world's first newsletter!

cheers to always being the last person to join the bandwagon

first newsletter! wahoo! I’m so glad you’re here

I find it funny…

that I’m sitting hear typing draft #1 of my newest project, a newsletter, when writing has always been my least favorite thing to do (or so I've told myself). I was that gal in college who would 100% rather study and take a test than write an essay. I’ve always thought that was an unpopular opinion but let’s see…

I bring this up only to hold myself accountable. I am easily excited by the prospect of a new project, part 1 of a series, talking about a new idea, making a plan- but when it comes to the execution…. I don’t often follow through.

BUT, then I remember that starting my instagram (@handmethefork) felt the same. I created the account after months of toying with the idea, ultimately convinced that I would get bored of it within the week and let it wither away in the instagram graveyard of abandoned accounts by people who got bored, stopped caring, or gave up on their idea. Maybe these EXTREMELY low expectations are what allowed me to persist. Or maybe there was something to the timing of spring 2020, lockdown, recent graduate, no job, bored out of my mind that was enough for me to remain consistent :)

my highly filtered IG feed from the summer of 2020. god bless

in the spirit of extremely low expectations here’s what you can expect from my new newsletter, Forklore.

when

Through the end of the year, I plan to send out a newsletter every Friday morning. That means you can expect 8 posts before the end of 2024. All content will be free, because this is a two month experiment with extremely low expectations, so if I miss a week you can’t get angry with me :)

what

We are diving head first into Holiday season, so in the next two months you can expect holiday gift guides, entertaining ideas, recipes, menus and everything in between. Anything goes because, again, we are keeping expectations extremely low.

why

Starting a new project is intimidating but, creatively, I’ve felt uninspired recently. I’m curious to see if flexing this new muscle of longer form writing sparks anything. I’m also in the very early stages of some longer term projects and I’d love a place to share more details with people who very intentionally want to be here.

a note about this week and self-care

This week was shitty. If you’re upset with the results of the election, I am right there with you. If you happen to be recovering from a stomach virus that absolutely ravaged your insides and 5 days later left you still eating plain pasta, bread, and rice… I am also right there with you.

Yesterday I mustered up an hour of motivation for a speedy kitchen restock, which I really did not want to do but viewed entirely as an act of self- care. I organized a particularly chaotic cabinet, refilled all my pepper and salt grinders, along with my deli quart containers of kosher and flaky salt, and even prepped a few of my favorite salad dressings and condiments, (miso-sesame vinaigrette, creamy lemon/mustard dressing*, and gomasio*) all to the cortisol-lowering hum of my favorite autumn jazz playlist.

Some people consider self-care as everything showers and face masks. For me it’s pantry clean outs and food prep :)

if you’ve read this far, you get a P.S.

I have not quit private cheffing. I do not intend to quit private cheffing. I’m very intentionally looking for the right next client and as soon as I find that… you all will be the first to know!

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*Recipes

my favorite creamy lemon & mustard dressing

• 2 shallots, roughly chopped

• 2 heaping spoonfuls dijon mustard

• 2 big splashes red wine vinegar

• juice of one juicy lemon

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 3/4- 1 cup olive oil

blend everything except olive oil together, and then while blender is running, stream in olive oil until fully emulsified and creamy. season with salt as needed. keeps for 3 weeks in fridge, shake before using.

gomasio

a japanese condiment that, funny enough, I discovered at Ebbio (the organic farm in Tuscany that I worked at prior to culinary school). delicious on just about anything, but especially eggs, salads, sprinkled on veggies drizzled in olive oil, even ice-cream)

• 2 cups +2 tbsp of sesame seeds, toasted

• 1 tbsp of kosher salt

in a food processor (can also use blender) pulse together 2 cups of toasted (and cooled) sesame seeds and salt. It should only take 3-5 pulses for sesame seeds to be ground up and mixed with salt. *any more than that and the mixture will start to resemble wet sand as natural oils are further released from sesame seeds*. mix with remaining sesame seeds and store in airtight container in cool, dry place!

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