Happy Friday, it’s been a minute! Everyone seems to have been in and out of the city this month. I myself will have only been home for ~12 full days in August—arguably the best produce month. Peaches, watermelons, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, plums, squash, eggplant, melons…this is the point in summer when I feel absolutely spoiled at the farmers market.

I usually try to make it to both farmers markets near me—the McCarren market on Saturdays and the McGolrick market on Sundays. At the McCarren market, I most often prioritize fruit—baskets of round donut peaches, dark plums, juicy blueberries, wonky heirloom tomatoes—and two for $1 apple cider donuts to dip in my coffee. At McGolrick, I go for the veg—fairy tale eggplants, sweet yellow corn, curly kale, and fresh herbs.

I’ve already made a guide on Heirloom Tomato Recipes for Late Summer, but I want to expand on my favorite dishes (and paired memories) using my top three summer produce items: tomatoes, peaches, and corn. Keep reading for in-season recipes I’ve loved and saved, plus a week of stand-out eats in Folly Beach.

P.S. if the email cuts off, you can always continue reading in your browser or in the Substack app! 💖

Chuck a tomato tart in the oven — one of the easiest ways to enjoy summer’s bounty. Smear a pre-made pie crust with ricotta and parmesan, then arrange tomato slices on top with chopped shallots and pesto. Bake at 375°F for ~35 minutes. Finish with whatever floats your boat: arugula, fresh basil, shaved parmesan, balsamic glaze, corn, or even MORE fresh tomatoes. Have a peach? Add it, too!

Pair a dirty martini with tomato & corn carpaccio — inspired by a dish on Deux Chat’s original menu, thinly slice an heirloom tomato and top with fresh corn, chopped herbs, and a healthy drizzle of olive oil and flaky salt.

Cook down sungold tomatoes into pasta — sungolds, a bright orange hybrid cherry tomato, are one of my favorite tomato varieties. When cooked, they become incredibly jammy and sweet, making them an excellent flavor companion to your favorite pasta alongside a simple butter sauce and some peas or herbs for extra color.

Make a thick BLT — At Folly growing up, turkey bacon and tomato sandwiches were the only thing that my mom could use to drag us inside from playing on the beach. In Córdoba, the New York-born owner of my favorite natural wine shop announced she would make BLTs one weekday, and the cordobeses were absolutely stunned—no one had ever heard of the sandwich before.

I think they’re best with crusty bread (scraping the roof of your mouth is a rite of passage), thick-cut heirloom tomatoes, iceberg or butter lettuce, and homemade herby mayo—maybe even with a little corn added in!

Save a tomato for breakfast -– grate fresh tomatoes for pan con tomate, slice an heirloom or cook a few sungolds to top a slice of ricotta toast, add tomatoes to an egg biscuit, cut a few tomato wedges to serve over polenta with bacon, smother your breakfast beans with sungolds…the possibilities are endless.

Use corn as a side dish for any meal — corn just reminds me of summers in South Carolina. At my Gram and Papa C’s house, almost every summer dinner came accompanied with produce from the garden or surrounding farms: corn on the cob, ripe tomatoes, and sliced cucumbers marinated in vinegar and salt. At Folly, every grilled fish, steak, chicken, or hot dog came with a side of corn.

Get on board with the ‘little salad, big protein’ mentality — Justine Doiron turned me on to the little salad, big fish mentality. I love a chicken cutlet dinner with a side corn, peach, and avocado salad or a little tomato basil chicken piccata action.

Marry your tomatoes and peaches with onion — make a warm roasted peach and shallot dish with chili and mozzarella, toss a peach, melon, and tomato panzanella with shallot or red onion, slice tomatoes and peaches with red onion and serve them over whipped goat cheese…

Scoop up cowboy caviar — I love a scoopable dinner. Add fresh corn alongside the usual cowboy caviar suspects—black beans, black-eyed peas, bell peppers, avocado—and serve with crispy-crunchy limey tortilla chips. For another bean salad variation, make the NYT’s chickpea salad with grated tomato dressing.

Bake a peach pizza — I recently made a brie and peach pesto pizza on Trader Joe’s pizza dough, and it was fantastic with a side kale salad. Make sure to stretch your toppings fairly close to the edges unless you prefer a denser, puffier crust. Dare I say…this would be fantastic with some corn on top?

I’ve gone from the winding mountain roads of Colorado to the clear blue skies and lake waters of New Hampshire to Folly’s powdery sands, scorching hot from the sweltering end-of-summer Southern heat. Folly will forever be my favorite place in the world.

We walked to Dead Low for coffee, Lost Dog for cappuccino chocolate chunk muffins, and Vino Feo for beach wine. I read two books on the beach (Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Sophie Elmhirst’s A Marriage at Sea), grains of sand dotting every nook and cranny of the spines.

We of course had to stop by Bowen’s Island for a meal. I tried the shrimp and grits for the first time and WOW, they’re the best I’ve ever had. Thick, buttery grits topped with fresh corn, blackened sausage and shrimp, and a salty, creamy gravy. I also shared a fried shrimp platter with cole slaw, hushpuppies, and fries, and a cucumber tomato salad. Heaven.

Our one Charleston dinner out was at Sorelle, an Italian-inspired restaurant with Lowcountry twists. My dad and I shared the ‘pillows of gold’—golden tortelloni filled with ricotta and prosciutto, topped with “very good butter” and aged balsamic—and the ‘rotolo al forno’—wood-fired rolled lasagna with pork ragù and rapini. Both incredible, the tortelloni stole the show for me, cooked perfectly al dente with the softest, melt-in-your-mouth filling. For dessert, we sampled three: the zeppole e caffè, the limone, and the budino di cioccolato.

The ‘limone’ was light and refreshing: vanilla and citrus whipped ricotta and blueberry encased in a yellow, lemon-shaped white chocolate shell over a bed of graham cracker crumbs. The budino was the most indulgent—a large glass cup layered with toasted milk chocolate pudding, silky caramel, chantilly cream, and olive oil. The zeppole, warm powdered sugar-coated vanilla bean doughnuts, were paired with a mocha and marsala zabaglione, similar in texture to a whipped chocolate mousse. The zeppole were my favorite—it’s hard to beat a warm donut with chocolate.

That’s all for this week! The next time you hear from me will be a recap of my upcoming Northern Spain road trip <3

Happy, happy Friday!

Keeping it simple this week with a list of what I’ve been consuming + creating:

• Reading: The Compound, The Nightingale, Marriage at Sea

• Watching: Cape Fear (iffy), Love Island UK (Lorenzo🥹), The Invite (4/5)

• Planning: A road trip through Northern Spain with my brother

• Making: Collages from vintage Sports Car Illustrated magazines

• Eating: Well, keep reading…

I finally made it to The Snail. We walked in around 5:30pm on a Friday and were seated immediately. The tables around us filled fairly quickly, but it was much better than the queue I’d been expecting. I ordered a dirty vodka martini while we browsed the menu, and wow was she ice-cold and crispy. We kept it simple and split the Caesar salad and summer corn agnolotti.

The Caesar is a behemoth of a plate—layers of little gem lettuce and radicchio piled high with a mountain of pecorino, crispy capers, and toasted breadcrumbs. The dressing, thick and tangy, covered every inch of the plate, which I appreciate. The ricotta-filled agnolotti sat atop sweet corn, charred cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and plenty of butter. We were honestly too full for dessert at the time, but hopefully there will be many more occasions to be had at the bistro.

Post-Snail, we headed to Cafe Colette for a glass of Txakolina and Mount Rushmore of candy bars. The heated debate stirred up a sliver of hunger, so we split a cheese slice at Lamonte Pizza before seeing The Invite at Williamsburg Cinemas. Highly recommend.

Lise & Vito is one of my favorite natural wine bars in Greenpoint. Walking in feels like entering into a 70s-themed living room (in the best way possible). It’s cozy, it’s quirky, it’s neon, and it’s home to lava lamps and a big velvet-lined booth. Decor aside, their menu is a dream. It’s full of funky wines, a long list of vermouths, fun house specials, (e.g. the ‘Americano Perfecto,’ Estrella Galicia lager with Spanish vermouth and Campari on the rocks), and beers, if you’re into that.

Two weekends ago, I met up with a few girlfriends in a booth, intending to stay an hour or two to catch up over a glass of Spanish vermouth, a sweet and spiced fortified wine. We sampled two varieties of vermut rojo adorned with green olives and an orange slice, and to our surprise, ended up leaving four hours later.

The Border Town burrito is incredible. Soft-scrambled eggs, queso Chihuahua, hickory-smoked bacon, caramelized onion and jalapeños, potatoes, and refried pinto beans are stuffed into a soft and stretchy hand-rolled flour tortilla.

It’s the perfect meld of flavors and textures, especially once you dip it in the accompanying green salsa (mild and refreshing) and red salsa (rich and spicy). Worth it for $16, IMO.

Two great matcha lattes: ANDO’s strawberry matcha latte—sweet, house-made strawberry puree layered with iced ceremonial-grade matcha and milk—and an iced vanilla matcha latte at Glory Days. Both smooth, sweet, vibrant, and creamy.

Good Thanks became my refuge during the torrential downpour two Saturdays ago. I rolled up to the restaurant soaking wet, jumper dripping and shoes squishing, and settled into the back corner booth. The sesame latte immediately turned my mood around: iced espresso with nutty black sesame oat milk and a sweet-but-not-too-sweet cream top. Divine.

We split two of the crispy hashbrown plates for the table, and I ordered the eggs and labneh with scrambled eggs. The eggs came perfectly cooked over garlicky labneh, spicy salsa macha, fresh mint and dill, and two pieces of grilled sourdough.

Artichoke & Tortellini Pasta Salad

Super easy picnic dinner: cheese tortellini tossed with artichokes, roasted eggplant, arugula, shaved Unexpected Cheddar, and a balsamic vinaigrette. The sweet, caramelized eggplant pairs well with the saltiness of the artichoke and cheeses, and the tart vinaigrette ties it all together. We ate it in Tupperwares before heading to Caffè Panna to try the raspberry soft serve and peach crisp and blueberry shortbread scoops. With ice cream and graham cracker crumbs dripping down our hands, we laid out a blanket to watch Space Jam under a bright moon in McCarren (for the Movies Under the Stars series).

Mediterranean Farro Salad with Basil-Mint Tzatziki

Cooked farro topped with roasted carrots, chickpeas, and eggplant, chopped pistachio, Frescatrano olives, and a basil-mint tzatziki. I blended fresh basil and mint leaves into Greek yogurt with my immersion blender and added the classic shredded cucumber and freshly minced garlic. Definitely plan on getting a stack of pita to dip into it next time.

Roasted Salmon with White Beans & Fennel Slaw

A bed of warm white beans and sauteed kale topped with Dijon-roasted salmon and fennel and red onion slaw. For the slaw, I thinly sliced fennel and red onion and marinated it for 15 minutes in red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Filling and delicious.

Chicken Thighs with Corn Salad & Herby Chimichurri

Crispy pan-roasted chicken thighs (from The Meat Hook) with an herby, tangy chimichurri sauce over a sweet corn, peach, cucumber, and avocado salad. I dressed the corn salad simply with a splash of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The chimichurri was super finely chopped basil and mint with olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, one clove of mashed garlic, salt, and pepper. An absolute showstopper!! This is my new favorite summer dinner.

Sugar Kiss Melon Panzanella Salad

I’ve heard nothing but praise for sugar kiss melons this summer, so I knew I had to try one when they showed up at Trader Joe’s. Compared to cantaloupe, these melons are much sweeter, softer, and juicier. Some say the melon melts on the tongue. I chopped up a half and tossed it with smashed cucumber, brown tomato (I wish I had an heirloom!), toasted bread cubes, fresh basil and mint, and a super simple punchy vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Sweet, acidic, refreshing.

That’s all for this week! Thanks x a million for reading <3

Happy Friday, it’s been a minute! As of late:

🌀 I went to the Mets’ Pride Night! I ate a perfect Nathan’s hot dog, witnessed Adam Lambert knock the national anthem out of the park, and admired the post-game fireworks show. I tried Dippin’ Dots for the first time and am not entirely sold.

🌀 Many friends had birthdays! We celebrated by sipping poolside spritzes in robes at the Governor’s Island QC Spa and sampling chilled reds under twinkle-lit trees in the Sauced backyard.

🌀 My friends got married! I sang karaoke, cried, danced, ate delicious food, procured a broom for limbo, and strangely enough, fell victim to a bottomless wine glass.

🌀 I took the train to Rhode Island for a friend’s bachelorette party! We read and napped on the beach, ate as much fried and fresh seafood as our hearts desired, and recounted our favorite memories with the bride.

So much to be grateful for! Keep reading for the best bites before, during, and after these adventures.

I’m trying to crowdsource the best sandwiches in the Williamsburg/Greenpoint area. Specifically, a turkey or veggie-based sammy on focaccia or ciabatta. Nick + Sons, Oh Mercy, and A&C Super seem like top contenders so far. If you’ve had an amazing sandwich in the area, please LMK!

I recently got one of the sandwich specials at Daytime—bacon, turkey (I added it), green apple, cheddar, and arugula on a buttery brioche bun. It comes with a side arugula and cornichon salad. The way the apple slices were stacked vertically made me giggle, but it was delicious.

P.S. Every great sandwich should come with a pickle, IMO. My favorite pickles are Trader Joe’s Kosher Dill Pickle Spears. They’re cold, crunchy, and packed with garlic flavor. We go through these jars very fast, so we’ve started buying extra Persian cucumbers to pickle in the leftover brine. Conner had the brilliant idea to add a little bit of the juice from the Hot & Sweet Jalapeños, and wow, it yields a perfectly crispy, spicy, garlicky, slightly sweet pickle.

Mariscos El Submarino

I finally made it to the Greenpoint location! We sat in the back on a hot, hot summer night sipping glasses of sweet agua de jamaica. We shared the guacamole (creamy and spicy) and the aguachile verde—raw shrimp marinated in lime, serrano, and cucumber juice topped with red onions and avocado slices. That juice is gulpable.

I also tried the steak taco (thinly sliced ribeye steak, melted Chihuahua cheese, avocado, cilantro, onion, and salsa de árbol) and the fish taco (battered, crispy fried cod topped with tomato, cucumber, onion, cilantro, cabbage, and a special house aioli). I think the steak taco is one of the best tacos I’ve ever had—I couldn’t believe how tender and flavorful the meat was, and I loved that the tortilla was enveloped with a crispy griddled cheese shell.

Mike’s Coffee Shop

Everyone we interacted with at this old-school diner in Clinton Hill was incredibly friendly. We sat at the counter and had an unobstructed view of the kitchen, witnessing dozens and pounds of eggs and potatoes be poured, flipped, and scraped on the griddle. Alongside two cups of piping hot black coffee, we shared the Spanish omelet—eggs piled with onions, peppers, and mushrooms in a tomato sauce (it reminded me of pisto) and served with fluffy home fries and buttered toast.

