My favorite summer pasta is half chickpeas

Hello and happy weekend! I’m just back from five days in LA, which were fully intended to be working days, but since this summer is summer-ing harder than ever before, they turned into laptop-open-by-the-pool days, which feels equally productive.

It’s nice to be slowed down by forces in my environment, whether that means being out of town or just working from somewhere different. It’s a nice change for the end of August, I’m going to try to keep it. But now, into the newsletter:

That Barhi dates are in season, these crisp, yellow dates are rare in the same way Phoebe Bridgers planetarium concerts are, so I’d say get them now if you suffer from the same “I must try this” disease as me.

And I did a pickle taste test with Wirecutter! Who have always been my original influencers. The pickle candy was inspired. I learned I will most likely enjoy any kind of pickle chip. And I also learned we do not need protein powder in popcorn.

Two vital things that changed my week:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, it was…so good??!! I was put onto this book by a friend who told me it was a fast read. They were right, as a notoriously slow reader I was still able to tackle this in about 5 hours. I think the shortness of the book is what does it favors, it’s just enough chapters to tell the story without dragging it on.

I’m a sucker for world building, but I think it’s best if you go in without any background. Just know it’s about a man in a house.

And after using generic beeswax to treat my boards for what feels like forever, I finally ordered the Boos Block board cream and oil combo. I deeply neglect my cutting boards, but I oiled my boards before we left for LA, and when I came back it was like all was forgiven.

(Also this is your reminder to set a monthly calendar note to oil your boards!!)

LA was a treat, but I was staying in Orange County so I only got to visit two places that I must mention.

I vow to come back soon so I can properly hit everywhere I want to go. This is my working Google Map.

Rasarumah - Located in Filipinotown, a friend (and designer of my site! Hey girl hey) recommended Johnny Lee’s current spot. As a skeptic of google reviews, I had to confirm the mushroom curry is as addictive as everyone says. It is.

And the salmon skin was so crispy you could hear it break through the hum of the bar, which is the kind of ambiance I like.

Villas Tacos - recently made even more famous by being in the Superbowl half-time show, these tacos proved my working theory that if it’s in a strip mall, you know it’s good.

The move is to get the vegan trio with cheese (bug me about the irony later), where the heavily sauced soyrizo was my favorite. And don’t skip the pickled onions, they’re nearly tannic in a way that makes me salivate, and I think that’s something we need more of??

Summer Tomato Tuna Salad - With all the food I just listed, I’m not sure how I can convince you to try my single-tomato lunch, but if you have tomatoes to spare (and need some protein to fill you up), this combination of kalamata olives, marinated onions, bright summer tomatoes and herbs will do the trick.

It eats like the bottom of a salad, which is one of my favorite things.

And this week on Supper Club - Fresh Tomato Ricotta Pasta and Breaded Chickpeas!

A pasta dish that’s half pasta/half chickpeas, which is a ratio that comes out particularly satisfying. Everything happens on the stovetop, and the way the chickpeas are breaded feels revelatory. They just toast for a few minutes in olive oil, covered, where the breadcrumbs naturally cling to the beans. You can skip the ricotta to make this vegan, but for a light pink fresh tomato sauce, I love throwing it in.

Adam Weisblatt, cofounder of Last Word Hospitality, published his first book, For the Love of Restaurants, this past Tuesday. I think it’s too inside-baseball to have the same impact as Unreasonable Hospitality, but you bet it will be on my shelf soon. Will report back!

Until next week, happy cooking, happy eating, happy summer,

Xoxo,

Justine