop a handful of hazelnuts and sprinkle them in.

Finish with extra virgin olive oil and flaky salt.

Might I Suggest…

Cooper’s Hill Chive and Onion (Cotswold) Cheddar

The contrast of smooth, creamy cheddar and savory onion and chive leads to pure magic. I eat it by itself, or alongside jam for a sweet/savory combo. We added it to our mac and cheese at Thanskgiving this year which gave it an amazing garlicky note. I buy it at Union Market.

A Ghia Spritz over ice with a sprig of rosemary

The perfect drink for Dry January. I have unwittingly created a habit of having one of these after work every evening. I have tried every flavor except the new blood orange and the original remains my drink of choice.

1. Jan 30 - Tekka Chirashi at Yopparai

A go-to favorite that has marked celebratory occasions and unremarkable evenings alike. The rest of my order changes depending on their daily menu, but the tuna chirashi is my mainstay.

2. Feb 24 - Breakfast at Home

Sourdough dunked into a soft-boiled egg alongside comté and jam. No better breakfast. Typically I’ll cut the bread into soldiers for easy dunking, but it looks like on this occasion a giant pat of butter on the bread was absolutely necessary.

3. March 30 - Spring Butter Beans with Salsa Verde

Brothy beans are a year round staple in our household, but this early spring variation was particularly memorable with the inclusion of asparagus, puréed peas, and salsa verde. This meal felt like emerging from winter hibernation.

4. April 20 - Easter Brunch for Eight

Ham and gruyère quiche, roasted potatoes, little gem salad with shaved asparagus, snap peas, goat cheese, and nasturtium. Paired with champagne and chocolate robin’s eggs. A tradition in the making.

5. June 1 - Classic Turkey Sandwich

Summer lunch on rotation. This one is pepper turkey, bibb lettuce, comté, avocado, mayo, and mustard on a sourdough baguette. Don’t forget the grapes, kettle chips, and a pickle.

6. June 21 - Terry Black’s BBQ in Austin

When in Austin… Summers growing up, my great Uncle Bubbie would smoke brisket out back on Lake Anna in Virginia. This meal was reminiscent of that. Every side required.

7. July 4 - Gelato at Il Laboratorio del Gelato

Don’t let the color fool you — fior di latte and marscarpone gelato are better versions of traditional vanilla and transcendent on a hot day. This becomes a nightly occurrence in the summer. My all time fav combos are: fior di latte with tarragon, basil with lemon, and yuzu mint with watermelon.

8. July 19 - Ricotta Ravioli with Sungold Tomatoes at King in NYC

My birthday lunch this year at King. Ricotta ravioli with burst sungold tomatoes, basil, and shaved ricotta salata. Nothing compares to sungolds in the summer. I replicated countless versions of this dish in varying form for the rest of the summer after eating.

9. July 26 - Steamed Clams with Tomato Butter under the Manhattan Bridge

Clams steamed with tomato butter and finished with basil, cooked on a grill in the East River park alongside hotdogs, vegetables, and peaches with a group of friends.

10. August 29 - Cheese Plate at Chez Panisse in Berkley

The best meal of the year. So many courses and photos I could post, but I think it’s best encapsulated with the dessert cheese plate. Each the highest quality and best version of the item conceivable. Incredibly complex flavors contained in humble cheese, grapes, and almonds.

11. August 30 - Salad at Zuni Café in San Francisco

En route to another restaurant with friends, we drove past Zuni Café. I remarked that I’ve always wanted to go there and my friends insisted we stop the car and change plans (thank you Trevor and Lexi). It proved to be a memorable evening. Little gem, nectarines, pumpkin seeds, lemon cucumbers in a light buttermilk dressing.

I realized in writing this that I unwittingly replicated this salad with persimmons last week in California and have already written it up as the next Meal In!

12. September 3 - Wagyu Don at Kijurou in Arashiyama

I was a vegetarian from 2013-2020. It took me over two years after that to be able to eat a piece of steak. This meal after hours of walking and touring temples in Kyoto felt like my formal baptism as a meat eater. It was incredible.

13. September 5 - Chilled Eggplant at Farmoon in Kyoto

My second favorite meal of the year behind only Chez Panisse (hard to beat). Eggplant, shaved carrots, tomatoes, cashews, and shiso served chilled over ice at Farmoon in Kyoto. This was my dream food experience. The restaurant is in a machiya (traditional Japanese townhouse) that feels more home than restaurant with its welcoming round table, open kitchen, and inner courtyard. We sat at the kitchen island/counter next to endless bowls of dinner preparation. The lunch was simple and delicious.

