Dimanche (That Means Sunday)

Posted on August 5, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_5212
Welcome to this edition of Dimanche (That Means Sunday), a roundup of things that caught my eye this past week.

We’ve been having some unusual weather lately in St. Louis. Instead of the hot, muggy weather the city is known for in August, it’s been almost temperature. I’ve heard some people complaining but I, for one, am enjoying it. After a few weeks of stifling temperatures that made me feel like I was being cooked alive in a grill, it’s nice to have some reprieve.

I’ve used the nice weather as an opportunity to get out and go on some short hikes. I’m still coming back from my injury and it’s been frustrating to curtail the amount of walking I do. Lucky for me, I’m on the mend, so I should be able to go on longer hikes this fall when the weather is perfect and the scenery is even more beautiful.

Meanwhile, I’m still reading, writing, and doing other things to enjoy my summer. I stopped by a friend’s art exhibit this weekend (more on that below) and his work inspired me to create some art of my own. It feels good to be creative and do something that I don’t usually do.

I hope that you’re having a good weekend and that wherever this week takes you, you find an opportunity to switch things up and break away from your routine.

Without further ado, here is Dimanche:

I baked a pie and I am *pretty* excited about it. I’ve had some pie disasters in my past so it was a relief to make one that turned out exactly the way I wanted it to. I’ll put the recipe for this peach blueberry pie on the blog this week.

IMG_5220

Have you seen “No Passport Required?” If not, you should definitely check it out. It’s a new series on PBS hosted by Marcus Samuelsson, an Ethiopian-born, Swedish-raised chef who became a well-known chef in New York. In “No Passport Required,” Samuelsson visits different cities in the U.S. and talks to immigrants about their cooking.

Speaking of multicultural cooking… I love this story in Time about Southern food and how immigrants have contributed to the region’s food scene. I’d love to visit some of the places mentioned in the article. I’ve already been to one in Louisville, Con Huevos, and it was amazing. I’d highly recommend it.

As I mentioned earlier, I stopped by Edo Rosenblith’s art exhibit this weekend. I knew Edo in high school and I’ve always admired his artwork. His current exhibit at COCA in St. Louis is a wall-to-wall mural with an interactive component. There’s also a table where you can draw on black paper. I took my inspiration from some of the butterflies I saw on his mural.

IMG_5193IMG_5196

Some of St. Louis’s top chefs are headlining a fundraiser to benefit a local charter school. The event, “Savor for Students,” will benefit Lift for Life Academy, a charter school for middle school and high school students that provides educational programs at no cost. St. Louis chefs including Nathaniel Reid, Gerard Craft, Simone Faure, and Ben Poremba will be offering small plates at the fundraiser. Read more about it in my latest St. Louis Magazine story.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden went out to lunch last week and people went wild. Obama and Biden went to Dog Tag Bakery, a bakery in Georgetown, D.C. that I used to stop by occasionally. I wish I could have been there, or at least in walking distance, when it happened.

Last but certainly not least, Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she has at least five more years on the Supreme Court. All I can say is THANK GOD. Read more about it in this CNN story.

Enjoy your week! Here’s a song to get you started. It’s been stuck in my head for two days.

Posted in Dimanche (That Means Sunday), Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Peach Brown Sugar Tart

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_5109
I accidentally doubled the crust recipe for the tomato tart I made over the weekend, so I decided to make a sweet tart, too.

Okay…maybe it wasn’t an accident. Still, I’m glad I did it. I had some extra peaches that were starting to get soft on the counter and I had a lump of unused dough. I was a little worried about how the peaches would taste with the crust, since it’s made with olive oil and is meant for a savory tart.

Then I realized that the crust worked perfectly with the peaches. It’s not sweet at all, and when you cook it for a while, it gets brown, fragrant, and crispy. The peaches are sweet and juicy on top and coated with brown sugar.

The topping couldn’t be easier to make: All you do is combine some cold butter, flour, and brown sugar, much like you would for a crisp. Then you dump that mixture over the peaches.

The tart bakes up wonderfully and it makes your whole kitchen smell good. It tasted delicious on day one but it got even better on day two, when the flavors had a chance to mingle.

