Production Note: I’ll be publishing as usual throughout August and taking the first week of September off, but today at 3 p.m. EST will be the last Weekly Salon in the Tomato Tomato Discord to discuss what we’re reading, watching, and cooking until Monday, September 7. We’ll get into the pantry staples people are into right now. Please join us!
Also, read this great piece in the San Francisco Gazetteer on the indie food media wave. I was interviewed about this newsletter and Tomato Tomato—a new issue is coming out on Friday.
A couple of weeks ago, I needed to get out of Old San Juan and used my desire for Edmond Fallot Dijon mustard as an excuse. The ride-share to the Mall of San Juan in Carolina, near the airport, cost about $40 there and back with tip. I’d gone through two jars of subpar supermarket stuff before I decided to go to Williams-Sonoma, which is the only place that reliably stocks the Fallot, as well as popcorn kernels. (No car, no microwave, no dishwasher, and an absurd attachment to a specific French mustard brand—my small rebellions against the American dream.)
I used my time there to run other errands, look at shiny objects, up my daily step count, and even get an idea for how to approach an assignment, but it reminded me why I stock my pantry in other ways whenever possible and have become adept at using a small number of items in a variety of ways. Consider this an update to my weekday meal plan structure, which is about how to plug-and-play for ease throughout workdays for less friction when it comes to cooking. The best way to stock your pantry is the way that will make you excited to eat, even if the Dijon takes a schlep!
Summer Essay Workshops in August: personal, reported, and cultural criticism. These will be presentations followed by discussions, and the different months have different reading lists. Each has three essays to read—no food included, a mix of old and new. Choose day or evening sessions. We’re really having fun in these talking about our questions, concerns, and processes for approaching essay.
Like what I carry in my bag, I consider what’s necessary, versatile, and accessible without a $40 car ride but still brings a lot of bang for its buck to my daily life and pleasures. These are what I’ve been tracking lately as super significant to my cooking:
My new hummus-topper obsession, discussed below.
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