14. September 5 - Dinner at Yagyu No Sho in Shuzenji

While in Japan, we experienced the total shutdown of the Shinkansen due to typhoon. This resulted in us arriving to our ryokan around 9pm instead of 4pm as expected. Upon arrival, they asked if we were hungry and brought us into a room with an eight course kaiseki they had kept warm for us “just in case”.

15. September 6 - Breakfast Dessert at Yagyu No Sho in Shuzenji

Same ryokan, different meal. After coursed savory breakfast, the sweet taste of homemade red grape sherbet was magical. The delightful color match to the haori jacket selected for me for that day could not have been an accident.

16. September 11 - Kale Salad with Green and Red Grapes at Margo in Yutenji

A rare kale salad in Tokyo at the loveliest restaurant, Margo. We were connected to the owner by friends Sammie and Riley, and ended up staying hours past close drinking natural wines with Mariko and her husband. I had never considered grapes in salad, but will not make the same oversight in the future!

17. September 12 - Sake and Popcorn in Shinjuku

Butter soy sauce popcorn out of the bag and sake in a five stool upstairs bar in Shinjuku that allowed smoking (any leads for finding Mike popcorn in the US are welcome).

18. September 13 - Zaru Soba at Kanda Matsuya in Chiyoda

The best soba I’ve had at a historic restaurant in operation since 1884. The only time in recent memory I have waited in a line for food that was worth it (it was quick, they are very efficient).

19. November 3 - Soba-ya lunch special in NYC with my sister

Same meal, different city. Lunch with my sister, Grace, at my favorite restaurant in the city (and now hers). We went back again the next day for the same. I’m wearing a Soba-ya shirt as I write this.

20. November 4 - Marry Me Salmon with Eve in Brooklyn

Salmon in a creamy tomato sauce with a fennel arugula salad at Eve’s house while watching mayoral election results come in. Unexpected dessert of banana bread with a pat of butter and a sliced nectarine with flaky salt. A perfect evening.

21. November 14 - Champagne and Mint Chip Ice Cream at The Odeon

Champagne lunch at The Odeon was in order following the city hall wedding of friends Ethan and Owen. I order their mint chip ice cream by the pint for home!

22. November 19 - Winter Gozen at Ootoya with parents

Searching for a last minute meal near my parent’s hotel in Bryant Park and landed at Ootoya. My dad and I both had the winter gozen with miso, chirashi, katsu curry, miso, and sashimi. Warm and welcome on a cold evening — I will be going back.

23. November 27 - Thanksgiving

Details here!

24. December 27 - Chicken Dinner at Knott’s Berry Farm with extended family

What started as taking the nephews to Knott’s Berry Farm became a full family affair that ended with chicken dinner at the historic restaurant. A set meal of: dinner rolls with berry jam, salad, chicken noodle soup, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and your choice of apple or boysenberry pie.

25. December 31 - New Years Eve at Cove

Sending this late to include my last meal of 2025 at Cove. We ate at the original Gem almost every Friday in the back half of 2020. A perfect punctuation on the year — pork collar, lamb, turbot.

Happy New Year! Feel free to drop a comment with your favorite meal of 2025! I hope your 2026 is filled with good memories and great meals. I have a lot of fun things planned for Dinnertime in the new year. Talk soon!

Rarely am I opening these books in search of a specific recipe to follow. I read these more like novels — complete with exposition, drama, and resolution: the tension and uncertainty of waiting for the roast chicken to cook; the relief of opening the oven to find the skin perfect and the juices rendering the leeks beneath delightfully jammy.

Several stand like soldiers on my counter, waiting to be summoned on to the battlefield in a time of dire need. These are my go-to’s: most loved, most referenced, the ones I return back to most frequently.

My true favorites reside on the windowsill next to my bed. Mostly food memoirs, these are sacred and watch over me while I sleep, tucked into the window ledge.

The rest of them, perhaps less loved though no less cherished, live in stacks on top of my kitchen cabinets. (I have, however, reached my limit here and am in need of a dedicated bookcase).

In this first installment, I’m featuring two books by British cooks. The first, The River Cafe Cookbook, details recipes from the acclaimed London restaurant of the same name. The second, A Thousand Feasts, is a memoir of sorts by my favorite food writer, Nigel Slater.

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The River Cafe Cookbook by Rose Gray and Ruthie Rogers

I keep a pinned list on my phone entitled “list of things I love” (my Sound of Music-esque list of favorite things). This list includes:

“The way women who do not spend the majority of their day on a computer type — slow and click-y”.

or:

“The way Thomas Mars sings the words ‘some other time, some other day.’”