I ate my tart without any toppings but I’d recommend adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream, especially if you’re serving it straight out of the oven. There’s nothing better than hot, melted brown sugar and juicy peaches over ice cream.

I brought the leftovers into work yesterday and the tart was a hit. A couple people came by my office and told me that they especially liked the crust, which I appreciated. It was my first time making my own crust so it gave me a boost of confidence.

Here’s a song to get you started on your peach brown sugar tart journey. It’s also good for gloomy days when the temperature drops and all you want to do is drink endless cups of honey tea.

Peach Brown Sugar Tart

Ingredients

for the crust:
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/8 tsp sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
1/8 cup olive oil
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1/4 tsp salt

for the tart:
4 small peaches, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cold butter

Directions

First, make the crust. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes creamy. Beat in the egg and the olive oil. Whisk the flours and salt in another bowl. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients slowly, mixing in a stand mixer or by hand. Mix until the dough comes together in one lump. Do not over mix.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until it’s smooth. Form the dough into a ball. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to sit for about an hour, or until it’s doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a couple times to deflate it. Shape the dough into a ball without kneading it. Cover it with plastic wrap and then let it sit for 5 minutes. Then you can roll it out about 1/8-inch thick on a floured surface, adding more flour to keep it from sticking. If you’re not using the dough right away, the ball in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Then let it sit for five minutes once you take it out of the fridge.*

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch tart pan (I used olive oil).

Line the pan with the dough, trimming any excess off the edges with scissors. You’ll want to press the dough confidently and firmly into the pan, making sure you get it into the edges to get that ridged texture. Place the crust in the fridge while you prepare the toppings.

Combine the brown sugar, flour, salt, and butter in a bowl until the mixture is crumbly, with some pea-sized flecks of butter. Take the crust out of the fridge and place the peach slices on top in a concentric circle. Scatter the butter/brown sugar mixture over the top, trying to distribute it evenly.

Bake the tart for 20-30 minutes, or until the crust is well browned and the brown sugar/butter mixture is bubbling. Serve warm or at room temperature, preferably with a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!

* If you want, you can also roll out the dough and freeze it to use later. Just don’t freeze the dough while it’s in a ball.

Posted in Dessert, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tomato Goat Cheese Tart

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_5107
This is the time of year when the tomatoes are in top form. Every Saturday, I go to the same stand at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market and pick up the best ones I can find.

A trick I learned about tomatoes is that the best ones often look bad. I’m not talking about goopy, rotten, or moldy, but they don’t look perfect. Maybe they have a weird shape or an indent that runs down the middle. But if they’re vibrant and slightly soft to the touch, they’re probably in good shape.

I found this recipe for a tomato goat cheese tart on The New York Times‘s cooking website. I like to go there every so often to peruse recipes. They usually feature fresh, seasonal fare on the homepage.

This recipe caught my eye because I’ve been meaning to make a tart for a while. I’ve made quiche and frittata but surprisingly, I’ve never made a tart. I think it’s because I was intimidated by the crust.

Never fear, though, because this tart includes a crust recipe that’s extremely easy to make. Yes, it requires adding yeast and letting the dough rise. But once you get that over with, the dough rolls out well and isn’t sticky or unwieldy.

A trick to getting your crust to stay in the pan is to press it confidently into the edges. This might sound intuitive but when you’re working with dough and you’re trying not to rip it, the instinct is often to pat it. Proceed with some caution but also, just go for it. Your resulting tart will thank you later.

I topped the tart with fresh basil but you could use other fresh herbs from the market. A key to making this recipe taste really good is getting the best ingredients you can find. Farmers’ market tomatoes, herbs, and even eggs work well in this dish.

Also, you’ll want good olive oil for the crust. It will improve the flavor. I read in the comments section of the recipe that some people made breadsticks with half the dough. I might try that next time because it definitely has a bread-like consistency.

Anyway. Enjoy this recipe! I won’t repost it below because you can find it through the link I provided above.

Here’s a song to get you started on your tomato goat cheese tart journey.

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dimanche (That Means Sunday)

Posted on July 29, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_5004
Welcome to this edition of Dimanche (That Means Sunday), a roundup of things that caught my eye this past week.

