Shop small or don't shop at all
we said what we said!!!
Hi (R)ea(d)ters! Wow, we missed you and WOW, a lot has happened in the world since our last blast in October. Even though it feels like September 2020 and also simultaneously like at least the year 2027, we find ourselves with Thanksgiving behind us and the end of 2020 drawing near.
We’re choosing to focus not on the stress and the frustration of being alive at this time, but on the joy of holiday gift giving. Much like everyone else on the internet, we’re also going to actively beg you not to purchase a single present (or anything, for that matter) from Daddy Bezos this year. Your dollar goes about 1 million miles farther in the hands of an artist, small biz, or local maker in your area. Plus it’s way more fun to give and receive unique thangz.
However, that does mean that you need to get cracking on shopping (because we have zen and patience for the USPS during this trying time). Read on for our thoughts and feelings about what you should purchase.
But first, let’s dig in.
What We’re Consuming
AA: I am making my way through Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz like a real superfan. This book is gooood. Nobody asked but here’s what I have made and my reviews:
Kouign-Amann 8/10 - I am on a laminated dough journey and my thoughts are: it’s not that hard!!! Try it! These turned out crunchy, caramelized, sugary, flaky, YUM! It was my first time so I think I could do better next time, knowing what I know now, but overall I was very impressed with these. They are scary to have in the house though because you will eat 6 and they contain more butter and sugar than you need to know about.
Cherry Cream Cheese Danishes 6/10 - these use the same dough as the Kouign and comparatively were eh, they are not the life of the party if you know what I mean. Would be down to try these again, though!
Chocolate Chip Cookies 9.8/10 - these are my kind of cookie - MEGA CRISPY, fun little edges, two types of chocolate, brown butter, flavorful dough - am I…in love?
Oat and Pecan Brittle Cookies 9.9/10 - the only reason these are not a perfect 10 is because they don’t have chocolate in them which I absolutely require in all cookies I consume. I added some to half the batter, dw, and those are a perfect 10. You MYO brittle for this which is fun and half of it gets folded into the batter which creates pools of crunchy caramel when baked. These are crazy.
Malted “Forever” Brownies 0/10 - these could have been user error but they were the worst brownies I’ve probably ever tried. Sorry!
Brown Butter Corn Muffins 10/10 - the only accurate description of these is the best cornbread of all time. I love a cornbread moment, but it’s usually a tad dense and dry to really be a hit for me. These are quite the opposite…really flavorful brown butter batter packed with fresh corn kernels that pop as you eat it. They are even better next day griddled with a pat of butter and sprinkled with a flaky salt! These powered me through a little something called *election week*.
Pull-Apart Sour Cream and Chive Rolls 10/10 - I’ve made these not once but TWICE already. Once w/ chives another time sans. SO FUCKING GOOD. These are easy-ish for a bread and they are………..beyond. May I suggest a bsan with the leftovers, let me set the scene: warmed roll + fried egg + melted cheddar + Gordy’s cherry pepper spread mixed w/ mayo and lemon + arugula + pickle. May seem like a lot but it will change you forever, trust!
Up next on my DP journey: Double-Apple Crumb Cake, Apple Tart, Carrot and Pecan Cake, Coffee Coffee Cake, Miso Buttermilk Biscuits (!), and Feta Za’atar Flatbread w/ Charred Eggplant Dip. I should be Claire’s marketing manager at this point.
MM: ‘Tis the season…to listen to music that makes you want to lie in bed forever and cry!! For me this is more of an all year mood, tbh, but winter really is the time for gloomy tunes that inspire emo feelings. My ultimate choice for this mood is Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers, an album that is a religion to me and for which I, therefore, actively evangelize. If it’s raining where you are today like it is in D.C., don’t waste another minute. If you want to mix it up on the sad bops a bit, might I direct you to my seasonal (depression) playlist du jour? I’ve been really loving making a playlist these days in the same desperate way I used to love burning a CD for someone I had a crush on. This one is collaborative, so go forth, feel things, and add some morose wintery tunes to the mix!
Best/Worst of the Fortnight
AA: I attempted to make baklava and let’s just say it was not a success. I used this recipe from Masterclass and felt like I was totally doing it as I was buttering each sheet of phyllo by hand for hours. It came out really soggy and just like, yucky. I wont be attempting this again any time soon. As an aside, did anyone else get the baklava Holiday sampler from Trader Joes back in the day? That was the best thing there and I am SO sad that it’s gone. I think about it every. single. year. I just want to recreate that little magical honey goodness but sadly this recipe was absolutely not it.
