Hi hi hi! Took a longer-than-expected hiatus from the newsletter but happy to be back sharing my food with you again. Thanks for your patience!
Cooking
Summer ‘BBQ’ feast: it was a long weekend in England this past weekend, and the sun was shining! I was feeling major summer vibes, and despite not having a BBQ or outdoor space, wanted to host a little BBQ-inspired meal for my friend. Here was the menu:
King Arthur’s Hamburger Buns: I find it really hard to find hamburger buns here that aren’t the sad little hockey pucks. I tried my hand at homemade buns and they were sooo good. This recipe is super low fuss - I kneaded my dough by hand (for about 8 minutes until soft to the touch, with a little bounce back). The buns were fluffy, golden brown, and the perfect vessel for a burger. I made 10 buns from the recipe so froze most for future me.
Homemade pickles: I also struggled to find relish or sweet pickles, so I followed the cucumber pickle recipe in this gravlax recipe for a sweet pickle-y topping
Burgers: I always keep my burgers super simple - just form the patty from the beef mince, trying to not overly handle it so they don’t become tough, then a solid crusting of salt and pepper on each side so they are well seasoned. I cooked mine in a pan stove top, topped with cheese.
Coleslaw: I am now realising I really need to add my coleslaw recipe to my site, but for now, you can find it in the description of this old IG post.
Alison Roman’s Sizzled Scallion and Zucchini Pasta Salad: this is always a go-to for me in the summer - it’s so fresh, full of different textures, and gets better each day so an easy make-ahead side. I used cashews instead of walnuts because that’s what I had on hand, and did half asparagus instead of all zucchini to take advantage of the season. So so yummy!
Other things I cooked:
Gochuchang Butter Noodles: these have become a new go-to comfort meal for me, super easy to cook for one person, and the best bite of spice and sweet.
Leftover brisket hash: I checked out Texas Joe’s on Friday, which is an American BBQ restaurant in my neighbourhood. I had lots of brisket leftover so used that to make a brunch hash on Saturday morning - sweet potato, regular potato, red pepper, red onion, smoked paprika, chilli powder, garlic powder, topped with aged cheddar and fresh green onion + a perfect fried egg. Tasty brunch!
Alison Roman’s Rhubarb Almond Galette: I didn’t have marzipan so ended up riffing on the almond filling from Molly Baz’s Miso Caramel Apple Tart. Instead of adding miso to the filling I just seasoned it well with some kosher salt to balance out the sweetness. Otherwise followed Alison’s recipe to a tee, and this was a delicious sweet ending to our BBQ feast! Served with vanilla ice cream.
Eating
Victoria Park Farmer’s Market: if you are in London on a Sunday, Victoria Park is a must-visit. It’s beautiful and all the food vendors make it a perfect destination for delicious street food and drinks. This past weekend my friend and I enjoyed momos and natural wine in the park.
Drinking
Aspall Cider. I’ve tried many ciders in London and this is my fav go-to option. Crisp, refreshing, and not too sweet.
Reading
Food blogging reminds me of what I’m capable of and how my heritage is my own
Following
@jacquelynshao - great meal prep ideas and she has been inspiring to use my freezer more for lunches to take to work.
Listening
Thinking
About feeling settled. Part of the reason I avoided writing this newsletter is the last few months have been a bit tough mentally getting used to living in a new country and all the things that come with that. Some days feel hard, but those days are fewer and farther in between the more time I’ve been here. I think it’s really reassuring to look at the food I’m cooking as a sign of my growth here - making homemade hamburger buns 4 months ago would have felt inconceivable! I was so uncomfortable in my kitchen, in buying ingredients here, in turning on my oven, etc. It is exciting to see the growth I’m experiencing here through my food.
Laughing
Have a great week,
Kaleigh