A late-summer cram session

Summer has an easy definition up to the age of 18 (or if you’re lucky, 22). School close to school open - simple. Now that I’m in that interstitial space between being out of school and having friends with children in school, my definition of summer has ebbed and flowed. June 21st to September 21st? Maybe. Memorial Day to Labor Day? Sure. I personally like to extend summer as long as possible, so I’m not accepting any of that August-is-fall argument. Begone.

If I use my past patterns to predict when I’ll start posting squash recipes, I’d say we can bet on mid-September. Meaning I’m cramming as much summer in between now and then. Until Labor Day, you can catch me outside. Now let’s dive in:

I don’t get particularly miffed by things on the internet, but OpenAI hosting a brand trip that largely celebrated nature, lush vistas, and outdoor activities didn’t sit well with me. It didn’t make me mad as much as largely depressed.

I’m in the camp that AI can potentially be helpful when it’s regulated and used in closed-door contexts. While I am against generative AI, I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. But it’s the way it’s being mass marketed and pushed for large scale use for things like writing, art, editing, CONVERSATION, and simple creative work that is hard to reckon with. Especially as you see people across the country advocating for their land not to be taken over by these companies.

But a key part of owning my opinions is listening to the other side, so if you do use OpenAI for personal use, I’d love to hear why (and it’s a safe and respectful space, I promise).

Fall cookbook season has begun!! You will be hearing about a lot of books from me (I love many, many niches), but I’ll try to parse through them so you can tell which ones may work for you.

I live in this luxury world where I can still take my time with a 45-minute dinner, but the more I develop recipes the more I realize that’s definitely not the case for most.

Make it Fast (order here!) by Caroline Chambers is out August 11th with the promise to solve that problem. I remember flipping through her first book and being wowed with how easy but elevated everything was. She is the queen of Substack but she has a full-time fan in me.

Along with that, More, Please! (order here!) by rachel mansfield came out this week with a healthier, kids-focused skew. I was lucky enough to go to her book event in NYC where she reiterated how much cooking changes when you switch from two people to five. Her book covers many preferences, and I think she did great work with it.

Lauren (a member of Team Snacks) jogged my memory of a pretty ideal New York City summer itinerary this week, and after demanding she do it this weekend (I hope you did!!) I’d be remiss not to share:

Along Doyers Street (which isn’t so much as street as it is Chinatown’s personal alley), there’s Nom Wah Tea Parlor, a no-reservations dim sum place with borderline unstable outdoor tables (the only kind I want) and a paper wait list. Next to it is Apotheke, a bar behind a big wooden door that’s easy to miss. The move is to do one and then the other, but I’ll let you decide what order.

Grilled Tofu Skewers with Cilantro and Lime - I AM CRAMMING IN ALL MY GRILLING UNTIL LABOR DAY. Sorry for yelling, but I am passionate. These skewers are designed with a meat marinade in mind, but swap the Worcestershire sauce for soy sauce to keep them vegan. Half of the flavor comes from the caramelization, so while I prefer the grill, an extra-hot grill pan will also do the trick.

And this week on Supper Club, Blackberry Basil Limeade Cake - This cake is overly moist and nicely citrusy, but just a little bit. The biggest flavor you’ll get is from the sweet-tart berries and the deeply buttery crumb. If you’ve never squeezed lime juice over a cake fresh out of the oven - well, it’s fun and it is effective!!

Nothing else, really. I’m just cramming for my LA trip next week. I’ll share all the recs you gave me in the newsletter next week!!

Xoxo,

Justine