Mable’s Smokehouse

Mable’s is now my favorite BBQ joint. I haven’t had Pig Beach yet, but I thought Mable’s was way better than Hometown Bar-B-Que and Fette Sau. I got the pulled pork sandwich with mac n’ cheese. The sesame bun was buttery with visible grill marks, and the pork was incredibly tender and juicy. Even the sides were perfect—the cole slaw was crisp, creamy, and tangy, the pickle slices thick and crunchy, and the BBQ sauce sweet and spicy. The mac is the perfect accompaniment—elbow pasta covered in smooth and creamy Velveeta cheese.

OLMC Feast

OLMC Feast is New York City’s oldest Italian-American festival. Every July since 1887(!!), the street market takes over a few blocks of Williamsburg with food vendors, rides, music, and games. I’ve made it an annual tradition. This year, I got a sausage and peppers hero and a bag of fresh zeppoles (fried dough balls), and tried corn on the cob covered in crushed Hot Cheetos (surprisingly delicious) and grilled chicken skewers. It’s imperative to wash it all down with a cup of $1 lemonade.

Coastal Rhode Island is stunning. It’s so stunning that it almost feels more like a movie set than a place where people actually live.

Our slice of Narragansett was heavily populated by wild bunnies hopping around in the grass, most sidewalks are flanked by ginormous and vibrant lilies and hydrangeas, there are countless mom-and-pop coffee and ice cream shops, the crystal-clear turquoise water on Block Island is so striking you almost forget it’s freezing, Newport is borderline too charming with its gas lamp-lined cobblestone streets, historic pubs, and oyster shacks…I could keep going, but alas.

Memorable bites included:

The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar: Seated out back with panoramic views of the Newport harbor, we sampled the fried calamari and banana peppers with lemon and marinara, the gigantic warm and salty buttermilk biscuit with Aquidneck Honey (“cake” feels more appropriate than “biscuit”), and the chicory salad—pink-speckled Castelfranco radicchio and frisée with plums, ricotta salata, and a sweet-savory hazelnut-miso vinaigrette.

The Coast Guard House Restaurant: Against the stunning backdrop of a pink-orange sunset over the Narragansett Bay, I enjoyed the perfect meal: a dirty vodka martini and fish and chips—beer-battered cod with tangy coleslaw, thick fries, and tartar sauce.

Persephone’s Kitchen: After a hot ride on the Block Island ferry, we stopped at this cafe to fuel up for a beach day. I got an iced peach tea shaken with agave and the quinoa rancheros—quinoa and black beans topped with cheddar, avocado, salsa fresca, cilantro, and lime. I also got to try one of their seasonal lattes sweetened with a syrup derived from locally foraged beach rose and honeysuckle… (are you kidding me!?)

Iggy’s Doughboys & Chowder House: After hours on a boat, I ordered what I was craving: a garden salad and hot dog. The hot dog came grilled and nestled in a toasted bun, topped with a trio of mustard, chopped onions, and a sprinkle of celery salt. I also got to try their famous doughboys—golden, crispy fried dough served with a cup of sweet powdered sugar—very similar in taste to a funnel cake.

Monahan’s Clam Shack: Others tried more substantial food here, but the “kiddie-sized” three scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream, melting and dripping down my sugar cone (and arm), was perfect for me. We got a large of the chocolate peanut butter cup to-go for the house—everyone dipped a spoon in for a taste, then promptly went back for seconds.

Roasted Carrot & Teriyaki Chicken Meatball Rice Bowl

Easy dinner bowl: jasmine rice topped with roasted carrots, air-fried Trader Joe’s Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs, feta, and a whipped basil yogurt (immersion-blend Greek yogurt with fresh basil). These meatballs are sweet, savory, and deliciously sticky and caramelized.

Summer Squash & Heirloom Tomato Farro

It’s ‘bout that time again when I’m itching to make every recipe with heirloom tomatoes. This is a simple meal—great for lunch or dinner with a little protein. I tossed roasted yellow squash and fresh chopped heirloom tomatoes with farro, mint, basil, and shaved Unexpected Cheddar. I made a simple vinaigrette with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and honey.

Stone Fruit & Heirloom Tomato Salad with Salmon

I tossed chopped peaches, cherries, heirloom tomato, avocado, and cucumber with olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, mint sprigs, and salt and pepper, and topped with Dijon-roasted salmon. Super easy to throw together and the perfect way to celebrate summer produce.

Breakfast Beans

Conner dreamt this up and I can’t stop thinking about it. He mashed a can of red kidney beans and left them to simmer in a pan with Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce, chopped Hot & Sweet Jalapeños, and some of the juice. We topped them with green onions and eggs and scooped it all up with limey tortilla chips. The beans get all smoky and sweet (the kitchen smelled like BBQ) and they’re easily customizable.

Thanks for reading ❤️ Send me a message with sandwich recs!!

Sunday is easily my favorite day of the week. It’s sacred. I love waking up a little groggy, then finding comfort in the realization that the day is a blank slate, ready for both predictable routine and a little spontaneity. Usually, my Sundays are slow, spent browsing the farmers market, running errands (refilling our lemonade jar weekly at Maison Jar is a joy), cleaning the house, reading, journaling, cooking (or getting takeout), and watching a movie.

One of my (and millions of others’) favorite parts of living in New York is the fact there’s always something to do or stumble upon. Finding free books on the sidewalk, browsing ceramics at a stoop sale, or making an impromptu trip to another neighborhood easily becomes the best part of the day. I love the unplanned pockets of adventure in between rest and relaxation.

After a little excitement, my favorite way to honor Sundays is to make an indulgent recipe that’s a little bit more labor- or time-intensive. Think: chicken pot pie, chili, lasagna… Below, I’m sharing recipes for some of my all-time favorite Sunday meals, but first (!), here are my best recent bites.

We took a visiting friend to Mesa Coyoacan for dinner the night the Knicks won Game 2. We sat on the street, watching giddy groups stride by in their royal blue and bright orange gear and listening to the crowd roar at the TVs inside of Carmine’s. We each ordered a margarita and shared the creamy guacamole and salsa borracha, a dark salsa flavored with Mexican beer, alongside crispy totopos, their housemade corn chips.

We were delighted when our server stopped by the table with complimentary shot cups of their watermelon margarita—fresh and sweet. For my main, I ordered the tacos dorados, three crispy rolled chicken tinga tacos served over a creamy bed of spicy salsa roja and topped with crisp shredded lettuce, queso fresco, crema fresca, and avocado salsa. My plate was clean within five minutes. Definitely can’t wait to come back here.

Diner continues to be one of my favorite restaurants for both brunch and dinner. I went for brunch with two friends, and we shared the raspberry coffee cake, spring frittata, shakshouka with chickpeas, and crispy potatoes.

The coffee cake was fairly dense but rocked a thin layer of tart raspberry and thick, crumbly spiced streusel. The frittata looked like summer in a dish—a golden, buttery egg base dotted with green peas, asparagus, goat cheese, and ramp gremolata. The shakshouka was rich with spicy tomato flavor and brightened up with a pop of zingy fresh herb. I loved that you could taste the char on the accompanying grilled sourdough. The potatoes—generous for a side dish—were perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, dressed up with fried sage, crispy shallots, and harissa mayo. I’ll be back in one of those booths in no time.

I’d heard good things about Kaew Jao Jorm from a few friends, but the experience dining there knocked my socks off. I’m not shocked in the slightest that it’s earned an average 4.9 star rating from 1,770+ reviews. Over glasses of white wine, three of us shared the Chor Muang, Gaeng Keow Wan Gai, and Pad See Ew Nuea. It was the perfect amount of food.

The Chor Muang, chewy rice-based dumplings naturally dyed a vibrant indigo color with butterfly pea flower, are filled with a sweet-savory chicken and peanut filling. They don’t come with a dipping sauce but are flavorful enough on their own. The Gaeng Keow Wan Gai green curry came with tender chicken thigh, eggplant, long hot pepper, and basil. The sauce was heavenly—velvety, coconutty, sweet, and spicy. The Pad See Ew, broad rice noodles with thinly sliced beef, Chinese broccoli, and egg with a thick and dark soy sauce, was intensely savory and smoky. A highlight: having unlimited jasmine rice served tableside out of a gigantic silver chalice.

Honorable mentions: Ants Coffee has become a favorite pit stop on morning walks. I’ve tried their cappuccino, flat white, latte, and matcha latte, and all are great. I ordered from Peking Garden for the first time and got wonton soup and chicken lo mein (with a side of rice) for $23—including tax, tip, and the delivery fee. Massive portions and overall pretty tasty. The new asparagus danish from Nick + Sons is phenomenal—flaky pastry topped with creamy ricotta, spinach, asparagus, shaved parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon.

Growing up, my family picked up a bucket of fried chicken from Hardee’s every Sunday, and we’d all fight over the best-looking drumsticks at the table while sipping ice-cold sweet tea. Many of these recipes stem from fond family memories or evoke a similar slow, relaxed state of being, no matter where I am.

Chilaquiles

Saucy, spicy, crunchy, fresh. I love the rhythmic cutting of the corn tortillas, dropping them into hot, bubbling oil, and sprinkling them with lots of flaky sea salt as they cool. Top them with whatever you have on hand: refried beans, avocado, cilantro, diced tomato, radish, pickled jalapeño, queso fresco, Mexican crema (or Greek yogurt), pickled red onions, whatever type of egg your heart desires.

Coffee cake

This cake recipe is a Hutto staple. My mom made it for every holiday, birthday, anniversary, and milestone I can remember. Bake it for breakfast or dessert, but don’t skip the cinnamon sugar topping that creates a crackly crust over top the light, spongy cake.

Shakshuka

We love a one-skillet recipe, and shakshuka comes together surprisingly quickly once you’ve done the chopping prep. It’s the coziest, heartiest meal, and I love adding a little feta, cilantro, chickpeas, or even chipotle peppers alongside warm pita or crusty bread.

Tortilla Española

Tortilla Española (also called a Spanish omelet or tortilla de patatas) will always hold a special place in my heart. All you need are eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, and salt and pepper, but it’s the technique that takes focus and patience. Slowly caramelize the onions and potatoes in olive oil before mixing in beaten eggs and cooking on both sides to achieve the coveted golden exterior + soft interior. Let me tell ya, that pan flip is an art form.

Bolognese

Every time I go home to my parent’s house, this is the recipe my dad requests. It’s a classic low and slow meal—once all the ingredients have been added in increments, the sauce cooks for three hours. It’s best served with rigatoni, tagliatelle, or pappardelle, a green salad, and a glass of red wine.

Biscuits

Biscuits always bring back memories of summer mornings at my Gram and Papa C’s house in Holly Hill, South Carolina. We ate them three ways: smeared on every side with a pat of butter, peeled layer by layer and dipped in table syrup, or sandwiched with Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage. I love cutting the butter into the flour by hand and sculpting the shaggy dough on a floured cutting board.

Vodka rigatoni

Creamy, rich, indulgent—vodka rigatoni is the ultimate cozy Sunday meal. It only takes 30 minutes, but you’re pretty involved the entire time. I love serving with ample parmesan and a side veggie dish of whatever’s in season.

Vegetable chili

Another Hutto family staple, I remember eating this for family dinner’s growing up. After a long weekend, there’s truly nothing better than curling up with a warm bowl of chili. I love hearing all the ways people eat chili—with rice, a toasted baguette, cornbread…the options are endless. We were a tortilla chip scooping family.

I hope you’ll consider making your own Sunday meal this weekend!! Until next time xx

Happy Friday! This past week we’ve had some of the most gorgeous New York weather of all time. And with that 75, sunny, and breezy weather has come some of the most insane sunsets I’ve ever seen. I’ve been eating on the balcony every day and continue to be FLOORED.

In honor of the Knicks game tonight, I’m giggling at these two inspired specials: Jalen Brunson Rigatoni at Patrizia’s and this Buffalo Chicken Pie with spirulina ranch at Diamond Slice. 7th Street Burger announced on Instagram they’re giving away 777 free cheeseburgers after every game the Knicks win in the finals, but there’s apparently already been some tech issues. If they win tonight, I’m definitely going to test it out. STAY TUNED. Now, onto recent best bites and what I’ve been eating.

Bagel Joint is one of my very favorite *bagel joints* in the neighborhood. Back when they used to have a stand at the farmer’s market, I would pick up a few bagels and a tub of the scallion pancake cream cheese (scallions + white pepper). Their bagel flavors are unreal: Miso, Fig & Olive, Saffron, Gochujang Sesame, Duck Egg Sesame, etc.

The McGolrick is my ideal breakfast: a fig and olive bagel layered with scallion cream cheese, tomato slices, fresh dill, red onion, and capers. The babka bun is also delicious—a sticky sweet crust filled with coils of cinnamon and chocolate.

Before seeing Dog Day Afternoon on Broadway (highly recommend), BKK was perfect for a quick and memorable dinner. We shared the BKK Lollipops—crispy fried chicken drumsticks with a salty and spicy Sriracha sauce—and the Kaeng Keaw Waan Jay—a rich coconut green curry with tofu, eggplant, cauliflower, baby corn, bird’s eye chili, and Thai basil. It was creamy, nutty, subtly sweet, and eye-wateringly spicy.

For drinks, the Fruit Cart Cooler (vodka, plum spirits, charred pineapple, charred mango, lime, and Tajín) was sweet and punchy, inspired by the fresh fruit cups sold by street vendors in Bangkok. The One Dollar Slice (tequila, pepper jack cheese, tomato, oregano, basil, grapefruit, lime, and clarified milk), is a martini meant to evoke the same flavor as a New York pizza slice. It sounds crazy, but it’s actually really, really refreshing and surprisingly spot on.

New Huda menu just dropped!!! Our most recent haul included a few familiar favorites, but mostly new delights:

• The creamiest, most luxurious labne and herby bessare (dried split fava bean dip) with piping hot pita bread

• Hindbeh: a warm dandelion greens salad with caramelized onion, dukkah, and lemon

• Rakakat: fried filo dough stuffed with melty Syrian cheese and topped with hot honey and a side of muhammara

• An off-menu asparagus special with lemon, dill, and boiled egg

• Fasooliya: gigante beans swimming in a pool of addictive hazelnut sabayon and charred scallion (this was INSANE, a new favorite)

• Stretchy orange blossom booza with salty pistachio butter

• A lemon and rhubarb tart with a shortbread crust

On weekdays from 11am-2pm, Edy’s Grocery has a lunch special where you can mix and match half a salad and sandwich for $17. Recently, I got half of the tahini Caesar and half of the shawarma chicken wrap. The portions are worth it!

The Caesar is textural heaven: kale topped with shaved halloumi, pomegranate seeds, Aleppo sesame breadcrumbs, and creamy lemony tahini dressing. The wrap is warm, filled with spiced chicken, cabbage slaw, diced tomato, pickled turnips, and garlicky toum.

It’s sushi in the park season. I still love picking up from Sapporo Ichiban and taking it to a park bench to dog- and people-watch.

