I’m finding it hard to wrap my head around the fact that this summer happened (Where was August??). Last summer was pure chaos; one mess after another. The majority of that could be attributed to the thrill of it being a “normal” post-covid summer. The rest is most likely because all my friends and I were unemployed at the time. This summer seemed to be consumed by work — some good, some bad. It also felt more transitional than normal. It marked the last summer before close friends and family entered married life, went away to grad school, or moved on to new and “bigger” jobs. It’s all becoming very *adult* over here.
But still, so much happened. Roe v. Wade. Monkeypox (perhaps, another reason this summer seemed more mild than usual). Our 116th and first Black woman Supreme Court justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson, was sworn in. Lea Michele got a spray tan and rose from the dead. We were introduced to The Bear, which I’ve consumed almost every ounce of media coverage on, except for actually watching it. The Olivia Wilde vs. Florence Pugh vs. Shia LaBeouf of it all. We lost a Queen (Olivia Newton-John, of course). And, most importantly, Beyoncé released her first studio album in six years, (though I maintain that The Gift deserves to be more highly regarded than it is).
Disco is alive, and Prince would be proud. When she opens ‘Cuff It’ by proclaiming “I feel like falling in love” set to a roller-skate beat and horns, I also want to fall in love. “I wanna go missing”. The entire 16-track piece is a cathartic and euphoric ode to Black queer joy (if you haven’t heard ‘Pure/Honey’ in the club yet, you’re in for it), and its timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
In his New York Times review, critic Wesley Morris draws a line between Beyoncé’s Renaissance, and the Harlem Renaissance of 100 years ago:
“Its artists were gay and straight and whatever was in between. The point is they called that a renaissance, too. It sustained and delivered delight and provocation in spite of the surrounding crisis, it gave people looking for a house something that approximates home. New salvation, old foundation.”
Onto the food…
I had big plans for so many newsletters this summer: deep dives into tomato toast; WTF is a cucamelon; how to cook with fresh chamomile (?). Then life got ahead of me, and you were left with only peaches and a gay dinner party. But I was still cooking constantly and enjoying the greatest produce season. Here are some highlights:
Brooklyn’s newest collab-driven wine bar…
What began as a coworking space for artists and creatives back in 2019 has evolved into one of Brooklyn’s most talked about new restaurants, OStudio at Night. While there’s a partially fixed dinner menu by house chef, Omri Silberstein, the real thrill is found in the series of monthly chef residencies and pop-ups. I ate here with a friend when the guest chefs were a couple from the upcoming East Village restaurant, Caleta. After previously making ice cream out of their Bushwick apartment, OStudio was a space for them to now experiment with the savory. We ate sunchokes aji verde, mussel toast, leek confit, little gems, and a delicious baked Alaska with corn ice cream. Also - all the ceramics found on the tables are made on-site. Favorite dining experience this summer, by far.
LEEK Recipe Club
For all the LEEK recipes, including that melon salad, head to the Recipe Club.
LEEK is a semi-regular newsletter / market challenge / cooking journal / and community for folx curious about food, and what to do with it. If that sounds like you...