My go-to fall snacks & 3 books I loved...
Reading & Eating
In my dreams, I write this newsletter faithfully once a week, like a normal person—a couple recipes, a few good photos, some book recommendations. (In those same dreams, I remember all my passwords and have a fancy skin care regime.) In reality, I have written exactly one newsletter since 2016, and here I am, writing the second one. We’re really baby-stepping into this one, but here we are--one of the central themes of my life this season is just plunging in where and how I can, imperfectly and without a perfect plan--perfect being the enemy of the good and all that.
On Saturday, our neighbors invited us over for dinner—they were making chickpea and chorizo stew, and probably the logical thing to offer to bring to go alongside that would have been a green salad, but I didn’t have any greens, and I knew I had everything I needed to pull together my go-to fall snacks: bacon-wrapped dates and chutney cheese dip with crackers and apple slices.
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
You’ve heard me talk about bacon-wrapped dates one thousand times, at minimum. I’ll give you just a tiny handful of reasons why these are an absolute go-to in our house:
1. You can always have bacon in the fridge or freezer and dates in the pantry, so that you’re ready to make them anytime.
2. They’re easy—slice the bacon, wrap the dates, bake. Of course you can stuff them—with goat cheese or blue cheese, almonds or pecans. Of course you can add a dipping sauce—rich, spicy piquillo pepper sauce like at Avec in Chicago, or balsamic reduction or a maple-dijon vinaigrette—all good but definitely not necessary. These are perfectly lovely just on their own.
3. They’re gluten-free and dairy-free, so if the rest of what you’re serving is bread and cheese (which, let’s be honest, is nearly always what I’m serving), these are a welcome option for GF/DF eaters.
Recipe-ish:
Preheat the oven to 350, and line a rimmed sheet pan (these from Great Jones are my favorite, both for baking and for happy hour snack trays--the bright colors make me so happy.)
Slice the whole pack of bacon down the center, so that now you have strips that are half as long. Roll each date in a slice, and place seam side down on the foil-covered baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the bacon is crisped. Transfer to a paper towel to drain, and then serve with toothpicks.
Chutney Cheese Dip
I often make this as a cheese ball, which kind of has a retro-fancy vibe, but sometimes I make it just as a dip, which is especially great when you’re making it last minute and don’t have enough time to chill the ball. I love these flavors in any shape, and I always make this on Thanksgiving Day—a plate of this cheese with crackers and apple slices, along with the dates, make delicious little snacks before the big meal.
Recipe-ish:
Soften one block of cream cheese, and grate one cup (half a block) of sharp cheddar cheese—these are the only two non-negotiables. From here, I add curry powder, a few tablespoons of chutney, a few dashes of hot sauce (I’m currently going through a Crystal hot sauce phase. And you can add cayenne instead of hot sauce if you prefer, along with the curry powder). Stir well, and then stir in sliced green onions, chopped peanuts, and raisins. Chill and serve with crackers—I think it’s perfect with Triscuits—and apple slices…preferably honey crisp, of course.
Three books I’m excited about these days:
I’ve read all of Dani Shapiro’s books, both her fiction and her memoirs—her Inheritance remains an all-time favorite of mine. This one is a multi-generational story, with home and the night sky as a two of the central themes—beautifully written, complex. I loved it.
Fellowship Point, Alice Elliot Dark
I can’t stop recommending this one—I’m going through a phase of Maine books, possibly because I went to Kennebunkport last year, and Henry went to Maine with friends this summer, and then I went to Bar Harbor last month…that’s a lot of Maine in our lives all of a sudden, and I’m not complaining a bit.
This is a long book, very detailed, following two women and a piece of land. It moves between the past and the present. It’s about love and loss of love, family and betrayal, exploration of women’s roles and identities—and there’s a lovely twist that I 100% did not see coming.
Good Inside, Dr. Becky Kennedy
For anyone who grew up in a religious tradition that hews heavily to the doctrine of original sin, this is less a parenting book and more a…re-parenting book? The wisdom about children and parenting is gold, but more than that, even, the idea that as we parent, we can hold to our innate goodness and theirs is a game-changer for those of us who may have internalized bad theology into pervasive feelings of shame. GAME.CHANGER.
I can’t promise that I’ll send you one of these little letters every week, but I can promise that when I do there will always be something about eating and something about reading—my two favorite things, always.
Happy fall to you, whatever this season holds for you. One of the best things about fall, I think (as an admitted non-fall-lover!) is the invitation to be like the trees—to let go. Here’s to letting go, in all sorts of big and small ways, to being brave enough to release what we’ve been clutching, making space for what’s to come.
More soon.
XO—S