I think the theme of this past week would be “resilience.” I know I sound like a self-help book but it’s true. There’s something gratifying about coming through a difficult situation  and thriving in spite of it. Sure, there are times when you think you’re falling apart. But then there are moments of grace when you realize that no matter what happens, you’ll be okay. Plus, you’re stronger because of whatever adversity you faced.

Now I’m sitting at one of my favorite coffee shops, reflecting on the past week and making plans for the next one. I think this week will be a little busier, but that’s okay. I’m working on moving to a new place soon and so I’ll be looking at a bunch of apartments around town.

I’m also going to focus on re-cultivating a writing habit. I try to do it for a few months but then I usually fall off the bandwagon. As many writers know, forcing yourself to write everyday (outside of what you’re paid to do) can feel like torture. There’s self-doubt, self-criticism, and the overwhelming impulse to throw everything that you just wrote in the trash. Conquering this impulse is key. For me, it’s still a work in progress.

Anyway. I hope no matter where this week takes you, it brings moments of clarity and motivation. Good food and coffee breaks are also important.

Without further ado, here is Dimanche:

I discovered the cutest new coffee shop in Southampton. Lola Jean’s Giveback Coffee is a new coffee shop concept from Russell Ping, the owner of a popular café in town, Russell’s on Macklind. It raises money for important community causes, and it’s adorable. I’d check it out if you want a place to enjoy great coffee, read, and get work done. IMG_5043

IMG_5045

A village in Michigan elected cats, dogs, goats, and chickens to their government. The animals will hold ceremonial positions. They’re probably better than 85% of people in elected offices. Check out this AP story for more information.

Speaking of animals… My sister and I were driving home the other night and we saw two baby deer crossing the road. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love deer, so naturally, we spent five minutes staring at them and taking pictures. You can check it out on Instagram.

Is it just me, or does everything seem better in Australia? I’ve wanted to visit the country for a while now but I want to visit even more after reading this story about their café culture in The New York Times. I’m pretty sure that if I visited Melbourne, I’d never leave.

I was heartbroken when I heard the news about Jonathan Gold’s passing last week. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Gold, he was a food writer for The Los Angeles Times and an inspiration for aspiring food writers such as myself. I donated to a fundraiser supporting his wife and children. You can contribute here.

In happier news, Nudo House is coming to the Loop. Nudo, which currently has a location in Creve Coeur, is one of my favorite ramen shops in St. Louis and maybe the country. I’m not surprised that they’re expanding so soon after opening their first store. Find out more about their new shop in this St. Louis Magazine story.

Last but certainly not least, Vivian Howard has a new show coming to PBS. Howard is best known as the host of “A Chef’s Life,” a series on PBS that documents her life and food in the South. Now Howard is making a new show about Southern food culture. She’s mum on details but you can get her take on the new series in this Eater article.

Enjoy your week! Here’s a song to get you started.

Posted in Dimanche (That Means Sunday), Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Summer Corn and Tomato Salad

Posted on July 25, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_4991
A week or two ago, my friend at work loaned me one of his favorite cookbooks, “Six Seasons” by Joshua McFadden. The cookbook puts an emphasis on fresh, seasonal vegetables, something that my friend and I are both passionate about.

I like the cookbook because it comes up with inventive ways to serve vegetables. The recipes are pretty straightforward and emphasize the produce. A lot of times when you come across vegetable recipes, it’s all about playing up other ingredients in the dish or focusing on a protein aspect. McFadden’s recipes are about making the natural flavors in the vegetables come together to create something satisfying and delicious.

I dog-eared two recipes in the cookbook and then I decided to combine them. I riffed on a corn salad recipe and a farro recipe to create this summer corn and tomato salad.

My favorite part about the recipe is the torn croutons. You might be like, you were just talking about how vegetables are the shining stars of McFadden’s recipes. This is still true, but I’m a bread and carb lover so naturally, I gravitate toward that. You’ll want to make these croutons over and over again. They’re crunchy and the perfect amount of salty, and they would also work well in soup.

As always, it’s important to get the best ingredients possible when you make this salad. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find really good tomatoes and corn at this time of year. Finding the best ingredients will take this salad from “meh” to amazing.

Even though I followed McFadden’s directions almost to the letter, I did take some diversions. The original farro recipe calls for soaking the scallions in ice water and then draining and rinsing them. This seemed like a good idea but I couldn’t bring myself to add the extra step into the recipe. I might force myself to do it next time though because scallions are very pungent and running them under cold water would temper the flavor.