I’m on a mission to try every pastry at Smør Bakery (specifically the Powers St. location). So far, I’ve had the cardamom bun, cinnamon bun, and most recently, the raspberry bun. Some of the best buns around, for sure.

I also love their breakfast burrito—a warm tortilla filled with cheesy scrambled eggs, crispy hash browns, bits of bacon, creamy avocado, chopped scallion, and ~secret sauce~ (chipotle aioli-esque).

Scoopable Shrimp, Peach, Edamame, & Corn Salad

This is going to be my go-to summer picnic dish. Chopped peach, cherry tomato, corn off the cob, and shelled edamame topped with garlic chili shrimp and a bright, zesty lime dressing.

I eyeballed the dressing measurements, but used olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, fresh garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, cumin, and paprika. I use the frozen peeled and deveined shrimp from Trader Joe’s and cook with butter, cayenne pepper, fresh garlic, salt, and black pepper. Scoop it all up with lime tortilla chips!

Cheddar Scallion Biscuits

Every time I decide to make biscuits, I usually just google “best biscuits” and pick the top recipe. But BEHOLD, I’ve found my holy grail recipe. These biscuits are buttery, flaky, salty, and have layers upon layers.

I added a bit of cheddar cheese and chopped chives to the dough, and they made for the perfect breakfast sammy base. They’re also delicious with a simple pat of Kerrygold butter and flaky salt.

Steak with Corn Salad

We picked up some steak and potato salad from The Meat Hook and ate it alongside a homemade corn salad with cilantro, lime, pickled jalapeños, and cotija cheese.

Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes, Olives, and Chickpeas

I came across this smoky eggplant mezze recipe and decided to riff a bit. In the oven, I cooked down long strips of peeled eggplant and several handfuls of cherry tomatoes until the eggplant was soft and caramelized and the tomatoes bursting and jammy. I added chickpeas, chopped shallot, green olives, lemon zest, basil, Calabrian chili spread, and a few dashes of paprika, cooking it all a few extra minutes until everything was saucy and spicy.

Cold Peanut Noodle Salad

Cold Japanese soba noodles tossed with crunchy cucumber and red bell pepper, chopped peanuts, scallions, and a creamy, salty peanut sauce. We added shrimp and some chopped basil.

If you made it to the end of this, thank you!!! Truly appreciate every single person here. That’s all for this week <3

Hello!! I’m freshly home from our eight-day Portugal trip. What a stunning country.

I’d been to Lisbon twice before (it’s still just as magical), but wow was I blown away by the beauty of Porto. We stayed right on the water in the Ribeira district with a breathtaking view of the Douro River and Vila Nova de Gaia. Every day we watched boats ripple through the water, seagulls fly over terracotta rooftops, and Gaia buildings turn from tan to pink during golden hour.

Over the course of the trip, we made our way through countless artisan markets, bookstores, and souvenir shops. Just a few Lisbon favorites: A Vida Portuguesa, Brus, Cerâmicas na Linha, LX Factory, and the Feira da Ladra (Lisbon’s oldest flea market).

Antique books have recently become my favorite thing to collect on trips. At the Feira da Ladra, I bought a beautifully weathered Portuguese almanac from 1908. The shop owner barely spoke English but was so excited to point me to the cover artist’s name in another old book on his shelf. At a different rare bookstore, I left with a gorgeous red- and gold-lined German book with a note dated April 1891 (!!!). Being the only person in the shop, the owner led me to the back for a beautiful view of Lisbon’s red rooftops.

ALAS, let’s get on to what you’re really here for: the food. Note: if this newsletter gets clipped in your email, you can still read the entire edition in your browser/Substack app. I promise you’ll want to! We ate a lot of good food…

This trip, we mostly had pastry breakfasts, smaller, snacky lunches, and larger, multi-course dinners. One of my favorite parts of Lisbon dining culture is the couvert, an appetizer spread of breads, butters, dips, and pâtés brought to your table before you order. You don’t have to accept it (it’s not complimentary), but we said yes, every time.

The Mill

I first ate at this Australian-Portuguese cafe in 2018 for the banana bread—toasted banana bread with mascarpone, red currants, and honey. Divine.

This time, I tried the goat cheese bagel: a sesame bagel filled with grilled goat cheese, roasted tomatoes and red peppers, baby spinach, and chili jam. Incredible, plus the best flat white of the trip.

Fora Artisan Pastry

We came here a few mornings for a quick breakfast or pastry to go and sampled the cardamom bun, pecan roll, Lorraine danish, and tomato and mozzarella merenda (a stuffed and folded puff pastry) and all were delicious. I loved that every cup of coffee was served with an itsy-bitsy mini palmier cookie.

A Nossa Casa

I’ve only been here twice, but I can confidently say it’s one of my favorite restaurants ever. It’s the type of place that reminds you just how delightful good food and hospitality can be. Natasha, one of the co-owners, is incredibly warm and personable, and it’s clear how much she genuinely enjoys what she does. The space is intimate, inviting, and full of art and small knick-knacks. The food, a hybrid of Portuguese and Brazilian cuisine: colorful, exciting, creative, and deeply flavorful.

We shared:

• Grilled scallops with ponzu, soy panko, and lemon

• Cured cod over passion fruit aguachile, soy tapioca, kale, and ash oil

• Cherry gazpacho with grape, roasted tomato, fried chickpeas, mint, and pomegranate vinaigrette

• Slow-cooked pork belly over mashed spinach, fried soybeans, and roasted tomato

• Grilled mushrooms with truffle oil and sourdough breadcrumbs over scrambled egg mousse

• Glazed beef cheek over creamy corn, sauteed kale, orange, and beef jus

• Grilled octopus skewers with creamy teriyaki rice and garlic chips

I’ll be thinking about the cherry gazpacho for a very long time. I’ve never had anything like it: silky, savory-sweet, garlicky, acidic, creamy. Every flavor and texture in perfect harmony. Scrambled egg mousse was a first for me, and although hesitant, I was positively surprised by its super light and airy texture and rich flavor. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender and paired perfectly with the sweet corn. And the creamy teriyaki rice…I could eat that every day. This is my #1 top dinner rec in Lisbon.

A Cozinha Sr. Lisboa

This cozy restaurant focuses on traditional Portuguese recipes made with local ingredients. I was so hungry that I forgot to take any pictures, but every single plate was clean when it left the table. We shared:

• Couvert: sourdough breadbasket with Serra da Estrela cheese foam, black garlic and miso butter, and my favorite, bulhão pato (a sauce traditionally used to steam clams: olive oil, white wine, garlic, and lemon juice)

• Beef croquettes with panko and mustard

• Octopus croquettes with Algarvian relish, octopus mayo, and seaweed powder

• Icelandic codfish croquettes with parsley, onion, straw potato, and green olive mayo

• Charcoal-grilled chicken skewers with lemon, chives, and turnip puree

• Fried cauliflower pickles with gochujang sauce and sesame oil

• Spoon-tender black pork cheek

• Ecuadorian chocolate mousse with stamped cocoa crisps

Parreirinha de Alfama

This is one of the oldest Fado Restaurants in Lisbon, founded by singer Argentina Santos. A few steps down from the winding streets of Alfama, you’re seated in a dimly lit dining room at an old wooden table—very close to your neighbors. The tiled walls are adorned with old guitars and framed photos of Lisbon’s most famous Fado singers. Dinner consists of three courses, and the two-hour show takes place in the middle of the room.

The music, meant to evoke a feeling of melancholic longing called saudade, is the main draw here, but the food was noteworthy too. After the couvert (bread, olive tapenade, peanut and carrot hummus, and truffle butter), I chose the:

• Shrimp with garlic and red peppers

• Chicken stew “Parreirinha style” with carrots, peas, and a lil basket of potato chips

• Pineapple and orange carpaccio with herbs

Things to add to your itinerary:

Sipping a glass of vinho verde on the waterfront, walking across the Dom Luís I Bridge for sweeping views of both Porto and Gaia, riding one of the “six bridges” river cruises, walking through the Mercado Ferreira Borges and Mercado do Bolhão, spotting peacocks and roosters in the Crystal Palace gardens, and admiring tiles on all of the city’s most remarkable landmarks: the Porto Cathedral, Capela das Almas, Igreja do Carmo, Igreja de Santo Ildefonso, and São Bento train station.

Época

This cute little Nordic-inspired breakfast spot in the arts district has delicious coffee, pastries, and a small vegetarian menu mostly consisting of sourdough bread + spreads, eggs, and a few sweet dishes like scones and French toast.

Confeitaria do Bolhão

The pastry case here must stretch 15+ feet long with locals and tourists mingling at its counter over a meia de leite and newspaper. The walnut bread and croissant are fantastic. I learned that Portuguese croissants use an egg yolk-heavy brioche dough so they’re softer and denser (and yellower!) compared to French-style croissants. Big fan!

Confeitaria São Domingos

This bakery is full of traditional sweet and savory pastries and desserts. The almond croissant and ham and cheese pastry were delicious.

Mistu

Housed in a renovated metalwork shop, this space has a very open, industrial yet elegant feel. We sat next to the expansive window wall, watching hung laundry blow in the breeze across the street. The globally inspired menu is divided between cold and hot dishes, and everything is meant to be shared. We settled on the:

• Grilled sea bass with mushroom tortelloni, asparagus, and truffled hollandaise

• Artichoke lasagna with portobello, sundried tomato, and basil pesto

• Grilled tiger prawns with cuttlefish risotto and seaweed

• Tagliatelle with saffron threads, mushrooms, and togarashi

• Honey and olive oil pudding with sesame crumble and citrus

• Chocolate textures with dulce de leche and lemon

The sea bass set the bar high at the start of the meal. The fish had a crispy, charred exterior with a flaky and buttery interior. The asparagus was tender with a bite, the tortelloni intensely umami and al dente, and the sauce velvety and rich without being overly heavy. Everything that followed was just as tasty—especially the honey and olive oil pudding, a classic Algarvian dessert. It was decadent, moist, sweet, and paired perfectly with the crunchy sesame topping and lemon sorbet.

Casario

This was one of my favorite meals of the trip. We sat outside on the Praça da Ribeira with a panoramic view of the Douro, listening to guitarists and singers performing on the Cais da Ribeira promenade below. I almost felt emotional watching people dance to the music—just humans being humans, jumping around together in pure joy.

Our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable and attentive and shared a few personal stories that made our experience truly special. To eat, we shared:

• Green asparagus soufflé with almond cream and São Miguel cheese

• Tiger prawns with saffron and lemon rice

• Codfish “Gomes de Sá” style (usually a casserole, but it came deconstructed with a cod fillet and side of layered potatoes, caramelized onions, garlic, egg, and parsley)

• Bísaro pork with savoy cabbage and garlic sauce

• Cookie, cocoa, and hazelnut with salted caramel ice cream

• Almond tiles with baked apple, Port, and mascarpone

Flow Restaurant

Owned by the same restaurant group as Mistu, we knew this dinner would be just as worthwhile. We sat outside in the tiled courtyard surrounded by patio heaters and large planters. Being our last dinner out of the trip, I was in dire need of vegetables.

The creamy harissa hummus with roasted cauliflower, baby corn, green beans, and peppers with pomegranate syrup and za’atar fulfilled that need in the tastiest fashion. For my main, I devoured the beetroot ravioli with stracciatella and pistachio, and we all split the peanut and salted caramel cheesecake and dark chocolate mousse for dessert.

Woof, that’s all! If you’re going to Lisbon or Porto anytime in the future, feel free to message me with any other questions—happy to share more recs or tips!

Happy Friday! I’m in between travels once again. After Puerto Rico, I had a quick two days in New York before jetting off to North Carolina for a wedding. Next Friday, I leave for Portugal with my family. We’ll split time between Lisbon and Porto with a few day trips. If you have any recommendations, please send them my way!

While in Rincón, we dined at Reina Mora again—an intimate, farm-to-table restaurant with a produce-driven menu that changes weekly. Prior to arriving, we knew our four courses would focus on: avocado & white bean, pumpkin & rice, beef & mushroom, and mango & passionfruit. All four were outstanding.

The first course was a white bean salad with an avocado mash and crispy tostada. Fresh and delightful. The second course: roasted pumpkin with crispy toasted brown rice and a pepita mole sauce. I’ve had plenty of roasted vegetables in my time, but that pumpkin was next level—the deeply caramelized exterior contrasted perfectly with the creamy, sweet center.

The third course was beef two ways—short rib and ribeye—with smooth whipped mushroom sauce. The short rib was divine—melt-in-your-mouth flavor. Last, but certainly not least, dessert: chocolate mousse with fresh mango, passionfruit curd, and a delicious crumble and cracker topping (my eyes prevented my ears from listening to the entire description of this one). Maybe one of my favorite desserts I’ve ever had. Highly recommend making a reservation if you’re ever down there!

I haven’t been eating out much with all the travel, so this week is short and sweet. Keep reading for four delicious and cozy dinner bowls and the birthday cake recipe.

Roasted Carrot & Halloumi Farro Salad

Fridge clean-out bowl, ayyyoo. I drizzled some diced carrots and zucchini with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and chucked them into the oven for ~30 minutes. While the veggies roasted, I prepped the farro (it takes ~15 minutes) and pan-grilled a few halloumi slices with hot honey. Once all the components were ready, I tossed them all into a bowl and drizzled with more olive oil, balsamic glaze, and flaky sea salt. The perfect bite.

Dijon-Roasted Salmon & Charred Green Bean Salad

I started with the base of Gabe Roberge’s charred green bean salad and added a few twists along the way. Add green beans into a hot pan (lid off) and cook until charred—they should maintain a crunchy bite. Toss the beans in a bowl with dried cranberries, crushed almonds, finely sliced shallots, and instead of red chilies and parsley, I added sliced jalapeño and cilantro. The dressing consists of lots of chopped capers, Dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil.

This salad on its own is INSANE but I wanted some protein, so I topped it with some air-fried salmon I’d marinated in Dijon mustard, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and honey.

Pesto Farfalle with Broccoli & Toasted Walnuts

The ultimate comfort pasta bowl. I toasted some walnuts and lemon-stuffed olives in butter then added a healthy spoonful of pesto, rainbow farfalle (and a quarter cup of pasta water!), chopped broccoli, and a mountain of Unexpected Cheddar. It’s like butter noodles’ older, wiser sister.

Corn, Black Bean, and Plantain Salad

I was inspired by Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad and wanted to jazz it up based on some other recipes I’d saved. I cooked the corn and shaved off the kernels into a bowl with black beans, diced avocado, crushed corn tortilla chips, caramelized sweet plantains, cotija crumbles, and a handful of cilantro.

The cumin-lime dressing is zesty, bright, and spicy:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Drum roll please…she’s a vanilla cake with pineapple and passionfruit jam and vanilla buttercream frosting. A dreamy classic.

