Baguette Gazette: Things I'm loving + my annual summer retreat
Classic TV, the best finishing oil + new favorite jeans 🗞️
Hi friends! Welcome to the latest “Baguette Gazette”. (If you’re new here, this is a monthly catchup where I share recommendations, personal updates, and what’s going on behind the recipes at TNB HQ.)
Have you heard of a little show called The Sopranos? I didn’t watch it when it first came out (well, I was 9 years old and not even living in this country), but now I finally get the hype. It’s a masterpiece. Fellow millennials: it’s a lot like Breaking Bad, but in New Jersey, with heavy Italian-American accents, and a lot of pasta references.
If you have yet to try the Ukrainian unrefined sunflower oil I always rave about, now is the time. Your EVOO will have to step aside because it is the perfect accompaniment to summer produce. I use it to dress all salads (it’s especially amazing with tomatoes), in this creamy dressing, on these dill potatoes and in eggplant caviar, and to massage shredded cabbage.
For the first time ever, I ventured to buy a pair of white jeans. I was prompted by a very chic woman on the subway in said jeans - paired with a flowy silk blouse and gold flats - and she just looked freakin’ excellent. The following week I stumbled upon the perfect pair at - you guessed it - Uniqlo. These are high-rise, and on the wider side but not whimsically so. The best part is they go with everything, can be dressed up or down, and for some reason look so much more polished than blue jeans.
By the time you read this, I’ll be on Cape Cod for my 13th (gasp) annual camping trip. If you’ve been following along with me for a while, you’ve probably already heard of this family tradition (initially started by my husband’s aunt and her friends decades ago).
Ever since Rene and I first started dating, it’s been our tradition, too. A moment to reset each year and be one with the pine forest. It’s such a special ritual and one we wouldn’t dream of skipping.
P.S. If you’re curious, last year I wrote about how I cook in the woods, including my must-have equipment + staple ingredients.
For the next two weeks, I’ll be mostly offline, so you’ll be hearing from me less than usual. In the meantime, happy Fourth!
And in case you missed any of June’s new recipes…