Welcome to Sunday Sundries, the antidote to—or at least a distraction from—your Sunday Scaries.
Hi pals,
Do you remember a few weeks ago when I said I wanted to get into “obsession mode” with my WIP book? Well, I’m there.
Except in my case, Regina George is a dysfunctional family I made up in my head.
There were 2 nights this week where I was still in my office at 10 pm. I just could not stop jotting notes, reading craft books, tweaking my opening chapter. (I’ll give you a more specific update in next week’s “Writer’s Log” letter.)
Otherwise, I’m looking down the barrel of a hefty to-do list this weekend. Just a lot of life admin to handle before leaving town for 10 days in 4 different places. One of which is Maine for the 4th annual lobster roll off. (More on that in a sec!)
So, let’s roll right into the sundries. (Sorry, don’t hate me. I had to.)
🦞 Lobster Roll Off Recipe Testing
One thing on my list this weekend is testing recipe ideas for the roll off. ICYMI: Every summer a handful of friends and I gather in Maine for a lobster roll cooking competition. (I’m on a 2 year winning streak! Sports fans: how many years make a dynasty?)
These aren’t your average rolls with a choice of butter or mayo. Nope! We’re pushing the limits of lobster. For example, last year I made a calabrian chili, garlic butter roll, and narrowly won over a roll whose bun was french toast! The competition is stiff and the rolls are creative.
Here are a few ideas clawing around in my head:
I wonder if I could do a lobster salad with a pesto mayo and top it with a peach relish? (I’m in a big peach phase at the moment.) This chicken recipe gave me the initial idea.
I’ve been curious about the idea of a tropical “salsa”—think: pineapple, jalapeño, red onion—for years. I’ve pitched this idea to mixed reviews, but I think it’s time to give it a whirl and see if it works. Maybe with a buttered lobster base with a touch of hot honey?
Our current lettuce sich might make this one a nonstarter: but what about a riff on Duryea’s famous lobster cobb salad in the Hamptons? Picture this: a crispy piece of lettuce on the bun topped with lobster salad made with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. I can’t quite decide how to integrate the avocado, tomato, egg, and blue cheese—in the lobster salad? Finely chopped and mixed together as their own “relish”?
📚 Two A+ Romance Novels
Last weekend on my flights to and from Phoenix, I managed not one, but two EXCELLENT romance novels, which I can’t possibly wait until my monthly book report to talk about.
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan: I feel like every time Annabel Monaghan releases a new novel, I crown a new favorite. So, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that I loved this story about a selfless single mom who lands herself in a Pretty Woman-esque fake dating arrangement with the local rich guy. It was truly some of the best characterization I’ve read in a romance lately. And it was capital-F FUN. I already know I’ll be re-reading this one as craft inspo.
Once, Again, Always by Amanda Gayle (out October 6): The only things I knew about this book going in were: (1) it comes out the same month as my next novel and (2) it has an eye-wateringly high Goodreads rating. And it’s a good thing I didn’t read the description beforehand because I’m generally not a fan of an amnesia plot, but WOW did it work for me in this case.
The novel is about a woman who wakes up in the hospital missing 7 years of her memory and discovers she’s married to her boarding school nemesis. And not only did this book make me embrace an amnesia trope, it also had me cheering at the top of my lungs for a blond MMC. (The yearning this ridiculously-named man did is Oscar-worthy!) If that’s not enough, it also has strong whiffs of Magnolia Parks with a sprawling and moneyed friend group with approximately 0 real jobs between them. I’m going to be cheering hard for this debut come October!!!
This Ted Lasso ice cream collab is such good marketing. (And also getting me so excited for Season 4, which premieres August 5.)
I love reading about how other people journal, and has 3 new ideas.
One of my goals last week was to sleep train myself, which means (1) kicking my phone out of my bedroom and using my Hatch Restore alarm clock instead and (2) using mouth tape on the advice of my dentist. I regret to inform me that phone-free wake ups really do make such a difference to my screen time and mental health.
This would get me to watch Love Island:
Best non-book thing I read last week: ’s Nantucket trip recap written in the style of an Elin Hilderbrand novel.
Nabbed this extremely well-priced lilac dress to throw on for future heat wave weather.
This is not a drill: new Taylor Jenkins Reid novel incoming next March. And it’s friend-fic!
Last week I crowdsourced recs for favorite everyday bras and am intrigued by Amy’s pitch for the Natori Bliss bra, which is included in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.
More soon,
Becca
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