MM: guys…I have to eat my words. My best of the fortnight was something I actively slandered. Something I hated. Something I campaigned against, spoke ill of publicly, privately, and really disparaged in every imaginable setting: the Thanksgiving turkey. I know, I am also shocked. My father (!) made the turkey this year and I would say I had less than 0 faith in its deliciousness, but boy was I wrong. This ladybird was slathered in butter under and on the skin, and stuffed to le brim with delicious alliums and acids, and she was cooked to perfection. Crispy skin, not dry, a revelation. I am here to ask for forgiveness from all turkeys!!!
easy-ish Gift Ideas
Food + Drank
For the candy (butterfinger) lover in your life - may we recommend the best confection Alissa has tried in recent memory. Oregon Bark’s Tom Bumble. Get yourself one while you are at it!
Jacobsen Salt Co Flaky Finishing Salt - move over Maldon, we’re over you! JK, we’ll happily use Maldon any time but the Jacobsen Flake is, frankly, superior. First, it is harvested in the US of A which is a rarity. Second, it is just bigger, crunchier, and a little better at standing on its own. Great for the cook in your life who likes to finish everything with a hint of salt. If they put salt on their cookies, they will appreciate this.
Seedlip - a distilled non-alcoholic spirit that makes better cocktails than some actual liquors. We’ve been spending more time then ever at home and if you have a non-drinker or someone who is trying to drink less on your list, this is the perfect pal for a sophisticated mocktail. They have a diverse selection that is sure to please any person who drinks beverages in your life.
For your bod and/or home — the two places you spend every hour of your life:
Richer Poorer Sweatsuit - Alissa has 4 of these now…….need we say more? During quarantine this is the only thing AA wants to wear, and since you can get a set it looks kind of cute?? The sweatshirt in particular is really pair-able with jeans or even a skirt!
VOTE Mask to benefit Fair Fight - You probably aren’t washing your masks enough (tbh who is), so snag another one from Resistance by Design and help Stacy Abrams and all the amazing folks at Fair Fight to win the Georgia runoffs while you do it! Win-win.
Nécessaire Body Lotion - you may have seen these all over the internet, and by the internet we mean instagram. They got Alissa, who is famously anti lotion—hates the feeling of it on the bod—but this has made her question that stance. Their exfoliator + body wash is also nice - try the eucalyptus scent.
Decorate your walls with beautiful prints so that you can stare at lovely things. I for one will be purchasing Peaches & Coffee from Tactile Matter and Flowers in A Ketchup Bottle from Emma Hall’s lovely Etsy shop.
Brooklyn Candle Studio is our candle company of choice and makes a perfect gift for anyone spending time indoors aka everyone. Favs include Sunday Morning (smells like fresh flowers + jasmine), Catskills (cozy winter cabin), and their Holiday scent Cinder (smoky fireplace).
We stan a tote that is big enough to actually fit everything you’re buying from the farmers market. Here are two goodies: the Lift Every Voice Tote from Rayo & Honey and the Diaspora Tote from Diaspora Co., home of our fav spices.
FOOSHOO is a Miami ceramicist who makes truly the cutest vases, ring dishes, spoon rests, and beyond. May we recommend her mystery box, which contains a bunch of unique and adorable items and comes with gift bags and tags for each item in case you can bear to part with them.
Cookbooks for the bakers and cooks on your list:
Matty Matheson, Home Style Cookery - this book is fun and different! His recipes are approachable but chefy in a way that will teach you a thing or two and give you some new recipes to add to your rotation.
Claire Saffitz, Dessert Person - honestly, just as great as we hoped it would be, see above. So many inspiring recipes that put a little twist on the classic and definitely teach out something new.
Falastin - all about recipes from Palestine - eye opening, inspiring, colorful, flavorful, and delicious.
Holly Haines, Desserts - our fav instagrammer of the q has a few rad ebooks. This one contains the best of her Instagram feed, so run don’t walk! Great gift for when you accidentally wait too long and simply cannot trust the USPS (sorry, we love you) since you can send virtually.
Ina News
Did you read this article in The New York Times about Ina from a few weeks ago? If you didn’t, that your homework for today! Just look at her!!!!!