I’m pretty proud to say I knocked this 30th birthday cake out of the park. I trust Broma Bakery with my life (all hail her brown butter chocolate chip cookies), so I knew this “best vanilla cake ever” recipe would live up to its namesake. It’s super light, fluffy, and perfectly vanilla-y. The best tip is to make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature before getting started.

After letting the two 8x8 cakes cool on a wiring rack, I spread a thin layer of Bonne Maman pineapple-passion fruit preserves onto one, topped it with a slightly thicker layer of vanilla buttercream frosting, then added the second layer and repeated the process, frosting all of the sides as well. I love the hint of sweet fruitiness with the classic vanilla cake and frosting.

You can customize it in any way you dream up—try a different jam or fruit curd, add lemon zest to the batter, top it with fresh fruit or shaved chocolate. This cake is your oyster.

That’s all for this week! Next time you hear from me I’ll hopefully be detailing all of the seafood, pastéis de nata, and natural wine I’ve had in Portugal!

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Happy Friday! Coming to you live from my favorite sunny island. I spent the first half of the week in San Juan, chasing pockets of sun, collecting seashells, and playing Monopoly Deal (obviously). This weekend, we’re on the west side in Rincón. As you’re reading this, I’m hopefully munching on a sandwich in the sand and reading Loved One, my current library checkout.

Something I’ve been thinking about…

As I continue to iterate on this newsletter, one thing I know for certain is that I always want to use this space for creative experimentation. Studying advertising and working across various content formats—editorial, social, email—I understand the importance and value of creating a cohesive brand and visual identity. But I don’t want to put this newsletter, or myself, in a pre-determined box. My brand here is my writing: approachable recipes, honest thoughts on places I eat at, menus for gatherings, thoughtful travel diaries, etc.

The way I showcase those things visually—I want that to be able to ebb and flow through different looks. I hope that’s part of the fun with each edition. You know you’ll likely get a few fun recipes and a new cafe or bar to try, but I want the visuals to almost feel like a surprise mini-exhibit or digital mail club (currently brainstorming Local Plate snail mail ideas…). I feel fulfilled when I reserve spaces for creative exploration and play. So, for now, I’m releasing myself from the pressure to create strict parameters and guidelines on what this looks like.

I don’t necessarily think of myself as a recipe developer (yet!), I simply love cooking. One of my greatest joys is finding interesting flavor pairings and riffing off recipes I’ve found on menus or saved online. So, speaking of, these are just a handful of my favorite recipe developers/cooks/private chefs:

• Gabe Roberge

• Raina Patel

• Julius Roberts

• Sara Tane

• Roti Brown

• Justine Doiron

• Shakayla Felice

• Max Baroni

• Christina Soteriou

• Nina Parker

• Pierce Abernathy

• Rita Kokshanian Mashkova

• Carina Wolff

• Everyone at Mob

…plus so many more!

Thank you for being here and thank you for all the love. To support my work and get this newsletter straight to your inbox, feel free to subscribe!

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An Easter feast

Last year, I deemed Easter as a day of feasting. I continued the tradition this year, scouring the farmer’s market for the best produce. I started the day with a chinese broccoli and potato frittata. This was delicious with fresh grated cheddar and Cholula, although I should’ve added more eggs to the mix.

For dinner, the first plate consisted of a simple arugula salad with radish, creamy burrata, and a tangy balsamic dressing. Classic and delicious. Next, the star of the show for me: roasted carrots and asparagus over Gabe Roberge’s whole lemon vinaigrette.

Y’all, this vinaigrette is maybe one of my favorite dressings/sauces/flavors I’ve ever had. I adore the way Gabe treats seasonal produce—using gentle heat to let ingredients shine and adding depth with more textured toppings and deeply flavorful dressings and sauces.

We also picked up a half pound of steak tips at Meat Hook—$8 total for two people! We definitely could’ve gotten a pound if meat was the main focus, but the half portion was perfect for a meal of many plates. We cubed it and seared it in plenty of butter and garlic. Phenom.

Finished the meal with a slice of carrot cake and brown sugar bundt cake from Daytime. Always a treat.

Pea & Asparagus Risotto with Caramelized Shallot

On a cozy weeknight, I was inspired by Food + Wine’s spring cover—a beautiful shot of Risi e Bisi (Green Pea Risotto). I used Arborio rice instead of the Venetian Vialone Nano rice, lending a super creamy texture. I cooked it out using the classic white wine and stock combo and added chopped asparagus and frozen peas in the last round of stirring. I swirled in some leftover whole lemon vinaigrette and topped with plenty of fresh basil.

Lemon Pistachio Kale Salad

I started with the base of this lemon pistachio kale salad—kale, fennel, pistachio—and added thinly sliced celery, avocado, and crispy roasted pistachios. The dressing is the showstopper:

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ½ cup shelled pistachios

• 2 tbsp honey

• ¼ cup lemon juice

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 3 tsp garlic

• Salt + pepper

Whizz it all up in a blender and you’re left with a creamy, sweet and savory dressing that you’ll want to eat by the spoonful. This salad would be delicious with some fresh orange, dried cranberry, a fried egg, or toasted breadcrumbs.

I went to the new Ants Coffee location on Lorimer by the park. It’s a small but mighty space—sun-drenched with a cozy, welcoming, minimalist vibe. Fire cappuccino.

Good Thanks remains one of my favorite happy hour spots (4:30–6:30pm daily!). We went at 5pm on a Friday and snagged the perfect people-watching table out front. The Bright Eyes (cucumber juice, serrano-infused tequila, passion fruit liqueur, lime) is super refreshing, and the burger is consistently juicy and salty.

I tried one of Land to Sea’s two spring specials, the jasmine matcha latte with jasmine tea syrup and jasmine-infused oat milk. This is the first drink I’ve ever not been immediately obsessed with here. If you’re a diehard jasmine fan, you’ll love it, but it was slightly too floral for me. The red bean bun, tho…still 100/10. Acre’s mango matcha remains the perfect treat on a sunny day.

One of the best post-happy hour slice shops in Greenpoint: Rome to Brooklyn. The Grandma and Burrata, Pesto, & Vodka Sicilian are winners.

NC peeps: My dear friend Shane and his son, Isaiah, started Family Meal, a meal delivery service bringing home-cooked meals directly to doorsteps in the Triangle area. They release a new menu every Tuesday morning, orders close Friday at midnight, and meals are delivered Monday afternoon. Everything is made from scratch at their kitchen in Durham! Learn more here.

That’s all for this week, folks! Stay tuned on @thelocalplate for the best bites in PR.

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Happy April!

Two weekends ago, I flew to Chapel Hill for my mom’s 65th birthday. We had a build-your-own frozen pizza night, went on several sunny neighborhood walks, put on wigs for karaoke at home, played copious amounts of Monopoly Deal, spontaneously toured three open houses, and enjoyed an incredible tasting menu dinner at Heron’s, The Umstead Hotel’s signature restaurant.

Since being home in NY, I’ve tried to spend as much time as possible outside: reading in McCarren, venturing further for morning coffee, piling GP Fish & Lobster happy hour oysters with vinegar and horseradish, and walking a longer route to Chez Ma Tante for tiny gin ‘tinis at the bar.

This Sunday, I plan to make an Easter feast (for two), but in honor of my adoration for Sunday night takeout, I’m sharing my fav takeout spots in the neighborhood. Keep reading for some YUMMY delights I’ve cooked recently.

I love Sunday night dinners. Depending on the events of the weekend, Sunday nights are reserved for either harvest salads, an indulgent, slow-cooked meal like lasagna or bolognese, or takeout. Always paired with the promise of a movie, this is my favorite weekly decision to make. These are my favorite places to order from, plus what I like to get. (Note: this is not an exhaustive list of all the best takeout…there are too many more to name!)

Chinta Thai

Cuisine: Thai

Favorite dishes: Furious Calamari, Curry Puffs, Ka Praw Khai Dow, Basil Sautéed Chicken, Green Curry, Pad See Ew

H&I Express Thai

Cuisine: Thai

Favorite dishes: Vegetarian Spring Roll, Vegetable Curry Puff, Chicken Satay, Green Curry Fried Rice, Sweet Chili Fried Rice, Drunken Noodles, Spicy Udon, Green Curry

Atithi

Cuisine: Indian

Favorite dishes: Vegetable Samosas, Lamb Spring Roll, Saag Paneer, Chicken and Vegetable Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken Makhani, Aloo Gobi Matar

Sapporo Ichiban

Cuisine: Japanese

Favorite dishes: Chicken Yaki Udon, Spicy Crunchy Shrimp Mango Roll, Sweet Potato Tempura Roll, Peanut Avocado Roll

East Met West

Cuisine: Chinese

Favorite dishes: Wonton Soup, Chicken Broccoli Combo (comes with fried rice and an egg roll)

Wanpaku

Cuisine: Cambodian–Japanese

Favorite dishes: Karaage, Avocado-Cucumber Crispy Rice, Spicy Pulled Pork Bun, Spicy Chicken Tan Tan Ramen

Levantine

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Favorite dishes: Sweet Potato Latkes, Cauliflower Nuggets, Siniya, Stuffed Falafel Pita

Birds of a Feather

Cuisine: Sichuan Chinese

Favorite dishes: String Beans in Ginger Sauce, Sichuan Cold Noodles, Poached Wontons in Chili Sauce, Shanghai Shumai, Dan Dan Noodles, Three Pepper Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Spicy Fish Fillet, Sautéed Chinese Broccoli (I’ve ordered here a lot…)

Antidote

Cuisine: Chinese

Favorite dishes: Pork Soup Dumplings, Wonton in Chili Sauce, Sui Mai with Tea Smoked Duck, Eggplants with Garlic Sauce, Kung Pao Chicken, Dan Dan Noodles, Sichuan Cold Noodles, Hunan Style Stir Fried Beef

Namkeen

Cuisine: Pakistani-American

Favorite dishes: Nashville Chicken Sandwich, Tikka Mac & Cheese

Lucy’s Vietnamese

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Favorite dishes: Summer Rolls, Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi, Smoked Brisket Vermicelli Bowl, Lemongrass Chicken Pho

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Here are some bits and bobs of small plates, dinners, and breakfasts I’ve conjured up recently. I’ve also been loving Kodiak Cakes with maple syrup, Broma Bakery’s Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, butter noodles (with this tri-color farfalle), watermelon plums with sea salt, and Greek yogurt with honey, vanilla, crushed Thin Mints, and cacao nibs for dessert.

Dill & Olive Lentil Salad

Lentils, cherry tomatoes, chopped green olives, fresh dill, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Simple, bright, and refreshing.

Cucumber, Watermelon Plum, & Caper Salad

A pre-dinner snack: chopped cucumber, watermelon plums, avocado, capers, fresh mint, and pistachios tossed in a lemon vinaigrette. Trust me when I say this tastes like spring in a bowl.

Breakfast Potato Skillet

Nothing groundbreaking here, just really delicious roasted fingerling potatoes with roasted bell peppers and onion. A smothering of ketchup and sriracha is encouraged.

Roasted Sweet Potato & Artichoke Couscous + Lentil Bowl

This one I’m actually very proud of: a base of couscous and lentils topped with roasted red peppers, roasted purple sweet potato, lemony artichoke hearts, pistachio, and a balsamic Dijon vinaigrette. I think I added a bit of crumbled feta on top. I also made a quick-pickled shredded carrot salad on the side with dried cranberries. I’d happily eat this every night.

That’s all for this week! I’ll leave you with just a fewwww of the recipes I’m considering for this Sunday:

• Zucchini and pea tart

• Charred green bean salad

• Steak radicchio salad with roast parsnips

• Brazilian carrot cake

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I love Fool’s Spring.

For the first half of this week, it was electric to witness everyone out of hibernation. McCarren Park was packed with runners, readers, and roller bladers. Dog meet-and-greets, bicycle bells, and babies waddling toward the nearest patch of sun. The line for Bernie’s was wrapped around the corner, and outdoor seating at Five Leaves and Greenpoint Fish & Lobster was packed with smiling faces. I love it here.

We might be back in the trenches for now, but consistent warmth is right around the corner, and soon, we’ll all be able to breathe a little easier. As soon as we break 60 degrees, I’ll be drawn to outdoor sipping and snacking like a moth to a flame.

Since being home, I’ve cooked a lot more! And enjoyed some really good food out on the town! Let’s get to it.

Roasted pepper and soppressata quiche

I adapted my mom’s quiche recipe once again with chopped bok choy, roasted sweet peppers, soppressata, and grated Unexpected Cheddar. I prefer a thicker quiche, so I wish I’d used one deep dish pie crust instead of two of the regular sizes, but alas, it was still delicious.

Dragon fruit yogurt bowl

It’s beyond me how I made it to 30 without trying dragon fruit, but WOW it might just be my new favorite fruit—it tastes like a mix between a kiwi and pear. For a fresh dessert bowl, I mixed Greek yogurt with honey and vanilla then topped it with chopped dragon fruit, cacao nibs, hemp seeds, and a generous drizzle of melted chocolate. Textural heaven.

Veggie chili burrito

I made an eclectic bean and veggie chili: kidney beans, lima beans (yes, I’m obsessed), okra, carrot, and tomato. After eating the leftovers two days in a row for lunch, I felt uninspired to finish the rest…until I wasn’t. I heated up a bowl of the chili, spooned some into a large tortilla, and wrapped it up into a burrito with cheese, avocado, and pickled jalapenos. Move over, Taco Bell.

Dijon-soy salmon quinoa bowl

The perfect weeknight meal: quinoa topped with chopped cucumber, edamame, shredded carrot, sauteed bok choy, avocado, and Dijon-soy glazed salmon bites (I popped them in the air fryer for 8 mins). I eyeballed a dressing of olive oil, sesame oil, sriracha, hot honey, and apple cider vinegar (should’ve been rice vinegar) and drizzled that all on top with some chili crunch oil.

Fennel salad with sumo orange, kiwi, and burrata

I haven’t stopped thinking about this salad for two whole weeks. Shaved fennel, chopped sumo orange and kiwi (inspired by Max Baroni’s kiwi salad), toasted walnuts, fresh mint, burrata, and a simple apple cider vinaigrette. Every ingredient played its role perfectly—it’s fresh, citrusy, crunchy, bright, and creamy. I think I let out an audible “mmm wow” after every single bite. If I ever opened a restaurant, this would be the first thing on the menu.

Browned fennel and tomato linguine

I saw this Food & Wine one-pot cabbage bucatini recipe and wanted to make something similar-ish using what I had on hand. I thinly sliced some fennel and sauteed it until brown with some butter and quartered cherry tomatoes. While that was cooking, I boiled up some linguine, reserved a quarter cup of the water, then added the noodles, water, and grated Unexpected Cheddar to the pan to make a silky sauce. Topped it with some toasted breadcrumbs. This meal ended up entirely different from its inspiration, but it was a genuinely surprising hit.

