Welcome to Cooking Stuff. This is a place where we talk about all things food, cooking, and life. I paused my regular publishing frequency to focus more on IRL projects but you will still hear from me every now and then, just like today. If you are not a subscriber, hit that button below to join us. Upgrade to a paid subscription to unlock the full archive of 80+ recipes and get cooking. More of me, here.
July 1st I tested positive for covid and it is amazing how little I cared. I had 13 days until my next dinner, which was being filmed, and luckily nothing to do all week with the upcoming holiday. I changed my RSVP to the 4th of July party to no, ordered an inflatable pool on Amazon, and got in bed. On day three of the fever I said to Marco (who did not get sick) “What if I never get better and we have to cancel?” The next day I woke up feeling like myself again.
We spent the 4th and 5th of July in the backyard. Heading out in the morning and not coming inside until dinner time. Our little pool was the perfect temperature, I napped in a bikini on the lounge chair, we grilled hotdogs, and many popsicles were consumed. The best part was that Marco actually sat next to me the whole time and relaxed. He relaxed! No gardening, no futzing with a project, just laying on a lounge chair. Those two days were so relaxing it felt like we were on vacation and not in our backyard. When the sun ducked behind the neighbor’s house we would come in with wet towels and the very specific feeling of summer exhaustion. It was perfect and we both declared how good we felt.
When I finally opened my calendar to see what my upcoming week looked like I was reminded that Chaz passed away exactly a year ago. What a difference a year can make. While in that moment we sat in pure bliss and gratitude for our happy little life, exactly a year ago we were crumbling from heartbreak. A year feels so long and so short all at the same time. Here we are in July 2024 and everything is okay.
I celebrated a year of Backyard this month and am emotional about it. Backyard was born out of a deep loneliness and craving for connection. Real human-to-human connection. It’s given me that and so much more. We have made new friends, celebrated birthdays, worked our asses off, and stayed up way too late giggling in the yard. Inviting strangers to our house for dinner has been the best thing I have ever done. 182 guests dined in our backyard/living room this year!! My cooking has a new purpose and I feel valued and important in a “business” capacity for the first time in my life. I work 16-hour days at Backyard and I’m so invigorated at the end that I sit in bed unable to fall asleep until 3 am. When one dinner ends, I’m thinking about the next.
There were many years here where I felt like I was floating through life with my eyes closed. Today I’m standing with confidence and know where I’m going (kind of).
Anyway, Toby was here filming my week. We ran errands together Thursday and he captured the day Saturday. Thursday was the day Chaz died and it felt like a nice sign that it happened to be on the day we filmed. If you haven't been able to attend a dinner, there will be a little clip for you to watch soon.
Thank you for reading, coming to dinner, and believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself. It’s been a fun ride and I’m excited to see where we go next.
Upcoming Backyard Dates
Our next dinner, August 10th with Cypress Grove, sold out in 10 minutes in presale. Insane!! We have decided to crank out more dinners while the weather is nice. Here are the dates:
August 17th - *New date added. Tickets are on sale this Saturday 7/27, presale email will be sent out Friday 7/26.
August 24th - Our birthday bash. We are doing a Backyard dinner instead of having a joint birthday party, so this is our birthday party lol. Come celebrate with us.
Sept 7th - The last summer dinner before we take a little break and then we will see you in fall.
Chilled Cucumber Soup
I have added a seventh course to Backyard, a soup sip. Served in an espresso cup, at the beginning of the meal, just a little sip to get the night going. Because it is so hot I have been doing chilled soups. Cucumber has been a hit! This recipe is written a little loose. Truthfully it’s more of a Wing It Recipe and you can’t really mess it up. Cucumbers are in season now, go make it!!
Ingredients
2 lbs Persian cucumbers, peeled
1 cup-ish Buttermilk
1/2-1 Jalapeno
Handful of chives
Handful of dill
Handful of parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
Garnish
Finely minced shallot
Rice vinegar
Really good olive oil
Cilantro or cilantro micro greens
Allium flowers or minced chives
Instructions
Prep the shallot garnish: Finely mince a shallot, add it to a bowl, cover with rice vinegar, and add a pinch of salt. Cover and place off to the side for an hour +. I prep this in the morning and let it sit until dinner.
Peel cucumbers, roughly chop them into large pieces and add to a blender. Add a cup of buttermilk and blend until smooth. Add more buttermilk if needed to make the soup smooth and fluid enough to sip.
Add a handful of chives, parsley, and dill, 1/2 a jalapeno, the juice from 1 lemon, and a pinch of salt. Blend again until very smooth. Taste and adjust with more jalapeno, herbs, lemon, and/or salt.
Transfer to a container or put the lid on your blender and chill the soup in the fridge for at least an hour. Our goal is to get the soup very cold.
To serve: pour chilled soup into espresso cups. Garnish with a little spoonful of minced shallot and a drizzle of rice vinegar, a drizzle of good olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, cilantro/cilantro micro greens, and allium flowers/minced chives.
Serve immediately!
*The soup will separate while chilling in the fridge. Give it a good shake, stir, or quick blend right before serving.
After 12 Years of Reviewing Restaurants, I’m Leaving the Table – Pete Wells is stepping down as NYT restaurant critic. This is a great read. Melissa Clarke and Priya Krishna are stepping in as the new critics and I am pumped!
We Tried 10 Hot Dog Brands – Hot dogs are having a moment. They have always had a special spot in my life (my 30th birthday hot dog party) and I have many opinions. My grocery store pick: Teton Waters Ranch classic hot dog. If you are in LA, Big City Reds from McCalls are great. Cream Co. dry aged beef hot dogs are also very great. I’m picky about my dogs. I like them BEEFY. All of those are beefy.
The most soothing video…also this is Marco and I in another life…
I think about Yoli Tortilleria often. They were a staple for us in KC. Marissa rocks!
Marco and I are tired of mediocre meals and coffees. Our current favorite coffee spot is Loquat. These are the same people that just opened Fondry, the new hot spot for croissants on the east side. Fondry has a long line before they open. Skip the line and grab one of their pastries at Loquat (only available Sunday-Tuesday). You’re welcome.
An inflatable pool!! This is the best $60 we ever spent. It has transformed our backyard into an oasis and we have spent a dozen days already floating in the pool. When we are done we use the water to water our garden. No waste!
So happy to have connected to you and with you through Backyard ♥️ happy birthday to Backyard, and a big congratulations to you - you’re an inspiration!
wow! you have grown up!