Also, I bought pre-shredded Pecorino Romano cheese, but I guess everyone does that.

Most salad tastes disgusting on day two but this salad is an exception. It actually gets better after a night sitting in the fridge. I brought the leftovers for lunch on Monday and Tuesday and I was floored. I couldn’t believe that it was getting better with time.

Here’s a song to get you started on your summer corn and tomato salad journey. My sister just introduced me to it yesterday when we were driving back from the park.

Summer Corn and Tomato Salad (slightly adapted from “Six Seasons”)

Ingredients

for the croutons:
4 oz of sourdough bread
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper

for the salad:
3 cups cooked and cooled farro
2 cups croutons
1 bunch scallions, trimmed on an angle
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ears sweet corn, husked
1 handful of fresh mint leaves
1 handful fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup shredded Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried chile flakes
salt and ground black pepper
extra-virgin olive oil (good quality)

Directions

First, make the croutons. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Tear the bread with the crust on into bite-size pieces. Toss the bread with the olive oil and a little salt and pepper.

Spread the croutons on a baking sheet, making sure that they’re in an even layer. Bake until they’re golden brown, checking every five minutes or so and moving them around so they bake evenly. They’re done when you try one and it’s not completely hard; it should still be a little soft in the center. Total baking time is around 15 minutes.

Place the croutons on a layer of paper towels to absorb excess oil and season with more salt and pepper. If you want, you can double this recipe and save half the croutons in an airtight container for other salads or soups.

Then, make the salad. Place the farro in the bottom of a big bowl and toss in the croutons. Then, toss in the scallions, cherry tomatoes, and corn kernels. You can husk the corn straight into the bowl, allowing some of the juice from the corn cobs to get into the salad. Toss in the mint and basil leaves and the shredded cheese. Then toss in the vinegar, chile flakes, salt and pepper to taste, and a glug of olive oil.

Store the leftover salad in a sealed container in the fridge. Enjoy!

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Posted on July 24, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
For some reason I decided to buy three giant zucchini from the farmers’ market on Saturday. I thought I needed more than I did.

I bought one to make peach pita pizzas but that one was so big that I only ended up using half of it. Then I had another two giant zucchinis hanging out in the fridge. I thought about what to make with them and the idea for these zucchini chocolate chip muffins was born.

Zucchini and chocolate? you might say disparagingly. Never fear: Zucchini and chocolate is a delicious combination. If you think about it, zucchini is blank canvas that calls for a little spicing up. It doesn’t have a strong flavor of its own so it pairs well with other flavors, including chocolate. It’s fine hanging out in the background while chocolate gets most of the attention.

These muffins are the perfect balance of healthy and indulgent. They’re slightly sweet, savory with the zucchini, and filled with morsels of semi-sweet chocolate. Just writing about them makes me want another one.

Unfortunately I don’t think that will happen this morning because I already gave most of them away to coworkers. A couple people stopped by my office to tell me how good they are, so at least there’s that.

If you have an abundance of zucchini or you just feel like making the most of summer produce, I’d highly recommend these muffins. Maybe you’ll run out of muffin liners and have to use Thanksgiving ones with turkeys on them because it’s all you have in the pantry. That’s okay. Let it happen.

Here’s a song to get you started on your zucchini muffin journey. I’ve been listening to Kacey Musgraves a lot this week to soothe myself, and also because I like her new album a lot. This is one of my favorite songs.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup white flour
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mash the banana. Melt the coconut oil and let it cool. Line a muffin tin with liners and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the banana, coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined. Then add the two eggs and mix to incorporate. Add the ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix to combine.

Add the two cups of flour at a low speed and mix until the flour disappears. Do not overmix. Add the zucchini and chocolate chips and use a spatula to mix them into the batter.

Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes on a wire rack, and then remove the muffins from the tin and allow them to cool the rest of the way on the rack.

The muffins will keep for a few days in a airtight container, or you could freeze them. Enjoy!

Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Muffins, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Peach Pita Pizzas

Posted on July 23, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_4979
I’ve been eyeing the “Love & Lemons” cookbook for a while but I never wanted to shell out the money for it. Then Prime Day happened and the cookbook was marked down to $10, so I finally took the plunge.