Spotlight: Di An Di

Sips: Vai (their take on a lychee martini) — dry gin and sake with lychee and lemon

Eats:

• Gỏi Đu Đủ | Papaya salad: Green papaya with dưa món (brined veggies—carrot, daikon radish), fish-sauce pickles, mint, peanuts, and crispy shallots, tossed in a limey nước chấm dressing and topped with a crispy, crackly sesame cracker

• Chả Giò | Crispy spring rolls: Fried rice paper rolls filled with pork, shrimp, and water chestnuts, served with lettuce, Thai basil, mint, and a sweet and sour nước chấm dipping sauce

• Cơm Gà | Roast chicken: Golden brown, skin-on chicken leg served with a round of crisped rice, shallot aioli, pickled daikon radish, and an herby salad

Could this potentially be one of my new favorite restaurants?! Perhaps, after years on my hit list. First off, the Vai is the perfect cocktail pairing for food—it’s refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness. All three dishes were incredibly flavorful and fresh. Lots of herbs and a variety of textures and temperatures. I love picking at a plate where there are so many components to choose from!!! The space is gorgeous, too—bright and filled with lots of lush greenery. I will be back soon for the pho.

More recent snacks & sips:

Librae Bakery: This Bahraini-inspired bakery is one of my favorites in the city. You can tell every single item on the menu is a labor of love—especially evident in the insanely buttery, flaky pastry layers. This most recent time, we shared three:

• Carrot cake scone: Spiced scone with grated carrots and pecans with a carrot ginger glaze and sprinkle of smoked cardamom (wow)

• Pistachio pop-tart: Semolina pop-tart filled with pistachio praline and dates with a pistachio orange blossom glaze (omg)

• Rose pistachio croissant: Flaky croissant filled with pistachio frangipane and rose, topped with a sprinkling of dried rose petals (gorgeous)

BUDDY BUDDY: This is a nut butter coffee bar with housemade peanut, almond, and hazelnut butter infused coffees, teas, and smoothies. I got the BULLETPROOF: a latte with espresso, almond butter, MCT oil, and whole milk. Perfectly creamy and nutty.

That’s all, happy Friday! Excited to keep experimenting with new ingredients coming into season <3

What a whirlwind few weeks it’s been.

To escape the trenches of the longest winter ever, we hopped on a flight to Puerto Rico right before Valentine’s Day to visit friends and tour parents around San Juan. Despite a few overcast days, leaving the house comfortably in shorts and a t-shirt in February did wonderful things for my health and happiness. We chased as much sun as we could, marveled at a few rainbows, and left a sunny, 80-degree island to touch down on a tarmac dusted with light snow.

Three days later, we flew to Charleston to attend two dear friends’ absolutely stunning wedding on John’s Island. After a beautiful celebration of love and tradition with incredible food, speeches, and dancing, our flight home to Newark on Monday was cancelled due to the blizzard (New York had ~26 inches of snowfall in 24 hours…). The next available flight home was Thursday night, so I’m writing this live from Folly Beach. There are certainly worse places to be stranded.

While in San Juan, I started a book: This Time Tomorrow, by Emma Straub. This quote stayed with me:

“Maybe that was the trick to life: to notice all the tiny moments in the day when everything else fell away and, for a split second, or maybe even a few seconds, you had no worries, only pleasure, only appreciation of what was right in front of you. Transcendental meditation, maybe, but with hot dogs and the knowledge that everything would change, the good and the bad, and so you might as well appreciate the good.”

Here are my moments of transcendental meditation and memories I’ll hold onto from my trips.

Walking to Ali Baba for a sleepy, post-flight dinner: drinking cucumber coolers and lemonades over a dreamy spread of creamy baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, roasted red peppers with feta, grilled halloumi, tahini-drizzled falafel, airy lavash, and fresh Greek salad

Adding fresh mango, pineapple, and heaping spoonfuls of passionfruit to a yogurt bowl every morning, watching the surfers down below float over rolling waves between sets

Running barefoot down the grassy lawn of El Morro, peeking through the stone garitas for sweeping views of big, blue, advisory-level waves

A night hopping around Old San Juan: noshing on creamy spinach croquettes and cheers-ing piña coladas on the roof at Cannon Club, sipping vermouth and fighting for forkfuls of Caleta’s mountain-sized kale salad, dipping queso frito into sweet guava sauce at Raíces, and ending the night with creamy, fruity cheesecake gelato at Anita’s

Exchanging buen provechos with table neighbors over Lolitas Bowls (scrambled eggs, sauteed vegetables, mashed malanga, pan sabao toasts) at Tostado* Calle Loiza

Stuffing black beans and plantains back into my Los Chamos arepa and skimming whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes off the top of an ice-cold piña colada against the backdrop of a rainbow ending in blue ocean

Orchestrating another OSJ crawl: watching cruises sail into the sunset at The Gallery Inn with margaritas in plastic cups, toasting orange wine with salty beet carpaccio, tomato focaccia, and homemade pasta over candles at Vino Crudo, and playing Monopoly Deal over wings and tostones on the roof of The Mezzanine

Walking under banana and papaya trees, sampling coffee and learning about its history at Hacienda Muñoz in San Lorenzo

Sitting on mangled tree roots in Ocean Park, swapping halves of Cafe Regina sandwiches and sipping cashew milk lattes, listening to beach vendors yell out mojito flavors: coco! piña! parcha!

Folly in February feels a bit like a ghost town—especially since this winter has been one of the coldest in the past few years. We largely spent our extra days working, admiring expansive views of the marsh and swaying palm trees, walking into the center of town for coffee and smoothies, (unsuccessfully) searching for shark teeth during low tide, and spotting the occasional dolphin (one) under the Folly bridge.

A few of the best bites in the area included:

• Fried pickles and the grouper plate (with pecan coleslaw and a hushpuppy) at Ellis Creek Fish Camp, a casual indoor-outdoor restaurant overlooking the marsh

• Lightly battered and fried cheddar cheese grits topped with a smoked andouille sausage cream sauce and jumbo pan-seared shrimp at Page’s Okra Grill

• The chocolate chunk cappuccino muffin at The Lost Dog (favorite muffin of all time)

• The Protect ya Gut smoothie (strawberry, mango, Greek yogurt, turmeric, ginger, bee pollen) at Dead Low

• The avocado toast with pepper jelly and the turkey crunch wrap (turkey, provolone, potato chips, shredded lettuce, pickles, and dijonnaise) from Bert’s Market

• The pumpkin curry soup, loaded with rice and naan, from Jack of Cups Saloon

• The $15 shuck-it-yourself steamed oyster bucket from The Washout

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Seeing as I’ve been home for three days in the past three-ish weeks, I haven’t been cooking much. But WOW, am I excited to get back into a routine and cook with as many fruits and vegetables as I possibly can.

In the three days I was home between trips, I did however stomp through the icy slush to eat an incredible breakfast at Café Miguel, a CDMX-inspired cafe and restaurant. Over steaming hot cups of café de olla (coffee brewed with cinnamon and piloncillo, unrefined cane sugar, in a clay pot), my friends and I sampled both the strawberry and guava cinnamon rolls and the raspberry concha with yuzu filling. I’m a sucker for a concha…I love the soft, brioche-like interior and crisp, crackly cookie-crust exterior.

The chilaquiles—crispy tortilla chips sauteed in green tomatillo salsa with crema fresca, queso fresco, onion, cilantro, avocado, black beans, and chorizo—were out of this world. The perfect blend of crispy, creamy, salty, spicy, bright, and tangy.

Now signing off until next time! Thanks for reading <3

Happy Friday, it’s freakin’ cold!! Waking up to “feels like -2,” “feels like -6,” “feels like -14” day after day is truly something. This coming Monday, we’re making our annual voyage to Puerto Rico, and the trip couldn’t have come at a better time. I can’t wait to read under palm trees and let the sun freckle my nose. Until then, I’ll be dreaming about all the best bites from recently, detailed below.

A note: As you read my newsletters, you might notice I frequent many of the same restaurants over and over again. I’m constantly torn between taking full advantage of New York, sampling from as many restaurants and cuisines as possible, and leaning into my creature comfort habits. I just love visiting familiar places.

I’ve traveled to Spain almost every year since 2018, road tripping through new regions while also spending long stretches of time in the southern cities I consider second homes. Some might say returning to the same spots repeatedly is the antithesis of travel, and that’s fair. For me, getting to know one country, restaurant, menu intimately over time is a luxury. I love coming back to spots that’ve welcomed me through various stages of life and making note of the small changes—a new chef, rearranged dining furniture, a twist on a favorite dish—that have taken place as we’ve both evolved.

This year, I plan to keep that trend going, becoming a regular at a few of my favorite spots while also making the time for new ones. I simply don’t operate with a “been there, done that” mindset. Now onto the goodies!!

Chicken soup over garlic onion rice

Another comforting fridge clean-out thoup <3 I sauteed onion, garlic, and ginger, threw in some chopped carrots and leftover rotisserie chicken, poured in some stock from the pantry, and let it all simmer for 15-20 minutes. Plant-based cook Shakayla Felice inspired me to make some zhuzhed up garlic and onion rice, which made for the perfect soup base.

Sweet potato and edamame salad

I love throwing together a crunchy salad for lunch with lots of different textures and temperatures. For this one, I topped spring mix with roasted purple sweet potatoes, diced cucumber, edamame, feta, cranberries, almonds, chopped Castelvetrano olives, and a lemon Dijon vinaigrette.

Green curry butter beans with roasted carrots, eggplant, & coconut rice

This was so warming and will definitely be in the dinner rotation going forward. I roasted rainbow carrots and diced eggplant with olive oil, salt, and turmeric and heated up butter beans with the last few tablespoons of Thai green curry paste from the fridge. I served it all over coconut rice with a squeeze of lime juice. Next time, I’d cook the rice in equal parts coconut milk and water, saving the second cup of coconut milk for the beans to make the sauce creamier and allow the flavors to really bloom.

Polenta with balsamic mushrooms

One of my favorite breakfasts! I made a big pot of creamy polenta, stirred in some goat cheese, and topped it with chopped portobello mushrooms crisped on high heat with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and oregano. This would also be great with pickled red onions, crispy chickpeas, crispy bacon bits, sauteed fennel, or really anything else your heart desires.

Good Thanks

Sips: Iced oat latte & orange wine

Eats: Hashbrowns, cheeseburger & fries

On the snowiest Sunday, we bundled up and braved the powdery flakes for a few blocks to get a coffee and breakfast appetizer. The hashbrown special was perfect—two super crispy, crackling hashbrowns served over tangy dill and horseradish yogurt—and to our surprise, the kitchen treated every table to a plate of churros.

We came back a week later for Saturday night dinner and made it just in time for happy hour. I had a $10 glass of orange wine and a $10 cheeseburger with cheddar cheese, grilled red onion, spicy dill aioli, and shredded lettuce on a sesame bun. The burger was juicy and salty with perfectly melty cheese. I’ve spent a lot of time since thinking about this burger.

Breeze

Sips: Bora 翠雨聲

Eats: Dan Dan Noodles

I love the happy hour here: Monday thru Friday, 12-7pm, $8 wine, $10 craft cocktails, and a handful of dim sum deals. The Bora cocktail—tropical tea-infused rum, pineapple juice, egg white, and lime—is divine. The dan dan noodles are dressed with a minced pork sauce, peanuts, sesame, scallion, chili oil, and bok choy. Rich, nutty, spicy, and shareable.

Mo’s General

Sips: Pepperoncini martini

Eats: Fried olives, Caesar salad, BBQ bacon pizza

Back again! We sat at the bar this time and once again marveled at how delicious the fried olives are. They might just be my favorite appetizer in town. The Caesar is non-negotiable. Our new pick, the BBQ bacon pizza, was delicious. Lots of sweet sauce with jalapeños and caramelized onions.

Honorable mentions

Falansai: I hadn’t been here since they switched ownership (previously Pan Pan Vino Vino), but I came to work one morning and ordered a (delicious) cappuccino. They still have lots of delicious-looking pastries, including mole focaccia, cinnamon rolls, and pork and bok choy and mushroom pâté chauds.

Archestratus: Archestratus is a bookstore in Greenpoint with tons of super cool cookbooks, and they regularly host community events and guest chefs. This past Saturday, they held a bake sale and donated all the proceeds to the Stand with Minnesota Donation Directory (you can donate here). Bakers from all over the city contributed delicious goodies, and Archestratus raised over $12,000 ❤️ I left with an orange blossom shortbread cookie, a butterscotch and espresso blondie, a slice of black sesame and strawberry cake, a cinnamon roll snickerdoodle (maybe the best cookie I’ve ever had), a slice of chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream, and a caramelized onion galette.

Nick + Sons: Their apple tart is a mic-dropping, sentence-ending pastry. Flaky, buttery pastry filled with sweet cinnamon sugar and topped with two crisp, cinnamon-dusted apple slices.

That’s all! Stay warm <3

I started my birthday with a lovely surprise: coffee and Land to Sea pastries left outside my door by a dear friend. In the afternoon, I decided to make a chocolate olive oil cake—one I’ve successfully made before—and completely botched it. The frosting turned into a dry, messy glob, and the cake broke into thirds when I was transferring it to a wire rack to cool. The frosting has now been deemed “fudge,” and the cake is still delicious as broken, crumby, and unaesthetic as it is. Such is life. I laughed through it and accepted the fact that not every treat turns out perfect. For dinner, we enjoyed candlelit drinks and small plates at Bar Americano, a spot inspired by Spain’s aperitivo bars <3

Here’s everything else I ate in celebration!!!

Bar Americano

Sips: House vermouth with orange foam & dirty vodka martini

Eats: Tortilla de patatas with pancetta agrodolce and piparra peppers, meatballs with butter beans in tomato sauce, stracciatella with honeynut squash and fried sage, and the house side salad with butterhead lettuce, chives, shallots, dill, and blanc vermouth dressing

The cocktail menu here is insane, and I loved the vermouth with orange foam. Sweet, spicy, and rich, the vermouth is topped with thick foam that tastes like a melted orange sherbet float. My favorite dish was the stracciatella: ooey-gooey cheese with soft-roasted sweet squash and crispy pumpkin seeds served alongside toasted sourdough slices. The pancetta agrodolce on the tortilla was so surprisingly delicious—I’d gladly serve a dollop of that on everything. Find me at happy hour here in the summer.

Gator

Sips: Dirty Little Secret (a twist on a dirty martini: shochu, dry vermouth, and olive brine) & a glass of Turi Marino (deemed the Arnold Palmer of orange wines 🤌)

Eats: Caesar salad (grilled cabbage, crispy quinoa, shaved parmesan, creamy cashew dressing), smashed sunchokes with peppered pub sauce and shaved parmesan, roasted orange beets and persimmon with goat cheese mousse and a candied nut crumble, miso coconut butter beans with spinach and crispy shallots, mac and cheese (fresh sheet pasta with brown butter lemon panko), risotto alla vodka with ricotta, pot pie paillard (cereal-crusted chicken, mixed root vegetables, pot pie gravy), chai parsnip sponge cake with cream cheese buttercream frosting, and orange-cardamom rice pudding with coconut and persimmon

Did we almost order every single dish on the menu? Yes. Was it worth it? 100%, yes. Would I genuinely order every single dish again? You bet.

