Three Things

A simple summer pasta, a tomato-forward cocktail, a spare, witty novel

Greetings friends and a warning right from the get-go: Content for the next week or two might get kinda tedious as I toggle back and forth between tomato recipes, corn recipes, and tomato-and-corn recipes. I refuse to apologize for this — if you’re not having one or both with every meal, you might need to take a hard look at your priorities. A few years ago I wrote about the two summer MVPs and every August like clockwork, I get a text from Cup of Jo’s Joanna Goddard with a photo of the Corn-and-Tomato Stew with Sausages (bottom, right) and the message “We made it again!” That one is indeed such a keeper. One more thing before we get to the other beauties up there: Did you enter last week’s giveaway? The two winners have been announced in the comment section, and perhaps one of them is…you? Thanks for playing, everyone. Here are Three Things I’d like to tell you about this week…

1. Tiny Tomato Pasta

Earlier in the summer, the delightful Caroline Chambers joined me for a Substack Live where we talked all about things grilling, and the first order of business was, of course, establishing who was on Team Charcoal and who was on Team Gas. I prefer the smoky flavor that charcoal imparts, Caro preferred the ease and the whole no-dishes thing that a gas grill offers. I haven’t re-watched our video since then, but I remember she said something like “Well, you’re in the charcoal era of your life, and I’m in the gas era.” That made me laugh. She’s right, and it reminded me that so much of the way we cook has to do with how much time we have — at this point in my life, I can view the somewhat involved charcoal grill setup almost like a meditative practice. For Caro? Going to the trouble of stuffing a chimney with newspaper and briquettes then waiting a half hour for the coal to glow like lava is a step she’s happy to skip. Skipping steps is in fact her superpower as a recipe developer — she has four kids under seven and is running the What to Cook empire, which includes her popular newsletter, a new video series, and bestselling cookbooks, the latest of which, Make it Fast, an ode to streamlining, just landed in bookstores. (Just watching her on Instagram exhausts me.) MiF is a compilation of complete dinners (read: no sides) organized by 15-minute and 30-minute recipes, so designed for anyone on the move or who appreciates a quick and easy meal — something anyone in any era can appreciate. I love the way she writes the prep work directly into the recipe instructions instead of in the ingredient list, which is the way busy people actually cook. She was nice enough to share this summery buttery pasta with DALS readers so you can see for yourself.

Tiny Tomato Pasta

Serves 4-6

Caro Chambers's Tiny Tomato Pasta

135KB ∙ PDF file

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Notes From Caro:

Tip: If you’re feeding picky/texture-averse eaters, blend the sauce with an immersion blender or transfer it to a standing blender before adding the pasta, basil, and Parm. Learn: Stirring in the cheese in two batches helps it melt more evenly without clumping. Shortcut: I will always and forever grate my own Parm in the blender or food processor. Just cut off the rind, cut it into a few hunks, and blend or process until grated.

2. Tomato-Water for Cocktail Hour

I’m almost afraid to admit to this, but as predicted, the pan con tomate I told you about last week seems to have officially overtaken a classic tomato sandwich as my August go-to lunch. At least for now. I think there are a few reasons for this. To begin with, even me, the most creature-of-habit creature of all time has to mix it up every once in a while. Next, a pan con tomate is made with olive oil instead of mayo so it’s more universal if you’re feeding people. (I love mayo, but I find that people who don’t really don’t.) Lastly, once I’ve grated my tomatoes and strained them, I end up with what you’re looking at above — a few ounces of the most beautifully aromatic tomato water…

…which I then save for cocktail hour. You can use the tomato water in a simple Tomato Martini. Or, if you’re looking for a special NA drink, as I always am these days, you can make what I’m calling my Garden Tomato Spritz. Just simply top off a few ounces of tomato water with a splash or two of lemon or lime seltzer, a spoonful of pickle juice, and a dash of hot sauce to taste. (A Spindrift Nojito with its hint of mint is also a worthy mixer.) I like mine tomato-forward, which means:

Garden Tomato Spritz

2-3 parts tomato water
1 part seltzer
1/2 part pickle juice
dash hot sauce

If you want to up the fun factor — and why wouldn’t you? — garnish with a speared cherry tomato and cucumber.

I worked hard on this photo.

3. Just Finished: The Palm House

I knew nothing about The Palm House, by Gwendoline Riley, but when I spied its cover in the Booker Longlist section of the local bookstore, it was almost a Pavlovian response to buy it. The Booker doesn’t hurt, of course, but I am such a sucker for a New York Review Books cover and that signature design — restrained text over a striking piece of art or photography — which you know probably without even realizing you know. I think of NYRB for books the way I think of Criterion for films: a highly curated list of novels, essay collections, overlooked works, and classics. (Though NYRB publishes original books alongside old ones.) When you pick up a book published by NYRB, even if it hasn’t been longlisted for a prestigious award, you know the writing is going to be literary and interesting. (Remember this NYRB banger?)

So that’s what I was in the mood for when I picked up The Palm House. I’ve been reading a lot of propulsive, plot-driven novels lately (#summer), and was craving literary fiction, something deeper and quieter. I got it. There’s not much of a plot here — the book is about a friendship between Laura and Putnam, two longtime colleagues, both somewhat lonely, who meet at a Paris Review-type literary magazine in London and spend a good amount of time gossiping deliciously about their officemates while throwing back (multiple) drinks in pubs. When a new editor is charged with making the magazine relevant, Putnam leaves in protest, and Laura finds herself worrying about him more and more. In between we hear about Laura’s childhood, which can feel somewhat unrelated to the main thread, but Riley’s writing is so observant and witty, and I ended up caring about the characters so much, that I would’ve followed them anywhere.

Have a great week!
Jenny ❤️

P.S. Happy ❌❌ th Birthday Mom!

My mom is celebrating a big birthday this week! She won’t let me tell you how old she is (“It’s bad for business”), but here she is in her natural habitat — her law office — organizing all the necessary documents for my house closing three years ago. She’s still going to the office every day; still reads the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times every morning; still talks to her college best friend Joan multiple times a week; still refuses to throw away burned-out lightbulbs or her busted coffee maker (“You never know!”); still scrutinizes every grocery receipt like it’s a legal contract; still saves every single Chipotle container to reuse for…not sure what; still writes in perfect Palmer script; still won’t stand in front of a microwave when she’s reheating a cup of coffee; still calls me “honeybunch;” still goes for her one-mile “daily constitutional” before dinner. It hasn’t been easy without my dad — her husband of 55 years — but when I asked her what the secret to aging well is, she says “exercise, having work you love, and surrounding yourself with family and old friends to help keep a sense of humor.” Happy Birthday, Nana. We love you! xoxox

If you like what you read, please take a sec to hit the ❤️ button at the top left or bottom left of this newsletter. It helps spread the word about Dinner: A Love Story and also really makes my day.