This week is the Barbenheimer of holidays — there’s something for everyone. On Sunday, we’re going to town on foods that make our acid reflux flare up, and on Wednesday, we’re going out on the town to eat foods that make our acid reflux flare up. Between game day and date night, it feels as though this week was designed for my very real giant Tum’s purse (I’m taking questions in the comments). We’ll spare you the corny football references and musings on why going out to eat on Valentine’s Day is rarely a good idea; Instead we’re sharing each of our ideal menus* for both occasions so that you can build your very own dream menu. Think of it like a menu draft! That’s a sports reference, right?
*Tums sold separately.
And I was told this was “not appropriate” for a Black Tie wedding…
RECC CENTER
Gaby’s Reccs
What’s cooking:
Nothing. I’m addicted to buying rotisserie chickens at my grocery store, I’m sorry!!!!!
And by “my grocery store” I mean Union Market
What I’m eating:
In-N-Out in Salt Lake City an hour before my flight started boarding. Does anyone know if they’ll make animal style fries without the cheese, just sauce and grilled onions? Let me know if you do.
What I’m reading/watching/consuming:
I’m about to finish season 2 of “The Bear”, and while I would do anything and everything for Jeremy Allen White, I’m finding it a lot of the show incredibly corny??? As an Italian girl from an insane family, that Christmas episode was absolute magic, but I’m struggling with some of the restaurant scenes. Am I crazy?
On my radar:
I was, of course, procrastinating while writing this, but while I was, I spotted these gorgeous plates of dessert at Libertine! Unfortunately, that’s a restaurant that’s been lumped together with Raf’s, Sartiano’s, & Principe in my brain, but these plates of seemingly rice pudding and chocolate mousse are helping it stand out from the rest!
Ketchup and seemingly ranch (Gaby’s version)
Court’s Reccs
What’s cooking:
I can’t stop making a shortcut riff on the Broccoli Reuben from Court Street Grocers with roasted broccoli, sharp cheddar, and kimchi. Utterly delicious.
Wrong bread, still good.
What I’m eating:
I spent last week in my hometown on a gluttonous, glutinous trip down memory lane. Highlights include perfect pizza at Star Tavern and perhaps my favorite pancakes in the world—the sourdough-laced, thin, stretchy crepe-like 49ers from Original Pancake House—which scratched the itch a closed-for-winter-break Cafe Mutton did not (my backup plan was making these).
The only 49ers I’ll root for
What I’m reading/watching/consuming:
Devouring “Big Swiss” despite the initial upset that it has nothing to do with cheese.
To me there is a hierarchy on Super Bowl Sunday; wings are at the top, followed by pizza, pigs in a blanket, then chips and dips.
Court’s Hierarchy of Needs
For pizza, this dough is my go-to, and despite being made with rapid rise yeast, gets shockingly light and airy after a 45-minute rise then another 20ish on a well-oiled sheet pan. Follow my lead and place little cubes of cheese around the edges for maximum Detroit-style frico. As for wings, the promise of crunchy “oven-fried” wings sounds too good to be true, like a protein bar that actually tastes like ‘chocolate cupcake’ But thanks to capital ‘s’ Science (and Serious Eats) it is possible, with the help of baking powder. Don’t fumble at the end—just do Franks + melted butter. And speaking of 2-ingredient wonders, I recently had Ro*tel Dip for the first time, and it’s damn near perfect, though if this really is Alamo Drafthouse’s queso recipe I would be happily have that on my table, too. And some caramelized onion dip, because why not?! Chex mix like this one is also always welcome. Finally, for pigs in a blanket, fancy need not apply—give me the goods.
Gaby:
I am once again telling you the most important thing in my life this weekend is my guacamole football field. I will also be making the GOAT spinach artichoke dip recipe and attempting a very large football shaped brownie. I’m going to go on a chip hunt at Trader Joe’s this weekend (send thoughts and prayers) and hopefully bring home those super salty & crunchy corn dippers, some type of pickle chip and tons of their white-labeled-Stacy’s-pita chips. I also feel strongly about filling my bathtub with ice and beer, something I have never done before because I’m not sure if it’s fun or disgusting, but I think I’m going to find out on Sunday.
OUR DREAM VALENTINE’S DAY MENUS
Court:
We wrote about early dating food a few weeks ago, but now I’m talking deep-in-the-relationship food. Valentine’s Day is about loaded gestures, so when I’m picking a menu, I’m thinking about what each dish says. A dish like Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon says “Like a dish that takes 6 whole hours to braise, I’m in this for the long haul.” But if you have a job where you can’t get away with secretly cooking the entire day while occasionally moving the mousepad so your Slack stays active, what about a heart-shaped pizza, as suggested by our beloved friend
(she recommends getting the dough from somewhere great like Scarr’s.) One thing is for certain: you should start the meal with shrimp cocktail—I prefer roasting to poaching—and end it with chocolate pudding—this one won’t even give you a belly ache—preferably garnished with a strawberry crustacean. Not a chocolate person? A couple I’m friends with made Claire’s Paris-Brest over the weekend, and if that isn’t a relationship test akin to an all-day IKEA excursion, I don’t know what is. If you start now, it’ll be done by Valentine’s Day!
Gaby:
I like going out on Valentine’s Day, but never to fancy spots or ones with set menus for the holiday. A neighborhood spot that still has reservations available a week out is always a good sign. I’ve spent a Valentine’s Day at Diner in Williamsburg and another at Cafe Spaghetti in Carroll Gardens; both were perfect. I won’t tell you where I’m going this year but I will tell you that I almost decided to stay home and make
’s new lemon pepper pasta with browned butter and a big, vinegary bowl of herbs and gorgeous pink radicchio and castelfranco. Dessert would have been (and still might be) homemade ice cream sundaes. One pint of vanilla, another of a fun flavor like Chunky Monkey or Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz Buzz + homemade, lightly sweetened whip + this hot fudge (halve it and sub honey for corn syrup).
Send this newsletter to someone you love as a subtle hint of what you want on Wednesday ;)