The sunchokes surprised me the most. It was my first time trying the root vegetable, and I’d compare the taste and texture to a combination of artichoke hearts and roasted potatoes. I loved the sheet pasta in the mac—it was a fun deviation from the classic mac shapes and lent itself well to the dreamy, creamy cheese sauce. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and crispy. The chai parsnip cake, a winter alternative to carrot cake, was probably the most delicate, moist cake I’ve ever eaten, and the rice pudding was creamy, fragrant, and comforting. I can’t wait to come back here.

Kellogg’s Diner

Sips: Drip coffee with cream

Eats: Migas (scrambled eggs, tortilla, onion, jalapeño, and tomato served with rice & beans)

After watching Kelloggs’ Bon Appétit feature, I was determined to try the migas, one of executive chef Jackie Carnesi’s favorite dishes on the breakfast menu. On a snowy Sunday, we waited packed inside with everyone else seeking refuge from the cold. After 30 minutes, we sat at the “pink palace” bar, directly in front of the kitchen window. We admired the well-oiled machine, chefs working quickly and rhythmically.

For $13, my plate of Migas was an incredibly generous portion. A Tex-Mex staple, Kelloggs’ migas (“crumbs”) consist of crispy fried tortilla chips, sauteed onion, tomato, and jalapeño, and buttery, golden scrambled eggs, all served with a side of red rice and refried beans. It has all the freshness and textures you want in a breakfast. The side green salsa is rich, creamy, tangy, spicy—a welcomed companion to tie everything together. It’s worth mentioning that these are the only leftover eggs I’ve ever craved and enjoyed eating a day later. That’s huge.

More recent hits:

• Bacon & cheese scone from Ando: Hits the right balance between sweet and savory. Reminiscent of cornbread. Bits of bacon and jalapeño throughout with a slice of cheese melted on top. Maybe get two.

• The Cumberland Cider from Diamond Lil: Bourbon, apple cider, allspice, and spiced honey butter. Honey butter! This spot is so cozy and vibey—perfect for a date.

• Muhammara and za’atar pita from Cafe Alula: This muhammara (roasted red pepper dip) is super creamy, smoky, sweet, tangy, and nutty. Maybe some of my favorite pita in the neighborhood.

Listen…I only have one recipe recommendation this week: Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Coconut Curry With Potatoes and Greens. Whatever you want it to be—chunky potato soup, curry stew over rice, fridge-clean-out dinner with whatever veggies you have on hand—it’s the coziest, heartiest one-pot meal for cold nights. I’m just a sucker for any kind of soup/stew with coconut milk. Don’t skimp on the cilantro and lime!

Final note: Some of you may know I used to be a line cook at Napoli in Carrboro. If you live in the Triangle, I can’t recommend their Neapolitan pizza enough (I ate it every single day for months and never got tired of it…), but also try their *artisanal* gelato. It’s all made in-house, from scratch, using local milk and cream from Homeland Creamery, organic cane sugar, real fruit, and no artificial ingredients or flavorings. Right now, they have a London Fog flavor that I’m virtually drooling over.

With an incoming snowstorm, hopefully the next newsletter will have more fun recipes! Happy Friday ❤️

Happy New Year! Feeling very, very grateful for such a restorative end to 2025.

My time at home was filled with many long-distance friend catchups, countless games of Monopoly Deal, good red wine, The Diplomat, and a lot of cooking, baking, and tea-drinking. As the resident food lover, writer, and experimenter, my family tasked with making as many sides and entrees as I was open to. By the end of the holiday, I’d made Caesar broccolini, a fennel and chickpea farro salad, brown butter chocolate chip cookies, coffee cake, egg and sausage breakfast casserole, honey soy-glazed salmon, and chocolate chip banana bread, just to name a few.

I also spent some time reflecting on the direction I want to take this newsletter in 2026. I’m hoping to read and cook from more of the cookbooks I have and lean even more into more recipe experimentation. On My Plate is what I’ll be titling the section going forward where I share recipes—both found and created. My virtual recipe box, if you will. I’ll still be sharing restaurant spotlights, eats & sips recommendations, neighborhood playbooks, travel diaries, and weekend pipeline missions, amongst other odds and ends.

Many thanks to each and every one of you who’ve opened, read, liked, and shared my newsletters. It truly warms my heart every time someone tells me they cooked or saved a recipe that I shared. I’m always open to feedback or suggestions, so if there’s ever something you’re craving more of (hearty soups, make-ahead breakfasts, a restaurant for parents in town…), drop me a line! So very happy that you’re here. Keep reading for a few delicious meals I’ve made recently + eats at Mo’s General and Misi.

Share The Local Plate

Canadian Bacon, Leek, & Parmesan Quiche

This is an incredibly flavorful weekend brunch treat. I used my mom’s ham and Swiss quiche recipe for reference and adapted to my taste. I beat six eggs and swapped a splash of oat milk for evaporated milk, and Greek yogurt for sour cream. I added sauteed chopped leeks, Chinese broccoli, Canadian bacon, and grated parmesan and cheddar cheeses.

My mom taught me the secret to a delicious quiche is actually a healthy pinch of nutmeg. The nutmeg enhances the quiche’s creamy, savory flavor by bringing out the nuttiness in the cheese and adding a subtle warmth without making it taste sweet.

Bacon, Roasted Red Pepper, Zucchini, & Goat Cheese Sandwich

This strange (and shockingly delicious) recipe was born out of desperation. I was craving a massive turkey sandwich, but with it being 20 degrees outside, I opted to experiment with what I had on hand. I landed on toasted sourdough, a smear of goat cheese on both sides, thinly sliced grilled zucchini, roasted red pepper, crispy bacon, and a few pickled jalapeños. Perfect blend of textures and flavors, although next time I’d probably opt for a softer bread like ciabatta.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken & Creamy Tomato Orzo

Crispy, crunchy chicken cutlets (crusted with parmesan and jalapeño-ranch potato chips) served with a creamy tomato orzo. This feels like a fancier, grown-up version of Kraft Mac n’ Cheese and chicken nuggets. I used a Cook’s Illustrated recipe as inspiration for the orzo but added some leftover zucchini, creamy goat cheese, and caramelized onion. This is one that’ll go on repeat—a perfect Sunday night meal.

Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower & Carrot Couscous

OooOo, this one hit. I roasted cauliflower florets and rainbow carrots (cut into coins) with turmeric, then tossed the veggies with pearl couscous, chickpeas, chopped shallot, pistachio, and cranberries, feta crumbles, fresh mint, and a simple lemon vinaigrette. 10/10 balance of textures and savory and sweet flavors and saves super well in the fridge.

We hit up Mo’s General on New Year’s Day for a casual dinner after a full day of couch rotting, and it was a wonderful treat. We of course got the Caesar to start again but also tried the fried olives for the first time—breaded and fried Castelvetrano olives with a smoky Espelette aioli. Delectable. If you’re a fried pickle lover, you’re guaranteed to love these.

I think the Lilia, Misi, and Misipasta trio are mostly deserving of their praise (I have beef with some of the portion sizes), but Misi stans are the most justified in their loyalty. It takes the crown for largest menu, best hits among both appetizers and pastas, and fair portions.

This most recent time, we shared the spinach and mascarpone tortelli with brown butter and ricotta salata (a classic that I can only describe as a cheese-filled Gusher) and the squash-filled caramelle with horseradish and poppy seeds (delicate, sweet, a little spicy, and swimming in butter—in the best way). For me, though, the star of the show was the pistachio gelato for dessert—rich, nutty, and salty with plenty of hints of olive oil.

My birthday is next week, and the following newsletter will detail lots of yummy celebratory food <3 Happy Friday!

Greetings! Next Tuesday, I’m going home to Chapel Hill for the first time in two years. After I teach myself how to drive again (I haven’t touched a steering wheel in two years), I will be unstoppable in my mission of hitting all of the Triangle’s best: Al’s, Carrburritos, Sunrise, Merritt’s, Napoli, Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant, Caffè Driade, and so many more.

While home, I’ll likely revert back to my teenage self, accompanying my parents to run tens of thousands of errands every day and seeing how many items I can stealthily sneak into their grocery cart. The only difference is now I’ll be vying for fruits and vegetables over Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Pop-Tarts. I’ll cook a few meals for my family—likely many harvest salad variations, farro and vegetable bowls, and Bon Appetit’s bolognese (my dad’s favorite).

Keep reading for some more of my favorite cozy, savory, and sweet recipes to make over the holidays, festive bars and restaurants in Greenpoint & Williamsburg, and noteworthy recent eats.

Veggie & Bean Gnocchi Soup

For this soup base, I sauteed a mirepoix (diced onion, carrot, and celery) until soft, added about a quarter cup of tomato paste and cooked that out, then added roughly two cups of chicken broth and a can of kidney beans and let that simmer. Right before serving, I poured in a package of cooked gnocchi, a bit of heavy cream, and half a cup of grated parmesan. It’s hearty, filling, flavorful, and creamy — the perfect cozy holiday meal.

Sausage & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

A loaded egg, sausage, bell pepper, and cheese casserole…This is the perfect breakfast to have in the fridge around the holidays. It’s super easy to prep and can be customized to whatever you have on hand — add other veggies like mushrooms, spinach, or zucchini or experiment with other types of cheese like pepperjack, gruyere, or Swiss. Eat a slice doused in hot sauce, or sandwich it between an English muffin or a buttery biscuit.

Easy Spice Cookies

If you hate following complicated recipes but have fun baking over the holidays, look no further. You only need three ingredients for these cookies: store-bought cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs. You can choose any cake mix flavor, but for the sake of holiday flavors, my family has always gone with the Betty Crocker Spice cake mix. Beware, these are addicting.

Chocolate Truffles

My mom and I used to make these truffles every year for Christmas. Melt 18 oz of Hershey’s chocolate chips in the microwave for two minutes, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp almond extract, and one 14 oz can of condensed milk. We’d roll the mixture into balls and coat them in powdered sugar, cinnamon, or finely chopped pistachios, but you can also spread it flat in a baking dish and cut it into squares. Keep them in the fridge!

Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting

If you like a thick, buttery, crumbly, cake-like cookie, this is the recipe for you. I’d even say they’re a second cousin to the iconic Lofthouse cookie you know and love from childhood... Try adding other flavors (almond? peppermint? lavender?) to the buttercream and let your imagination run wild with food coloring and sprinkles.

Holiday drinks:

• Apple Bourbon Smash: This is the cocktail of the season — apple cider, bourbon, lemon juice, ginger beer, and fresh apple slices and cinnamon sticks for garnishing.

• Stovetop hot chocolate: Lately, I’ve been making this as a sweet bedtime treat. In a small pot, I melt a few squares of Tony’s chocolate with a cup or so of oat milk. I usually add a cinnamon stick, a teaspoon of vanilla, and sometimes cardamom or honey. I stir continuously until everything’s melted together and smooth.

• Vanilla chamomile steamer: Brew a cup of Twining’s Chamomile, Honey, & Vanilla tea and while it steeps, froth some hot milk with a splash of vanilla and a drizzle of honey. Remove the tea bag, pour in the frothed milk and foam, and sprinkle with cinnamon.

• Mulled wine: Gently simmer red wine, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves on the stove or in a crockpot. Add a touch of honey, simple syrup, or sugar if you like it sweeter. A classic.

December is flying by, and since I’m going home earlier this year, I feel like I haven’t had enough time to soak up NYC’s holiday spirit. If you’re sticking around a bit longer, here’s a handful of festively decorated spots in Williamsburg & Greenpoint (and what I’d order):

1. Elder Greene: Push the boundaries of flavor combos by ordering a hot apple cider (spiced with whiskey or rum) and fried pickle chips

2. The Clonard: Sip an Irish coffee while you decide on your Mount Rushmore of holiday movie picks

3. Teddy’s: Drink mulled cider (with spiced rum, cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, orange zest, and pineapple — wow) by the fireplace

4. Five Leaves: Get a basket of fries for the table and try the Home & Away (sage-infused gin with blood orange, cinnamon, lemon, and nutmeg)

5. The Noble: Order a glass of red wine and the goat cheese dip while admiring the Christmas tree

6. Variety Coffee Roasters: Snag a coveted window seat for some people-watching with a hot apple cider chai and book in hand

7. Black Rabbit: Play Monopoly Deal and sip a Hot Toddy (with apple cinnamon tea) in a dimly lit booth or next to the fireplace

8. Broken Land: Warm your hands with a mug of Glögg (red wine simmered with brandy, cinnamon, and cloves) next to the Christmas tree

9. Pinkerton: Eavesdrop on the first date next to you while sipping a glass of mulled wine

10. Good Thanks: Cheers with their Martini for Your Health (celery-infused vodka with yuzu and olives) under stocking-lined walls

Mo’s General

We ordered the Hot Soppressata pizza — tomato sauce, mozzarella, hot soppressata, banana peppers, and hot honey. I’m a sucker for any pizza with banana peppers and/or hot honey, but this is a really great bar pie. The soppressata borders on being a bit too thick, but I love the sweet tomato sauce that creeps all the way to the edge of the crispy, caramelized Detroit-style crust. The real star of the show, however, is the Caesar salad. Wow. Little gem lettuce topped with a generous amount of shaved parmesan and extra crunchy croutons, all dressed in a perfectly balanced anchovy vinaigrette. This might be my new #1 Caesar… it’s perfectly tart, creamy, and packed with that rich, deep umami I crave.

Chinta Thai

This meal was the cherry on top of a day spent wandering craft markets. The red curry, packed with eggplant, bell peppers, basil, and jalapeño in a luxuriously creamy coconut milk curry, is exquisite. I could sip on that broth for the rest of my life and be happy (and it could probably cure any disease under the sun). The Basil Sautéed chicken with Thai chili, string beans, onion, jalapeños, bell pepper, and basil is also delicious — perfectly salty with just the right amount of heat. I love it here.

Land to Sea has a Sichuan Peppercorn Mocha special right now…the sweet and spicy mix of cocoa, cinnamon, and peppercorns is perfect with the espresso. Go treat yourself to one and have a happy holiday season! See ya in January <3

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Hiiii, happy Friday! I’m currently overly caffeinated, stressed about my fantasy football match up this week, and excited to stuff my face at Friendsgiving tomorrow.

I’m also prepping for an upcoming holiday market with friends and deciding between 10+ different crafts to make. We opted to swap homemade gifts (think jams, snack mixes, infused olive oils, body scrubs, crafts, etc.) instead of doing a Secret Santa or White Elephant this year. It takes the pressure off getting the perfect gift for one person, and everyone gets to leave with a goodie box full of treats. If you have a uniquely exciting craft idea, send it my way.

While I scour Pinterest, I’ll be chugging along on the caffeination train and trying as many seasonal lattes as possible. Below are 10 of my favorite specialty drinks in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, then keep reading for what I’ve been eating (the best butternut squash soup ever), my dream Friendsgiving dishes, and other local recommendations for wintery sandwiches and inexpensive happy hour deals.

