Leftovers #147
Spring salads, bar playlists, writing advice, London plates and Pilates
Have picked up learning French again, so much so that I’ve asked my friend Coco if we can text and voice note exclusively en francais, and the other night we met up for a pint and spoke for over 3 hours in very basic and broken French. Feels good to flex the muscle. Had decided my energy is much better spent in improving my language skills than in dating. Only so many rejections a girl can handles in one week you know.
A case for the fancy Sunday dinner party
I invited some friends round for an early dinner and felt like making it more dinner party than Sunday lunch. I wanted to cook something that could be placed in the beautiful bowl made by my friend Alex (who is the wonderful ceramicist and collaborator behind the first edition of Kettle Objects - there’s still a few left!). So a tangle of linguine with clams, sake, wild garlic and miso butter. So chic!
For starters, I followed suit from a dinner I’d had the night before at Rita’s and made seabass crudo but with a tahini, soy and chilli oil drizzle; and tuna tartare served with crinkle cut crisps. It was UNBELIEVABLY easy and I’m not just saying that. All I had to do was slice the sea bass on an angle, drizzle it with some good olive oil, arrange some jalapeño slices and pickled red onions and then the dressing was literally: runny tahini, a little water to loosen, a little soy sauce, a spoonful of chilli crunch and a squeeze of lime. I whisked that up then drizzled it over the top and it went down a treat.
Good things to consume (bodily)
A super springy snap pea and orange salad from
A similar snap pea number from Hailee Catalano but with radishes and avo
V into the sound of this homemade lychee lemonade which can turn into a shandy (an underrated summer drink IMHO)
More spring salad inspo: giant couscous, herbs, peas and a garlicky dressing
Not someone for girl dinner but am someone who’s into a snack plate for lunch so
Feel like you need my charred lemon dressing in your life this weekend
Also these tahini meatballs with gochujang orzo are so good and v impressive yet easy to make (if I do say so myself)
Make miso butter chicken and pair it with grapefruit, why the f not?
A reminder that when it’s too sunny to cook (aka you don’t want to miss the sun by being in your kitchen), drizzling soy sauce, sesame oil, runny tahini, chilli crisp and furikake over any kind of tofu is the perfect sun soaked snack:
Good things to consume (culturally)
If you haven’t read The Atlantic piece revealing how editor-in-chief Jeffery Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal group by various USA heads of national security where they revealed explicit war plans to bomb Yemen… then you should.
It’s true that Rita’s in Soho is a wonderful place for a late dinner reservation (I like going at 9.30pm and staying until close… head to Below Stone Nest before for excellent negronis). Also a 8.45pm res at The Canton Arms on a Friday night is also just as delicious - arrive at 7ish for martinis and pints stood outside before then tuck into a pie for two after. Bliss.
I discovered the work of artist Lisa Yuskavage whilst browsing the David Zwirner website and I love her lens on the female body, the male gaze and how she integrates women observing as well as being observed.
I’ve become an Arc sauna/cold plunge convert. I say I was ready to hate it but who am I kidding, it’s exactly my vibe: mood lighting, good music, and looks like it belongs in NYC/LA/Vancouver. If you’re on ClassPass it’s than 10 credits for a 70 minute session!!! If you prefer a totally silent sauna experience, this isn’t for you, though. Definitely more social and great to go with friends. Also don’t be put off by its Canary Wharf location - it’s easy to get to and it kind of feels like you’re in an episode of Suits.
I did really enjoy the FT’s content series on different ways of dining, marked by a panel of judges who I trust with my palate. Lots of good tips and thoughts - from how we treat servers (never an excuse not to tip) to what a menu with more than 7 courses really means (not worth it tbh).
Writers or Annie Erneaux fans (I feel there might be quite a crossover there): her tips for writing and creating on the Louisiana website (best gallery in Europe IMHO, just outside of Copenhagen) are up and brilliant.
Have a bad habit of only half-reading books, so I’m making an effort to finish all the books I’ve left with bookmarks by my bedside table. I finished Central Places by Delia Cai last week which I loved; now I’m back on City On Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg - it’s a bit of an opus (turned into an Apple TV show a few years ago) set in New York in the 70s. It takes some concentrating but it’s great if you really want to get into a story!
A reminder to London Pilates friends that my amazing pal Nat is back teaching Pilates In The Park at Highbury Fields on Saturdays at 10.30am. Come for the achingly good Pilates sequences, killer playlists and sunbathing opportunity whilst working out; stay for the coffees and catch ups after with a group of amazing humans!!! Everyone welcome, just bring your own mat.
Bar Creek Playlist
The songs you can expect when you come to my bar (work in progress but it’s happening…)
