Hey, hey!
Coming in early this week because we’re hosting our (now) annual Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian New Year) party tomorrow. I have some family and friends coming in town for it, so I’m giving myself the gift of “No Computers” this weekend to be with everyone and chill some. We’re having over 70 people this year (!) and so excited to see how many buuz (dumplings) we’ll all end up making together.
I shared this video last year about a family making hundreds of buuz for the New Year (we use their recipe from the video, sub vegan sausage). It’s a happy 15 minutes and love seeing their traditions / techniques.
Ok, I need to go start making so much food.
Paid subscribers, I’ve got an amazing recipe and guest coming your way in two weeks. See you soon.
Happy Tsagaan Sar!
Love,
Jessica
The Things That Freaked My Week
Some things I’m currently into…
Chocolove Dark Chocolate Mint Creme
A special someone bought these for me as a surprise travel snack and they are so freaking good. They have a gooey center that is rare to find in the dairy-free candy world. I love that they have a fancy name…but I’ve just been calling them “those vegan Junior Mints.”
Therapists Trade The Couch For The Great Outdoors via NYT
While my future Horticultural Therapy clients will never get me to go camping …I love that more people are seeking nature for therapeutic purposes and makes me so excited nature-based therapy is becoming more main stream. Thanks for sending my way, Kristen.
Tuk and Lu Pajamas
Karsson shared her amazing line of pajamas for our December community roundup and somehow I completely missed her submission. And as someone who wears pajamas the second they walk inside the house, I really can’t believe I missed it…I want all of these! They look so cozy, airy, and perfect for sticky Charleston summers. Thanks for being so cool about the delay, Karsson.
Two Dots
Apparently this game isn’t new or an underground discovery of mine – because when I just Googled it – Two Dots has it’s on Wikipedia page and came out in 2014. But it’s new to me! And I love it. I have to delete the app at the start of each day, so I stay focused on my work.
Chloe List’s Unbox Inbox
This newsletter is getting its own section, because it’s one of the greatest I have ever seen. Each letter has a theme (Peanut Butter, Soap, Mustard, Butter, etc) and then Chloe rounds up hundreds of different packaging designs for them and then categorizes them into different groups like “Pasta for the person who knows who Paul Rand is” and “Bar soap for the person who keeps the plastic on their new iPhone screen for a week” and then she does a time travel section into vintage packaging and then she does an interview with someone about their favorite products. It’s truly so, so good and feels more like a real life magazine than an online newsletter.
Go check it out!
Something special for you…
Charleston-based pantry-staples company, Red Clay, wanted to share a special discount with everyone here. Anything on the site for 25% off with code: HOTSAUCE25 for the month of February. My favorites of theirs are the Spicy Everything Salt and the Verde Hot Sauce (which comes in a limited-edition biggie bottle!)
No affiliate links / kickbacks for me…just proud of my hometown brand doing big things and wanted to share.
If you’re new here, some other great guests and recipes to check out from the archives…
Seared Broccoli And Capers + Old Tweets
Really Good Oatmeal Cookies + Bon App’s Ali Francis
Chocolate Eggplant Brownies + Small Tomatoes + Scandals
Post Instagram-ish + Crate + Barrel's Content Director, Merritt Watts
Salsa Verde + Botanica’s Emily Fiffer
And some books by me:
One Part Plant: A Guide to Eating Real One Meal At a Time
Know Your Endo: An Empowering Guide To Health + Hope With Endometriosis