Where to find the best specialty latte drinks

1. Paloma: Spiced Maple Latte — perfectly sweet and spicy. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention they also have some of the most delicious rotating artisanal pastries like apple Calvados Danishes, mortadella and pistachio croissants, and delicata squash and goat cheese Danishes.

2. Land to Sea: Blueberry Cardamom Matcha Latte — I was worried the blueberry compote would be too sweet, but it kept the gentle, natural sweetness of fresh blueberries. It’s creamy, earthy, and stunning to stir. This might be my favorite drink on this list. On their regular cafe menu, they also have a mandarin latte, salted honey latte, and ginger latte.

3. Partners: Cardamom Rose Latte — cardamom rose espresso topped with coconut cold foam and a rose petal dusting. If rose isn’t your thing, try the Pumpkin Pie Latte with Burlap & Barrel’s Toasted Pepita Pumpkin Spice.

4. Daytime: Vanilla Maple Latte — this tastes like a warm sugar cookie. They also have a ginger cinnamon latte and a baked goods case guaranteed to send you spiraling into greed and indecision.

5. Campbell and Co: Apple Cider Chai — local apple cider steamed with chai concentrate and milk. The perfect fall drink, it’s spicy, sweet, tart, and smooth. They also have a black sesame latte, Hojicha latte, autumn spice latte, and cherry cold brew.

6. Acre: Mango Matcha Latte — creamy matcha mixed with fresh, sweet mango puree. This is the ultimate refreshing treat. Their vanilla latte (with homemade syrup) is also delicious.

7. Upstate Stock: Campfire Latte — espresso with hickory-smoked maple syrup and smoked salt from Seneca Lake. It’s rich, toasty, and smoky (duh), and the salt really pulls forward the espresso flavor. They also have a coconut matcha (topped with coconut flakes) and an island latte (espresso with carob powder, coconut oil, and coconut flakes).

8. Lions Milk: Peppermint Matcha Latte — super minty and creamy matcha with just a hint of sweetness. I prefer it iced, but I’m sure it’s wonderful warm, too. Their iced peach tea is also refreshing and delicious.

9. Kijitora: Roasted Kabocha Cardamom Latte — espresso is swirled with homemade spiced kabocha puree and topped with whipped cream. They also have a chestnut matcha latte and hot ginger apple cider that I’ve yet to try.

10. Cafe Alula: Orange Blossom Chai Latte — bright, floral, and just slightly citrusy. Next to try here is the halwa latte: espresso with tahini, cardamom, and vanilla.

Endive Salad with Candied Nuts

Endive leaves are so cute. Who doesn’t love a crispy little lettuce lifesaver boat?! I tucked chopped cucumber, candied pecans, almonds, and pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and cheddar into every lettuce crevice and drizzled a whole grain mustard vinaigrette all over.

Butternut Squash Soup with Chorizo & Fried Leeks

I sauteed the Trader Joe’s holiday vegetable hash (cubed butternut squash, sweet potato, red onion, celery, parsley, sage, and rosemary) and added a bit more roasted butternut squash. I brought it to a simmer with chicken broth, spooned in a few dollops of ricotta for extra creaminess, then blended that all up with my immersion blender. I topped the soup with chorizo crumbles and fried leeks. Good soup.

Artichoke & Chickpea Farro Salad

I could eat this by the shovel-full every day. I simmered farro in leftover chicken broth, then added marinated artichokes, chickpeas, chopped cucumber, pistachios, slivered almonds, and a simple lemon vinaigrette. This salad can hold (and needs) a lot of acid. Top with grated unexpected cheddar cheese and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Almond Ginger Sesame Granola

This Trader Joe’s granola is jazzed up with maple syrup, tahini, sesame seeds, almond slivers, and crystallized ginger. It’s fairly heavy on the ginger flavor (in a good way), and it’s been the perfect crunchy topping for my White Mustache yogurt bowls.

Thanksgiving is next week (?!?), which means there’s a 50/50 chance you have a Friendsgiving this weekend. In my opinion, every Friendsgiving gathering needs a welcome cocktail, a crockpot of mulled wine, copious amounts of bright, veggie-forward sides (in addition to the potatoes and mac), and a variety of pumpkin, chocolate, and fruit desserts. If I could dream up the perfect spread, here’s what the menu would include:

• Persimmon Mezcal Sour or Cranberry French 75

• Apple Cheddar Galette with Crispy Herb Cheddar Crust

• Green Bean Chopped Salad with Pomegranate

• Cheesy Leek Mashed Potatoes

• Honey Roasted Carrots with Basil Tahini Caesar Dressing

• Simple Herby Greens Salad

• Turkey Stuffing Meatballs

• Tini’s Mac n Cheese

• Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• Chocolate Chess Pie (this is a hit every year)

• Ginger Nutmeg Apple Snap Cookies

Wine and snacks at Maison Provence: Split a bottle of Chianti for $48 and try the zucchini and chili socca (gluten-free chickpea flatbread) and cheese board (homemade goat cheese, French blue cheese, Comté, and bubbly roasted brie with fruit and baguette slices).

Happy hour at Cozy Royale: This deal is one of the best in the neighborhood — get a smashburger, fries, and a dirty martini all for $20. Make a reservation or show up right at 5pm to avoid a line.

Everything at Huda: This past weekend marked my largest dinner yet at Huda (12 people), and we ordered *nearly* everything on the menu. My new favorite dishes are the Shamandar (smoky badger-flame beets with candied walnuts and charred scallion vinaigrette over labne), Samak bil Warak (melt-in-your-mouth branzino wrapped in grape leaves with burnt lemon butter), and Shish Tawook (tender charcoal chicken skewers with saffron butter and chili toum).

The winter caprese sammy from Campbell and Co: A perfectly sized sandwich layered with winter squash, mozzarella, zesty arugula-pepita pesto, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and crispy pickled fennel on pillowy-soft housemade focaccia. Chef’s kiss.

Happy Friday! I’m writing this coming off the best weekend in New York — Halloween and marathon weekend.

Halloween night, we ate at Three Decker Diner, watching zombies and Labubus brush shoulders outside from our booth. After splitting a fried chicken triple decker sandwich and Caesar salad, we walked amongst trick-or-treaters bopping in and out of Manhattan Ave restaurants, nail salons, martial arts schools, and record stores, competitively comparing candy hauls. Oh Mercy graciously handed out free cups of white wine for deserving parents, and Goldie’s supplied us with a flight of eyeball-stuffed Jell-O shots.

To fuel our Marathon watching on Sunday, we loaded up on bodega breakfast burritos (sausage, egg, avocado, tomato, pickled jalapenos, and hot sauce — an elite order) and black coffee before heading to Bedford to watch runners. That collective effervescence really tugs at the heartstrings. I came home full of joy and gratitude from the weekend and prepped some food for the week alongside dinner. Keep reading for some meal prep ideas, two harvest salad variations, an easy gnocchi tomato soup, a brothy red curry rice recipe, and other local recommendations.

Pisto

Pisto is a vegetable stew — the Spanish version of ratatouille. There are dozens of variations, but the core usually consists of stewed eggplant, zucchini, tomato, onion, and garlic. I chop up all of those veggies, sauté them with a can of crushed tomatoes or tomate frito if I can find it, and let it simmer with some salt, pepper, and paprika. I made a big batch on Sunday and have been eating it all week. It’s perfect with a fried egg and Manchego for breakfast, or I’ve been serving it over quinoa or alongside some sauteed cabbage for lunch. Having something ready-made in the fridge for a quick meal or snack has been a game-changer.

Apple oatmeal breakfast muffins

Using leftover Macoun apples from the farmers market, I made some apple oatmeal muffins with a brown sugar oat streusel. It was a random recipe I happened to find online, but I think it’ll become a staple for easy weekday breakfast prep. I added some chia seeds to mine and ate them alongside fruit and yogurt.

Italian sausage & gnocchi tomato soup

There are a few variations of this meal floating around on TikTok, but the gist is that you can get all of the ingredients at Trader Joe’s, and it takes roughly 15 minutes to make. I sautéed some Italian chicken sausage with shallot, poured in a whole container of tomato soup, added gnocchi and let it cook for three minutes, then topped everything with grated cheese and chopped chives. Super easy but hearty dish for colder nights.

Brothy red curry rice with dumplings

This meal was born out of a “use what’s left in the fridge and pantry” night. We had rice, half a bottle of Thai red curry sauce from Trader Joe’s, half a can of coconut milk, one small head of broccoli, a shallot, and frozen Thai veggie gyoza from Trader Joe’s. I sautéed some chopped shallots and broccoli and added coconut milk and red curry sauce to make a brothy sauce. Cooked some rice and steamed the dumplings in the microwave — poured the broth over it all with a dollop of sweet Thai chili sauce on top. It’s creamy, aromatic, and full of flavor to warm you up.

Purple potato harvest salad

I could eat a harvest salad every day of the week. This one: arugula, chopped Honeycrisp apple, roasted purple sweet potatoes, chopped green olives, maple spiced nuts, feta, and a creamy balsamic Dijon vinaigrette. The purple sweet potato was key here — they have a nuttier, earthier flavor and held their crisp better than roasted orange sweet potatoes.

Thanksgiving harvest salad

I was feeling festive when grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s and left with the holiday vegetable hash, a mix of diced sweet potato, butternut squash, red onion, and celery with sage, rosemary, and parsley. I roasted that up and served it over a bed of arugula and topped with dried cranberries, slivered almonds, pickled sweet jalapenos, unexpected cheddar, leftover balsamic vinaigrette, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Truly tasted like Thanksgiving in one bowl. You get lots of textures from the greens, vegetables, and nuts, and it’s the perfect balance between sweet and savory. If (when) I make it again, I’d swap the arugula for kale to better fit a warm salad.

The roasted kabocha cardamom latte from Kijitora: Made with spiced kabocha squash puree, it’s warm, spicy, cozy, and subtly sweet — perfect for a chillier morning walk. Get it hot or iced with an optional dollop of whipped cream on top.

$15 pasta night at Barano: Every Tuesday, all of Barano’s handmade pastas (regularly $25+) are $15. The Saffron Gigli is uniquely delicious — a Persian saffron-stained Gigli with Calabrian honey, pecorino, and black pepper. The Sourdough Cavatelli (served with a tender sausage ragu, garlicky breadcrumbs, charred broccoli, and parmesan) and Pumpkin Caramelle (large candy-shaped ravioli filled with pumpkin and sage and topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and parmesan) are also incredible. The portions are perfect for sharing.

The egg and cheese biscuit from Campbell & Co: This homemade buttermilk biscuit is topped with a soft scrambled egg and cheddar. Adding the fig jam AND jalapeño berbere spread is nonnegotiable. They also sell White Mustache yogurt, and last week I got my hands on the only sour cherry yogurt. 10/10.

The banana bread french toast from Cozy Royale: This was such a pleasant surprise. Three slices of buttery toasted banana bread topped with a sweet and tart blueberry compote, creme fraiche, mint, and powdered sugar. It’s moist, nutty, and scrumptious.

The ricotta dip from Pinkerton: This dip is addictive…creamy pesto ricotta dip with honey served alongside marinated artichokes and grilled ciabatta. The gluten-free crackers are also delightful and perfectly crisp with the dip — honestly worth a taste even if you’re not gluten-free.

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That’s allll, folks! Soon, I’ll be sharing more cozy Sunday meals and weekday lunch ideas <3

Greetings! I’m back from a lovely trip to Barcelona and the Costa Brava and am still dreaming about the crystal blue water beaches and fresh seafood.

This trip consisted of a few familiar stops and quite a few new places. Cadaqués? Obsessed. Roses? Stunning. We spent three days in Barcelona mostly strolling, eating, and drinking our way through the Gothic Quarter and L’Eixample, but we also toured Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló and gushed over an incredible flamenco show.

From Barcelona, we rented a car and made quick stops in Lloret de Mar (really just to admire Platja de Fenals) and Tossa de Mar before landing in our Airbnb in Roses. From Roses, we did day trips to Girona and Cadaqués, lounged on Platja de Canyelles Petites and Platja Nova, and took a dip in Aiguablava (Begur) on the drive back to the airport. Highly, highly recommend all of those places and am happy to give other Costa Brava recs and tips.

The food. I had one of the best Caesar salads I’ve had in years, was served deconstructed pan con tomate (delightful), and sipped a lot of vermouth and funky natural wine that I’m now searching for in New York (I learned I’m a big fan of Macabeu). Without further ado, here’s the recap of some of the best bites and sips.

El Xampanyet

We got lucky with this one. This bar, open since 1929, regularly has a line out the door thanks to its convenient location across from the Picasso Museum. Mid-afternoon on Wednesday, we walked in and were seated at a high-top barrel table. I immediately ordered a €2 glass of their house cava, El Xampanyet. Slightly delirious after a red-eye, we ordered the grilled squid over samfaina (a popular Catalan vegetable stew similar to pisto), pan con tomate, and a small bowl of colorful herby olives to sustain ourselves until an early dinner.

La Vinya Del Senor

Overlooking the basilica of Santa María del Mar, this small, charming wine bar serves classic Catalan tapas with locally sourced ingredients. The tapas, true to tapa-size, may seem unassuming at first, but each bite packs a real punch. I’ve been here three (maybe four?) times now, and each time, I’m amazed at the quality of the food. This time, we stuck to the meatball with mushroom sauce, roasted meat cannelloni with truffled bechamel, and grilled Catalan chicken with prunes and caramelized onion.

Bar Brutal

This bistro-brasserie has incredible natural wine and small seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired plates. On our one rainy night, we sat tucked in their dimly lit dining room and shared the labneh with bottarga, mint, and oregano, a chicory salad with apple, pear, pine nuts, and hazelnuts, and burrata with cucumber and zucchini ribbons. Every dish somehow strikes the perfect balance between simplicity, approachability, and elegance, making you wonder: how the heck did they come up with that?

Boa-Bao

This Asian-fusion restaurant was a welcome change of pace from tapas. Inspired by the Asian street markets of the 1920s, the space is mesmerizing — so thoughtfully designed, it almost feels cinematic. Under the lantern-lit glow, we shared the Karipap, a golden pastry filled with curried potatoes, onions, and spices, spicy green curry with black tiger shrimp and Thai basil, and fried rice. Both the curry puff and green curry achieved a delicate balance between heat and sweetness.

L’Espai

Neighboring the stunning neoclassical Iglesia de San Vicente, L’Espai sits in the heart of Tossa de Mar, a coastal town known for its deep cerulean waters and well-preserved 12th-century medieval old town, Vila Vella. The restaurant celebrates the Mediterranean way of life — good food, laughter, and connection — and does it well.