It also includes:

“When secondhand cookbooks arrive wrapped in shiny plastic cling wrap.”

I have been closely following, listening to every podcast episode, and wanting to visit The River Cafe in London for many years. I realized a few months ago that I did not have any of their cookbooks in my collection, and purchased their first from a secondhand bookseller in Georgia via AbeBooks (yes, intoxicated). I knew it would be good from the moment I cut open the package and saw the shiny, clingy material staring back, just like a baked good .

Ruthie Rogers and The River Cafe is probably the most cited reference for restaurants and chefs I love. Clare de Boer and Jess Shadbolt of King are River Cafe alums. Jamie Oliver got his start there (have you revisited The Naked Chef? It might be deserving of a full post…).

I have only just dipped my toe into cooking the recipes in their entirety, but I have found myself cracking it open for inspiration when cooking (it now sits on my countertop). All of the food is simple Italian, reliant on high qualify ingredients. Like the chefs who reference it, The River Cafe combines simple dishes with versatile sauces: steak with salsa verde, fish and potatoes with anchovy and rosemary sauce.

In their intro, Rose and Ruthie write:

We feel that our recipes are accessible to anyone cooking at home. We took our Italian knowledge and recipes from the domestic kitchen to the restaurant; our book now returns them there.

Recipes on my list to cook include:

• Their spaghetti al limone

• Penne with slow cooked sausage sauce

• Poleta, almond, and lemon cake

• Chicory al Forno

• Marinated Grilled Lamb

These are the types of dishes I love - simple, yet elegant (reminds me of another favorite of River Cafe heritage, Stissing House).

A Thousand Feasts by Nigel Slater

Nigel Slater’s A Thousand Feasts has traveled with me to many places across the U.S. and throughout Japan. I have spent the last year reading it because each page feels like eating dessert — reading too much at once spoils the perfection, so I continue to morsel it out in an effort to savor it as long as possible.

Each story in this book is exactly that: a morsel. Each bite-sized musing details a small moment, event, or happening. Many of these would be otherwise unceremonious in passing, but Slater’s detailed and indulgent description allows them to become transcendent. These stories are quite stream of consciousness, as they are collected from his fragmented diaries over the course of many years.

Such musings include A table of herbs in Tehran, Lighting incense, A bowl of soup for breakfast in Kamakura, or most relevantly, waking to snow in London and Kyushu.

Waking to snow in New York City this morning. The sound of coffee being ground in the background.

I should note that this is in no way a traditional cookbook, there are no recipes shared. He does however have an extremely organized archive of recipes on his website if that is of as much interest to you as it is to me. This is in addition to other books he writes and a weekly recipe contribution to The Observer.

If you are unfamiliar with Nigel Slater, his book The Kitchen Diaries opens with his manifesto of sorts:

Right food, right place, right time. It is my belief… that this is the best recipe of all.

He continues,

A crab sandwich by the sea on a June afternoon; a slice of roast goose with apple sauce and roast potatoes on Christmas Day; hot sausages and a chunk of roast pumpkin on a frost-sparkling night in November. These are meals whose success relies not on the expertise of the cook but on the more basic premise that this is the food of the moment — something eaten at a time when it is the most appropriate, when the ingredients are at the peak of perfection, when the food, the cook and the time of year are at one with each other.

This ethos sums up my approach to food: presence over perfection, finding magic in the mundane. Great meals bring us back to the present moment, make us feel fully aware and alive. This book now resides next to my bed as a daily reminder that attention creates importance.

On the Map: Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks

Along with the cookbooks, each month I feature one food-related store in NYC. The full map of all places featured will be coming soon!

In compiling this I realized I have no photos of the store outside of the shop dog. The first two photos are not mine and are taken from here and here.

Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks

28 East Second St.

New York, NY 10003

I could not kick off this segment without mentioning Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks in the East Village. A neighborhood staple, Bonnie sells out-of-print, antique, and rare cookbooks, magazines, and tableware/cooking utensils. Walking down the stairs and into her basement store feels like entering a pre-internet treasure trove, organized by location, cuisine, and form. Many of the cookbooks I have were purchased here. This includes:

• The Zen Macrobiotic Cookbook

• A set of Good Housekeeping magazines

• Earth, Water, Fire, Air

• In The Green Kitchen

Whatever you are looking for, Bonnie knows where to turn (and often has it in-store).

I am flying to California later this week for the holidays. Talk to you next week for a California-inspired Meal In.