“Love & Lemons” is going to become a kitchen staple for me. I flipped through the pages and dog-eared a bunch of recipes including this one for peach pita pizzas. I went shopping for the ingredients on Saturday and made it for my mom and my sister that night for dinner.

Jeanine Donofrio, the cookbook author, is all about using fresh, seasonal ingredients. I tend to agree. She says at one point in the cookbook that finding the best ingredients at a farmers’ market will elevate a dish, and she’s right. I found most of the ingredients for this pizza at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market and it made a huge difference. It took a dish that could have been somewhat bland and elevated it to gourmet.

This pizza is a great weekday lunch or dinner, or it could be a deceptively impressive party dish. It comes together quickly, makes the most of seasonal ingredients, and tastes delicious.

If you’re not a fan of of feta, you can swap in another cheese such as goat cheese. I bet the pizza would also be good with some homemade salsa or pesto on top.

A word to the wise: You want your zucchini to be very, very thin. I think this is best achieved with a mandoline, but I don’t own one because of a traumatizing finger incident a few years ago. I’m still trying to work through that trauma so hopefully soon, I can get back to using mandolines. Until then I’m just using a sharp knife and doing the best I can.

ANYWAY. Make these pizzas as soon as possible. As I said before, it helps to have the freshest ingredients you can find. The pizzas are basically little canvases for the artwork of summer, i.e., squash, tomatoes, and stone fruits.

Here’s a song to get you started on your pizza-making journey.

Peach Pita Pizzas (from “Love & Lemons”)

Ingredients

4 pieces of pita bread or naan
1 cup (250 mL) shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 zucchini, thinly sliced into coins
8 squash blossoms
1/2 cup (125 mL) halved cherry tomatoes
3 ripe peaches, sliced into segments
1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled feta cheese
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
fresh herbs (a few basil or oregano leaves)
1/2 tsp (2 mL) red pepper flakes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Assemble the pita bread or naan with the white cheddar cheese, zucchini, squash blossoms, cherry tomatoes, peaches, and feta cheese. Bake until the cheese is golden brown and the peaches and zucchini are tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, drizzle with olive oil, and top with the fresh herbs and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dimanche (That Means Sunday)

Posted on July 22, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_4988
Welcome to this edition of Dimanche (That Means Sunday), a roundup of things that caught my eye this past week.

This week was a rough week for me, as you might have seen in an earlier post. I’m struggling with a breakup and all that entails.

The good news is, I found plenty of ways to distract myself. I threw myself into work, read a lot, and spent time outside. When you’re going through a hard time, it helps to focus on the things you can control instead of the things you can’t. I’m still sad but knowing that I have loving, supportive people in my life and the same dreams and goals makes going through this time a little easier.

Without further ado, here is Dimanche:

In case you missed it, a giant Jeff Goldblum statue showed up in London last week. I enjoyed reading this Vulture story, which is written in Goldblum’s voice. More cities around the world need a gigantic statue of shirtless Jeff Goldblum, in my completely unbiased opinion.

I got to talk to the owners of Perennial City Composting this week and they’re such an inspiration. Tim and Beth Kiefer started the business to provide composting services in St. Louis and develop a model of sustainable agriculture. You can read more about them and their work in my latest story for St. Louis Magazine.

I was heartbroken to hear about Jonathan Gold’s passing. Gold was the restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times and the subject of one of my favorite documentaries, “City of Gold.” I never had the pleasure of meeting him but we talked occasionally on Twitter. He was an inspiration for me and so many other food writers. RIP. Read Gold’s obituary in the Los Angeles Times.

Clementine’s serves some of the best ice cream in St. Louis and their affogato just became my new favorite dessert. For those of you who are unfamiliar with affogato, it’s an Italian dessert that combines a scoop of ice cream with a shot of espresso. If you go to Clementine’s and order one, I’d highly recommend getting it with the salted crack caramel.

IMG_4980

Speaking of delicious St. Louis food… A doughnut feature that I worked on with a bunch of other writers and editors was just published online in St. Louis Magazine. We highlight some of the best places to get doughnuts in town. Come for the recs, stay for the pictures of doughnuts.