We ordered the leek and cheese fritters, golden and crispy on the outside and filled with salty, ooey-gooey cheese in the center; the kale Caesar salad with broccolini, chickpeas, and egg, dressed perfectly and topped with crispy croutons; chicken with prunes, apricots, and pine nuts, tender, juicy, and flavorful; and my favorite, deconstructed pan con tomate. They brought us two thick slices of toasted sourdough bread, one small tomato, one clove of garlic, a bottle of olive oil, and a small bowl of flaky sea salt.

We rubbed the garlic on the warm bread, cut the tomato and rubbed each half on our bread, then drizzled over olive oil and finished with flaky salt. Perfection. This was definitely one of my favorite meals of the trip and is 100% on my bucket list of restaurants I’d like to revisit someday.

Batalla

Cadaqués is a truly, truly magical place. A white-washed fishing village, it has the quintessential narrow cobblestone streets and several charming restaurants and bars lining the shore. After touring Gala and Salvador Dalí’s home in Portlligat, we headed to Batalla, a small taberna next to Platja Port d’Alguer. We sat on stools at the small bar out front, admiring stunning views of the sea. It was here that I discovered my true appreciation for Macabeu.

The first dish — peach, jamón ibérico, and microgreens over stracciatella and gorgonzola — was one of the best bites of the entire trip. Creamy, tangy, sweet, salty, herby, addictive. Next we shared a roasted chicken Caesar croquette — a crispy croquette served atop lettuce and Caesar dressing and topped with a mound of shaved parmesan. A delectable bite. Our last dish (before dessert) was fried cod cheeks “a la romana” with roasted red peppers and shishito peppers. Flaky and buttery. The final act of our long, leisurely lunch was a warm chocolate lava cake. A brownie-like exterior with a velvety molten center — topped with flaky salt, of course. This must’ve been my #1 favorite meal.

One last notable mention: we happened to be in Roses for their annual craft beer festival and got to indulge in some delicious fideuà, a dish very similar to paella but made with short pasta noodles instead of rice. We watched them stir the massive batch in a huge, shallow pan, and paid €8 for a generous portion. Full of mussels, shrimp, and squid, it had a really rich, umami flavor.

We made a few memorable meals as well — we munched on pan con tomate, chorizo, cheese, mangos, and kiwis for breakfast, and for two dinners, made a delicious rigatoni with pisto and a chorizo and burrata flatbread with an arugula and guindilla pepper salad.

All in all, a trip for the books — an ideal road trip through some of the most picturesque and jaw-droppingly beautiful coastal towns. Excited to get back into a good cooking routine and make some comfy, cozy fall favorites <3

For those who know me, you know most of my thoughts throughout the day sound something like, what will my next meal or snack be? I’m always thinking about food, and I often go to bed excited to wake up simply for my breakfast.

I crave both savory and sweet breakfasts and am always down with a breakfast sampler snack plate. My only red flag as a breakfast-lover is that I get the egg ick very easily. I like a good scramble, omelet, or hard fried egg, but I can’t stomach a runny yolk at all. Don’t even get me started on soft- and hard-boiled eggs. This feels like the ultimate foodie betrayal, but I have to live my truth.

My goal is to turn everyone I know into a fellow breakfast-lover. It’s! The! Best! Keep reading for some of my favorite breakfast dishes, plus a Masala Chai recipe and other delicious recent eats and sips.

Share The Local Plate

1. Honey apple oatmeal with Greek yogurt

Growing up, Quaker’s Brown Sugar Dinosaur Egg Instant Oatmeal was my kryptonite. Although I sometimes still dream about biting into those sugary white eggs, my oatmeal preferences have evolved slightly. I prefer steel-cut oats over instant oats — they hold their texture better and don’t turn into gluey mush.

I chop up some Honeycrisp apples and add it to my oats while they cook with some cinnamon, cardamom, and honey. Once done, I top the oatmeal with more chopped apple, a dollop of Greek yogurt (preferably White Mustache), some chopped almonds, and more honey. The whole dish takes less than 10 minutes, I promise!

2. Avocado toast with radish and balsamic

The #1 hack to make your avocado toast better: as soon as your bread comes out the toaster, rub a clove of garlic across the crusty surface — it’ll melt onto the bread and give it better flavor. Layer on slices of ripe avocado, thinly sliced radish (necessary for texture and freshness), a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze, and plenty of Maldon’s flaky sea salt. Optional toppings: pickled beets, pickled red onion, a handful of arugula, heirloom tomato slices, capers.

3. Broccoli and parmesan egg scramble

Broccoli is my favorite veg to pair with eggs — it adds crunch without excess moisture. For this scramble, whip up your eggs with a spoonful of ricotta (it makes the eggs super light and fluffy), and set them aside while you throw some shallots in a pan with butter over medium heat.

When slightly browned, throw in your chopped broccoli and place the lid on top. Once your broccoli is half-steamed, pour in the eggs and stir to cook, making sure everything’s evenly distributed. Top with green onion and lots of parmesan. This is lovely with a side of toast or fruit.

4. Sweet or savory ricotta toast

These two toasts are easy yet feel indulgent. The savory — roasted tomatoes with balsamic and basil — and the sweet — sliced plums with chopped walnuts, honey, and flaky sea salt.

For the savory: slather a layer of ricotta on toasted bread, blister some cherry tomatoes in my cast iron pan, pour that over the toast with all its juices, and top with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, a few basil leaves, and sea salt. For the sweet: smear ricotta on toasted bread and top with thinly sliced plums (or nectarine, pear, etc.), chopped walnuts, a drizzle of honey, and ample flaky sea salt.

5. Breakfast snack plate

This is the perfect choose-your-own-adventure breakfast. Some of my fav options include: fruit (sliced apples, banana, blackberries, raspberries, peaches), avocado or tomato slices, kimchi, pickled beets, arugula (dressed with just olive oil and lemon juice), radishes, nuts, cucumber, and sometimes bacon or sausage.

6. Veggie and cheese frittata

Frittatas are the ultimate make ahead breakfast for your week — they’re easy to throw together with whatever you have in your pantry or fridge, and pretty hard to mess up.

Mix together six-ish eggs, a splash of milk, ricotta, or Greek yogurt, the cheese of your choice (cheddar reigns supreme), spices to taste (cayenne, paprika, oregano, mustard (?!), etc.), whatever veggies you have on hand (zucchini, broccoli, tomato, etc.), plus any extras (sundried tomato, olives, hot sauce, etc.). Pour it all into a pie dish, top with more cheese, and bake for 30 mins at 350. Eat a slice throughout the week or turn it into freezable English muffin sandwiches.

7. Cherry and mango yogurt bowl with pistachio and mint

Yogurt bowls (and smoothie bowls) are in heavy rotation for my breakfast. Often, I dress up a yogurt bowl with my homemade cardamon and walnut granola and fruit, and other times, I’ll keep it to just fruit and nuts and honey.

This is one of the greatest hits: a base of White Mustache Greek yogurt, pitted cherries and sliced mango, chopped pistachio, a few mint leaves, and a drizzle of honey. Heaven.

I alternate between making espresso, matcha, and tea with breakfast. The ultimate cozy drink choice: a cozy cup of warm Masala Chai. I mentioned trying (and loving) Raazi’s Indian Breakfast Tea, prepared a la Masala Chai, at The Libi Project’s Culinary Industry Night at Rule of Thirds in May. Arjun Narayen, Raazi’s founder, graciously shared his mom’s Masala Chai recipe with me — it’s pure comfort, with the perfect balance of spice and warmth.

Try it for yourself:

Masala Chai (1-2 cups)

• 1 ½ cups water, in a small pot

• 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

• 6–8 g fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped

Bring to a boil and add two bags of Indian Breakfast tea. Boil for 1 ½ minutes, then add your milk of choice until the Chai is a warm chestnut brown color (Arjun says it resembles #B08241 😄). For a creamier Chai, add more milk. Return to a boil, watching closely so it doesn’t spill over. Strain into a cup and sweeten to taste (Arjun recommends raw wildflower honey). Enjoy!

Other eats & drinks I’ve been enjoying

• Passion fruit caipirinha from Beco: This rum-based cocktail full of fresh passionfruit is so good it’s DANGEROUS.

• Miso caramel flat white from Land to Sea: Their homemade miso caramel is slow cooked with coconut milk, cane sugar, and miso, then combined with ginger, espresso, and milk. I was hesitant—I don’t normally order sweet coffee drinks—but it was the perfect balance of sweet and salty.

• Cardamom bun from Smør Bakery: This bun is up there with the best of the best — it’s heavy on the cardamom flavor and has a perfect soft bagel-like texture.

Next week, I’m off to the Costa Brava! Will be consuming as much seafood, pan con tomate, Empordà wines, and vermut as possible. Stay tuned for the recap <3

For the past two weeks at Folly, my days largely consisted of scouring the shoreline for shark teeth, watching the evening sky evolve from blue to orange to pink and purple, sipping frozen margaritas to the hum of droning cicadas, and appeasing my boyfriend by sampling pop country music. (I’m still not a fan).

As a kid, coming to the Folly house with family was always the highlight of summer. There was nothing more exciting than boogie boarding from morning till lunch, when we reluctantly ran to the house for an elite tomato and turkey bacon sandwich; fighting over the best Freeze Pops flavors (blue is best); crab hunting every night, headlamps strapped tightly across our foreheads; gnawing corn on the cob at dinner while swatting away flies; napping in the sun with library books glued to our sunscreen-coated stomachs and chins sticky from inhaling sweet, juicy South Carolina peaches and watermelons; racing in the sand, chasing unbelievable sunsets and full moons, digging holes and building castles, and Mom making sure we were taking breaks from the strong UV rays under the umbrella.

It’s one of my favorite places on earth: a forever home, an unchanged portal to childhood, a place where time stretches and ocean waves offer respite from the world. In this newsletter, I’m sharing some of my favorite Folly establishments that make each trip the best yet.

The Lost Dog

This charming breakfast & lunch staple, open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., is a laidback haven for food- and dog-lovers alike. The cafe walls are covered with framed photos of patron’s dogs, the bar counter features a glass jar of dog treats, and the outside patio is the perfect people- and dog-watching spot. If you have to wait for a table, order a hot mug of coffee or a mason jar mimosa from the bar and flip through The Folly Current, Folly’s newspaper, on a bench outside.

My favorite dishes are the shrimp and grits (shrimp sauteed with bacon, red onion, and garlic, topped with scallions and cheese), hungry dog quesadillas (grilled chicken, refried & black beans, peppers, onions, and cheese stuffed in a tortilla served with salsa and sour cream), salmon BLT wrap (grilled blackened salmon, fried green tomatoes, bacon, romaine, and Cajun mayo), and the cappuccino chocolate chunk muffin.

Chico Feo + Vino Feo

I’m proclaiming Chico Feo as the best beach bar in the South. It’s a beach bum’s paradise, where locals and visitors alike walk up straight after a surf, barefoot and sun-kissed, and grab a few tacos and Samurai Slings (the house drink: cucumber-infused sake & lemonade) while the last bit of afternoon sun beats down. The open-air bar sits in the backyard of a house parallel to Bert’s Market, with bar seats and picnic tables all angled toward the wooden stage—which hosts both open-mic singers and traveling bands. In addition to tacos, Chico Feo serves fresh Caribbean soul food. My favorite is the repocheta quesadilla: chorizo wrapped in a melty tortilla, topped with red onion, tomatoes, salsa verde, cilantro, and jalapeño, served with house-made lime crema.

On the front porch of the Chico Feo house, there’s now a beach wine, vermouth, and anchovy window: Vino Feo. It’s only open Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays from 1–6 p.m., but it’s 100% worth a stop. Snag a spot on the porch and try a glass of Txakoli, Basque beach wine, classic red vermouth, coconut sangria, or my favorite Spanish drink, the Kalimotxo—red wine mixed with Coca-Cola. Don’t knock it till you try it.

Bowen’s Island

This place has been around for 75 years for good reason. It’s a casual, no-frills seafood joint serving fresh local oysters alongside classics like Frogmore stew, shrimp and grits, and platters of fried fish, boiled shrimp, French fries, coleslaw, and hushpuppies. Grab a beer and take a stool outside, overlooking the James Island marshes. You’ll get a stellar sunset view and might even spot a few dolphins surfacing for air.

If you only order one thing, make it the fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese and honey. I don’t care how you feel about green tomatoes or pimento cheese—these will change your mind.

Taco Boy

I went to the original Taco Boy on Center Street as a kid, but the new location on East Ashley Ave is a force to be reckoned with. This colorful three-story hideaway tucked in the trees, just a block from the beach, is an institution in its own right. The best spots to soak in the view are the patio deck with the “Octopus Bar,” featuring a soaring upcycled octopus installation, or the lantern-lit top-floor bar with its rooftop deck.

Go for happy hour, dig into a mountain of *free* chips and salsa, sip a pineapple margarita with hints of cinnamon and vanilla, and finish with a few firecracker shrimp tacos: crispy shrimp piled with rainbow slaw, spicy firecracker sauce, and cilantro.

Dead Low

This cozy cafe, adorned with Surfer’s Journals and local art and photography, offers great locally-roasted coffee and breakfast and lunch options. My favorites are the “protect ya gut” smoothie (passionfruit, mango, Greek yogurt, turmeric, ginger, and bee pollen) and the avocado toast with roasted beet tahini, dill, mint, pumpkin seeds, and a hint of lemon on sourdough.

Bert’s Market

Bert’s is one of the most quintessential permanent fixtures of Folly. Open 24 hours, their tagline is, “We May Doze, But We Never Close.” Plus, they proclaim: “Patronized by freaks, surfers, skaters, crunks, retirees, tourists, stoners, day trippers, hippies, hipsters, and regular folk, Bert's is the rockingest grocery in town.”

Come here for an early morning breakfast burrito or bagel, midday sub or scoop of ice cream, or late-night corndog or cheeseburger for less than $5. Bert’s is also a treasure trove for gifts (local soaps, postcards, jewelry, books) and a haven for interesting snacks including Lowcountry Kettle Chips (they have flavors like Mustard BBQ Sauce, Carolina Reaper, Bloody Mary, Fried Pickles), boiled peanuts, gummy Lunchables, and other forgotten candies from the ’90s.

Chez Nous

This is my favorite splurge dinner in Charleston. Housed in a restored home, its historical charm hits you the moment you walk inside. Every day, Chef Jill Mathias crafts a lovely (and comically illegible) menu with just two appetizers, two entrées, and two desserts, all inspired by what’s fresh at the farmer’s market. Her food, both homey and elevated, draws inspiration from Southern France, Northern Italy, and Northern Spain. On my most recent visit, we shared:

• An orange and pistachio Bibb salad with crème fraîche dressing (my favorite)

• Farro with fennel, salami, Castelvetrano olives, and pine nuts

• Grouper with tender green beans, roasted potatoes, and an egg & caper sauce

• Corsican ricotta cheesecake with honey, lemon, and powdered sugar

There are many, many other great restaurants and bars on Folly, James Island, and Charleston that have a special place in my heart, but we’ll have to save those for another time. Thanks for reading, and save this list for a future trip <3