My coworker just loaned me “Six Seasons,” a vegetable-centric cookbook by Joshua McFadden. I can’t wait to make some recipes from it. The one I’m planning for dinner combines summer corn with farro, tomatoes, and homemade croutons. Check out the cookbook here.

Last but certainly not least, I’m also excited about another cookbook I acquired recently. I bought “Love & Lemons” on Prime Day when it was marked down to $10. It was a steal for the price and probably one of the last things I’ll buy on Amazon before I delete Prime (why are you extorting me, Amazon?). I made the recipe for pita pizzas with peaches and I’ll be posting about it here later this week.

Enjoy your week! Here’s a song to get you started.

Posted in Dimanche (That Means Sunday), Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rx for Heartbreak

Posted on July 20, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_4911
I’ve been going through a hard time lately because my boyfriend and I broke up. I debated about writing about it here because I’m a private person and my now ex-boyfriend is even more of a private person.

Then I thought, why not? Writing has always been a way for me to process complicated emotions. Also, I have nothing to hide. The relationship meant a lot to me and so it’s normal to grieve over it.

Plus, I want provide some tips to people who are experiencing or have experienced a similar thing. At one point or another, we’ve all had our heart broken. If you haven’t…well, I guess consider yourself lucky.

Here are some ideas I have for tending to a broken heart. Obviously many of them are food related, but some of them aren’t. This isn’t a guaranteed prescription for getting over someone; Only time can accomplish that. But it is a way to lessen the pain. Be very kind to yourself during trying times.

Take a Long Walk

IMG_4908
I’ve been coming back from an injury so I haven’t been out in nature as much this summer. Luckily, I’m on the mend and so this past week, I took a few long walks. Being out in nature is very therapeutic. It reminds you of natural beauty, forces you to look beyond yourself, and relaxes you. Sometimes you’ll stumble upon an unexpected scene and for a minute or two, all is right with the world.

Eat Something Delicious

IMG_4927
This isn’t exactly a new thing for me because I frequently eat delicious food. But during a breakup, it’s extra important to eat things you love. I’m talking about comfort food, or food that warms your heart and soul. See: This grilled cheese sandwich at KNEAD. I got it yesterday and it temporarily cured what ails me.

Spend Time With Loved Ones

In the days after my breakup, all I wanted to do was stay in bed and not talk to anyone. Luckily, my sisters and my mom broke into my room and forced me to talk to them. I’ve reached out to family and friends the past week and it’s been so helpful. Everyone has been supportive.

Treat Yourself

IMG_4932
I usually make breakfast at home before I go to work. This week, I decided to shake things up and treat myself to one of my favorite breakfasts, a pain au chocolat and cappuccino at Comet. I sat out on the patio, enjoyed a leisurely meal, and put off going to work. It was exactly what I needed.

Read Whatever You Want

IMG_4934
Good reading material is essential during breakups. It takes you away from yourself for a moment and puts you in a different world. This week, I escaped into the Deep South and into chaotic kitchens in Paris, France. It made me appreciate my life a little more and distracted me from my heartbreak.

Keep Busy

When I told my friend earlier this week that I was going through a breakup, she advised me to stay busy. She’s so right. I focused a lot on freelance writing work this week. I’m proud of an article I wrote about Good Fortune’s new dinner series showcasing young cooks in St. Louis.

Write it Out

IMG_4933
Not everyone likes to write so this might not be a coping strategy for the masses, but I’ve found writing to be very helpful during a breakup. Even if it’s just jotting down random thoughts, journaling can help you make sense of your emotions and process them in a safe place.

Binge Watch a TV Show

Some might argue that this is an unhealthy coping strategy, but I disagree. Watching a few episodes (or five) of one of your favorite shows can be therapeutic. I’m trying to get through the third season of “West Wing” right now. It’s a little frustrating waiting for Donna and Josh to get together, but hopefully I’ll get to that point in the show soon.

Make Plans

It’s normal to want to go far, far away after a breakup. If I had my way, I would be halfway across the country trying to distract myself from everything that’s happening in St. Louis. I can’t do that right now, though, so I’m focusing on future plans. I just finished booking a trip to Portland, ME, to go to my friend’s wedding this fall and I’m excited about it. It’s important to have things to look forward to.

Buy Something Frivolous

I wouldn’t advise spending hundreds of dollars to cope with a breakup, but treating yourself to something relatively inexpensive that you really want can be helpful. I just got these earrings. A character on a TV show I watched once said, when you’re feeling bad on the inside it’s extra important to put yourself together on the outside. She’s right. You can lounge around in your pajamas without showering for a while, but then it’s important to regroup.

Go Easy on Yourself

I once had a therapist who told me to go easy on yourself when you’re grieving. He was right. It’s easy to beat yourself up during upsetting times but it’s also counterproductive. Every time I feel like pushing myself past my limits or trying to distract myself in unhealthy ways, I take a step back and reassess.

Listen to Music

I’ve been listening to a lot of music this week. Here’s a playlist I put together a while ago for heartbreak, and a new song that I’m listening to today. There are a lot of songs about heartbreak, which in a way is reassuring. It’s something we can all relate to.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dimanche (That Means Sunday)

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_4773
Welcome to this edition of Dimanche (That Means Sunday), a roundup of things that caught my eye this past week.

This week was a blur for me. I started recovering from being sick, celebrated the Fourth of July, and then I got sick again. I think this is my body’s way of telling me that I need to slow down and relax. I’ve been running around so much lately, I haven’t stopped to breathe.

The good news is, some of that running around has paid off. I bought a new car yesterday and I am PUMPED. My old car’s air conditioning broke, and needless to say, this was not acceptable in mid-summer Missouri heat. It made more sense to get a new vehicle than repair the old one so yesterday, I went with my mom to scope out new cars. I’m happy I went with her because she “drives a hard bargain,” as the car salesman who sold me my car said. He isn’t wrong.

This week, I’m looking forward to driving my new car, trying different recipes, but also, just taking time to *be.* After I write this post, I’m going to head to a local park and read for a while. It’s a good day to be outside and recharge.

Without further ado, here is Dimanche:

Earlier this week, I came across a long Twitter thread about airplane romance. Apparently a woman and her boyfriend asked a man and a woman to switch seats so they could sit together on a plane. Then the people who switched seats sat in front of them and hit it off. The woman tweeted live updates of their blossoming love. The story is trending under “#PlaneBae” and a couple other flight-themed hashtags. Check out the full story in the Chicago Sun-Times.

I’m a big fan of Nathaniel Reid, a local pastry chef who’s trained in classic French pastry. I enjoyed reading this Q&A with Reid in The Riverfront Times. I never knew that he planned to be a herpetologist before he became a pastry chef.

My friend Lyndsey Gilpin just launched a new website for her publication, “Southerly,” this week. The magazine focuses on Southern culture, ecology, and justice. I’d highly recommend checking it out, even if you’re not from the South. These are issues that affect all of us, whether we realize it or not.

Speaking of the South… I’ve looked up to Vivian Howard, a Southern chef and author, since I started watching her show, “A Chef’s Life,” on PBS. For the Fourth of July, I decided to make Howard’s recipe for blueberry cobbler. It’s sweet, salty, tart, and crunchy. Basically, it’s everything cobbler should be and more. Check out the recipe here.

Blueberry Cobbler

Did I mention that I bought a new car? I’m pretty excited about it, if you haven’t noticed. A big thank you to George Hobbs at Lou Fusz Toyota in Kirkwood, and to my mom for helping me wheel and deal (pun fully intended). I love my car. Yesterday I wanted to sleep on top of it to protect it, but then I realized that would be weird.

IMG_4847

On the Fourth of July, I went on a leisurely walk through the Longview Farm Park with my family. If you’re in the St. Louis area and you want to go to a park that’s relatively secluded with easy walking trails, I would suggest heading to Longview Farm. It has a pasture and barn to one side of it and if you’re lucky, you’ll see some horses grazing there.

IMG_4802

Last but certainly not least, France made it to the World Cup semifinals and I’m pretty excited about it. I couldn’t watch their match against Uruguay because I was at work, but I looked at live updates online. I’m definitely tuning into their upcoming match against Belgium. Allez les Bleus!

Here’s a song to start your week. It’s a remix of one of my favorite songs on Kacey Musgrave’s new album.

Posted in Dimanche (That Means Sunday), Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment