Crispy Bread with Ricotta, Honey, Black Pepper and Mint

The Wandering 08  // Food Future Reflections

There’s no shortage of impressive young people in DC. In fact, I'm surrounded by so many, that I feel that one of the reasons I’ve been able to kickstart my creative pursuits is the pure inspiration and excitement I feel when I exchange ideas with such impactful and ambitious people. Kathleen, Jeff and Kristoff play this role in my life, and they are perfect examples of hard working, visionaries, working tirelessly to create a better world. They're the founding team of Up Top Acres; a rooftop farm enterprise, transforming the DC food culture and making agriculture a fixture of city life. The Wandering 08 sparked conversation around a revolution in DC’s food future. And Aley and I did so by showcasing businesses that are transforming our food community, and the possibilities for the future.

The vibe of this gathering felt like a blend of connection, inspiration, learning and growing. Our guests trickled in, visibly dazzled by the greenspace and energized by the potential of growing food on the concrete landscape overhead. It’s estimated that around 30% of vacant growing space in cities is occupied by rooftops. The possibility of cultivating unused space to grow food can solve a huge problem- the challenge of finding space in cities for agriculture. And so we were able to use the rooftop as a platform to talk about what was possible.

We kicked off the gathering with light bites featuring the early summer harvest - a bounty of radishes, carrots, strawberries, herbs; savory lentil hummus, and toasted sourdough with ricotta, honey, black pepper and mint (recipe below!).

In addition to highlighting Up Top’s efforts, we hosted True Syrups, a DC and women owned small-batch cocktail mixer company, to talk about the next link in the local food system chain- processing local food into consumer products. She spoke about the impact of working with local producers, and the integral role that small businesses play in propagating a local food economy. Her herby cocktail recipe was pretty delicious, too ;)

 Their was a palpable energy from the group as we sat down for dinner, wrapped in the warm sunset glow on the horizon. As the wanderers settled around the table, Whole Foods talked about their local food program, and the impact that supermarkets and larger distributors can have on scaling the vital work of ethical farmers. And this all helped me understand that while our original intention was to create a nourishing summery cookout, what we found along the way was that the real story of our menu reflected the journey of our food community and how far we’ve come in creating a healthier and more sustainable system.

Working with partners like Up Top, True Syrups and Whole Foods made me appreciate that being a part of a system means that we all have a role to play. Up Top produces the food. Whole Foods sells the food. True Syrups processes the food. The Wandering creates accessible experiences to celebrate the food. And only together can we create a better food reality for each stakeholder along the way. There’s so much opportunity, and it’s ours to lose. And despite tricky times for our environmental policies, I’m optimistic that with grassroots efforts and unrelenting passion, we can create the future we seek for our world and community.

the dinner table

INGREDIENTS

• Sourdough, sliced and toasted
• Whole milk ricotta
• Black pepper
• Honey
• Mint, chopped
• Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Toast your bread. Top with ricotta, followed by olive oil, honey, black pepper and mint.

dessert jars // buckwheat shortbread with soaked berries and coconut cream

me & aley

jeff // co founder of up top acres

dinner plate // sweet potato burger, strawberry mint and macedamia nut salad, pickleback slaw, steak fries

Shakshuka with Black Olives and Soft Egg

MOVE OVER WHEATIES....

There's a new champion in town. 

Shakshuka (Moroccan dish with stewed tomato and baked egg) is the perfect breakfast meal. It's hearty but won't leave you with that weird carb hangover feeling you get after you eat pancakes or almond croissants. 

And while I wax poetic about my dear stew, I can't help but smile when I recall the first time I was introduced to to it. Interestingly, I discovered Shakshuka not on my many trips to Israel, but many years before I even stepped foot in the country, as a child on a beach vacation in Myrtle Beach with my family. We visited the one kosher restaurant in town, a Mediterranean joint run by sun-kissed Israelis, a detail which normally would have excited me, as I always relish running into Israelis in unexpected places. But in Myrtle Beach it wasn't so novel, because we frequently ran into Israelis all over the city. They peppered the board walks, peddling crass T-shirts and sugary snow cones, and license plate magnets advertising names like Kelly, Daniel, Justin, and Amy. Anyways, it was at that Israeli kosher restaurant that my cousin Franny (12 at the time, while I was 10) introduced me to my first bowl of shakshuka. 

Since then I've tasted many iterations of the classic dish- green tomatillos, red pepper, shakshuka & hummus... and I've tested a few versions of my own - tomato and watermelon, fennel tomato, tomato & pesto... but this version is my all time favorite- stewed tomato with black olives, sun dried tomatoes and za'atar. I top it off with a bit of silan (date honey), and tons and tons of herbs. It's transcendent. 

I debuted the dish publicly this morning at our 7th Wandering (wow!). And I've made this recipe many times before, but this time, there was a twist. Instead of baking the eggs directly in the stew, I soft boiled them separately. This technique renders the dish accessible for both vegans and non vegans alike and preserves the eggs (they last in the fridge for about 5 days, stored in an airtight container). And so it was the perfect example of a recipe that could be prepared ahead of time, stored for many days, and applied in many ways, throughout the work week. These are qualities that I seek out in most dishes that I make. These are the qualities that make healthful eating EASY.  And easy breezy wellness  just so happened to be the focus of our brunch....

The brunch was hosted by Logan Exchange, a new co working space in DC. Inspired by the space, Aley and I sought out to use the space to discuss strategies to effortlessly and organically infuse wellness into the workweek.

And so we kicked off the morning with a batch plant based cooking workshop - tips and hacks to make healthy eating easy throughout the week- and a desk friendly yoga session. We then migrated upstairs to the main conference room, a dazzling space that overlooks Logan Circle, and pours in buckets of soft natural light. 

While Aley and I have actively tried to avoid the topic of work at our gatherings, we saw a true desire to discuss tactical plans to reduce work stress and create routines to support a healthful life at work and beyond. This shakshuka is just one example of a dish that can be prepared on a Sunday, and used throughout the week in a multitude of ways, such as: 

• soft boiled egg as a topping for a grain bowl
• soft boiled egg as a topping for a salad
• shakhuka stew on whole grain pasta
• shakshuka stew on a sandwich with grilled chicken
• shakhuka stew with chickpeas and lentils
• shakhuka stew with polenta
• shakhuka stew with spaghetti squash and melted cheese

It's a dish that's easy to make, easy to store and easy to enjoy. Healthful and mindful eating is a powerful force in combating stress. It's an important act of self care and helps you become strongest, sharpest, most nourished version of you. If time is the biggest barrier to eating well, this dish (and others that we shared at The Wandering) could change the way you respond to stress. Eating is an impactful act on your body and mind, and it's one of the most powerful tools we have in alleviating stress. After all, how could we possibly manage to stave off anxiety & stress, and truly be mindful & present, if we've got a weird pancake hangover to deal with? ;) 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 white onion 
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup of black olives
• 1/4 cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes
• 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can of pureed tomato
• 1/4 cup of vegetable broth
• 1 tbs of date honey
• 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup of chopped dill
• 1/4 cup of chopped scallions
• 7 eggs, soft boiled (5 mins, rolling boil) 

DIRECTIONS

Saute onion in olive oil, salt and pepper, on med heat until translucent. Then, add chopped garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add the olives and tomato, cook for a few mins. Add the tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 mins. 

Drizzle date honey on top of stew. Add all the chopped herbs. Top with soft boiled eggs and coarse salt. 

Beet Hummus with Za'atar & Avocado Tahini Mousse

ON COOKING & HEALING

There are times in my life when I close my eyes and make a promise to myself to never forget the gravitational power of that present moment. This weekend had many such moments- pockets of time that felt like history in the making. The weekend started with various attempts to stave off a looming cloud of anxiety in the wake of Trump's inauguration. Such attempts included activities like cooking, writing, photo editing, reading, distracting myself with work, and dinner-ing with friends. None of it really worked, but at least I put my best foot forward!

But Saturday was a new day. That morning I shook off the dust, and experienced one of the most empowering events of my adult life thus far. Alongside hundreds of thousands of people, I marched to defend the rights of women, immigrants, people of color, the environment, the LGBT community. I marched to defend all of the values that I hold dear, and protect the many rights that are currently at risk of being stripped away. The march itself felt like a meditation on healing- almost like a recovery group that consisted of a sea of people, all of whom extended their open hearts towards the broken and downtrodden. It was inspiring to be around so many people that were as outraged as me, and channeled their passion by taking action to have their voice heard. It gave me hope. 

Later that evening, I hopped in an Uber to head to a dinner. While en route, my driver asked me- "What was the goal of the march?" I initially balked- taken aback by the sheer enormity of the question. But after contemplating my response for a few seconds, I felt that answer was simple. The goal was to cultivate hope, and to connect with the huge community of people that [like me] feel offended by the rhetoric, victimized and marginalized by those in charge, embarrassed by leaders who make a mockery of the positions they hold, and wholly scared for the road ahead. The goal was to band together, and prove that we are powerful. That we have a voice. That we have a huge stake in the welfare of our country, and huge role to play actualizing the future that we envision. I explained that there are so many threats to my belief system, that I actually had trouble making a sign for the march- that I felt like I had to pick only one issue to broadcast despite the fact that so many concern me. 
 

One of the best moments after the march was discovering the sheer magnitude of the impact. While grabbing a bite to eat that afternoon I noticed that Democracy Now! was playing on a screen by the bar, and was live streaming marches around the country. My jaw dropped to the floor of the restaurant when I learned that like DC, marches in LA, Austin, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston etc. etc. all had marchers that came out in droves. That moment confirmed it- we were officially a part of something much (much!) larger than ourselves.

To serve as the perfect bookend, the weekend concluded with our 5th Wandering event- a healing yoga class at Flow Yoga, followed by light bites around a long communal table. The mood was optimistic, hopeful as guests trickled in, many still riding the high from the march from the day before. We set out to host a gathering that allowed for our guests to step away from the chaos, and find respite around community and wellness on a weekend that demanded so much of energy and focus. The gathering lived up to the goal, and gave each of us an opportunity to breathe, pause and connect. 

Throughout this whole rollercoaster weekend, I was really grateful that I had The Wandering to look forward to. Cooking is incredibly healing for me (so much so that immediately after the march I randomly made homemade gnudi, despite overwhelming exhaustion...), it was the perfect outlet during a time that was so replete with emotion. Here are my two favorite recipes from the gathering- Avocado Tahini Hummus, and Beet Hummus with Za'atar. These dishes that you can whip up in a flash and that will provide instant comfort in times of chaos and unrest. After all, you can't be stressed when you're eating hummus ;) 

BEET & ZA'ATAR HUMMUS

• 6 beets, peeled and chopped, and boiled until soft
• 1/4 cup of tahini
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbs. of salt
• 1 whole lemon, squeezed
• 1 tbs. of za'atar 
• 1/4 cup of pistachios
• 1/4 cup of olive oil

AVOCADO MOUSSE

• 4 avocados
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup of tahini 
• 1 whole lemon, squeezed
• 1 tbs. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup of dill
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of scallions, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor. Top avocado mousse with scallions and dill, and top beet hummus with za'atar, pistachios and olive oil. 

Roasted Acorn Squash with Chai Yogurt

SQUASH GOALS, ETC.

Squash is the quintessential symbol of fall. To be honest though, and I know I'm not alone with this opinion, squash is also really hard to prepare. The skin is rough and fibrous and difficult to both cut through and digest. So how do you make a squash that is silky and tender, but also roasty and nutty? The best way to achieve both textures is to first steam the squash and then roast them on high.

I'll be featuring this recipe at our fourth The Wandering dinner, on November 12th. We still have 4 tickets left, snag yours while you can. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 acorns squashes, cut in half
• 3 tbs of maple syrup
• 6 tbs of coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of yogurt
• 1 tbs of maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp of cloves (ground) 
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of cardamom (ground) 
• 1/4 cup of pistachios, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squashes in half and remove the seeds and guts. Place each half in a baking dish. Cover each half with 2 tbs of coconut oil and 1 tbs of maple syrup. Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with foil, place in oven and bake for 35 mins. Then take the foil off and roast for another 40 mins. Broil for 2 mins at the end. 

Whip up the yogurt, maple syrup and spices. Serve the squash with a dollop of yogurt and chopped pistachios on top. 

Sundried Tomato and Rosemary Pesto, The Wandering 03

SUNDRIED TOMOTO AND ROSEMARY PESTO, The Wandering 03

I'm writing this post while smiling and still riding the high from The Wandering 03. It was our first brunch, and certainly will not be our last. Let me first describe the setting. We gathered at Ceremony Coffee's workshop in Georgetown. The space is a small- an intimate room- peppered with shiny coffee equipment throughout, perfumed with the smell of toasty ground coffee, and illuminated with natural light pouring into every corner. Aley and I feel incredibly grateful to have had a space donated to us, as opposed the default plan that we've grown accustomed to- hosting the dinners at my apartment. This goes without saying but this was definitely an upgrade. 

The Wandering has truly been a labor of love for me. One word that I should emphasize is labor. The gatherings take time, collaboration, energy, patience, and lots and lots of planning. This gathering however, came together more organically than the others and was a little less demanding. I spent Saturday cooking leisurely, putting together my mise en place, and creating table cards. By the time Sunday morning rolled around, all I had to do was pop my dishes in the oven, "set it and forget it", if you will. I met up with Aley and Ceremony 3 hours before guests arrived which offered us plenty of time to catch up, set up, take photos, sip on locally roasted coffee, and design an enchanting space for our guests. 

And now the coffee. Where to even start...? Ceremony Coffee is just so comforting and tasty, and their love and appreciation for the craft is inspiring to be around. We were joined at the table by two coffee experts from Ceremony, who made sure that our cups were bottomless and taught us about the unbelievable amount of work and attention at each step of the chain to develop a well balanced cup of joe. The coffee endlessly flowed into our mugs. In fact, before the wanderers arrived I was already 3 cups deep and so by the event's end I felt so jacked up on caffeine that my hands were twitching and my heart thumped along to the subtle sounds of Tycho that emanated out of the speaker in the background. 

As usual, when our guest leave, and we're left to clean up the dishes and pack away the leftover food, I reflect on how very lucky I am to be able to do what I love- cook for others, and bond over a common food experience. 

One of my favorite dishes that we served was my unconventional take on pesto. Unlike traditional pesto, this dip had a deep autumnal red hue. The color came from juicy sun tried tomatoes and the oil they were packed in. The pesto was the perfectly balanced- sweet, savory, herbaceous, and garlicky. I served the pesto on toast was a generous dollop of mashed avocado and lemon, olive oil, chili flakes and smokey salt. Make this for you friends and family! They'll be smitten. And, keep an eye out for our November gathering announcement, coming soon. We hope to see you at our table.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 jar of sundried tomatoes packed in oil 
• 1/2 cup of pistachios
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tbs of smoked salt 
• 1 tsp of aleppo pepper
• 1 tbs of rosemary, minced
• 1/4 cup of olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor, including the oil from the sundried tomatoes, until the mixture is smooth. If needed, add more olive oil. Serve on top of toast with mashed avocado and lemon, olive oil, chili flakes, smoked salt and pumpkin seeds. 

Pear Crumble with Thyme and Ginger

PEAR CRUMBLE & THE WANDERING 02

Since our first The Wandering dinner, Alexandra and I set out to bring people together through a shared and memorable food experience. We continued this pursuit of our mission at The Wandering 02, a dinner influenced by the early fall harvest. At our second gathering on Friday night, glasses were filled to the brim with bright white wine, and gin n' juice- our new intoxicated detox gin based cocktail with pressed apple, ginger, lemon and cayenne - as strangers mingled effortlessly around our autumnal table, and dined on seasonally inspired dishes to welcome the new season into our lives. Our table was lined with savory dishes -warm mutbucha tomato harissa dip, smokey carrot hummus, raw beets, fried olives with citrus zest, tomato, bread and cannellini bean skillet, and dark leafy green salad with charred corn- and flanked by friendly faces of people who didn't know each other at all, yet left as friends by the night's end. One of our guests was a local musician as it turned out, and graced us (after a few minutes of pleading from the crew) with a vulnerable and tender rendition of Leonard Cohen's' "hallelujah", that perfectly captured the mood of the evening- intimate, warm, and open. 

That moment was the perfect segue for our grand finale, the dessert which was warming, savory, and sweet, all in one. I've always loved making desserts in skillets. It's easy and rustic, and also creates a crusty top from the generated heat. Below is my recipe for the perfect autumnal pear crumble. We served it with a dollop of soy ice cream. 

It's truly remarkable to see months of planning, visioning, and ideating coming into fruition. The idea of The Wandering is simple, yet elusive. There are simply not enough events like this in DC- dinners that are accessible, affordable, and plant focused. And we're setting out to bridge that gap. I'm grateful to be able to co-host such a beautiful event. 

 

SKILLET

• 7 pears or apples, sliced
• 1 tsp of fresh thyme
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 lemon, juiced 
• 4 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch 
• 1 tsp of ground cloves
• 1 inch knob of grated ginger
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup of golden raisins
• 1/4 fresh apple sauce 
• 2 tbs of water

CRUBMLE

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4  cup coconut sugar 
• 1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbs of thyme, chopped
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil or butter

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375. Place all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well. Pour ingredients into a skillet. Then, mix the topping ingredients in a separate bowl, and top the wet ingredients. Bake the skillet for 45 mins - an hour (until the mixture is brown on top and bubbling in the middle). Serve with ice cream or whipped cream and garnish with chopped thyme or coconut sugar. 

Recap, The Wandering 01

Through The Wandering, Alexandra and I are setting out to create a meaningful experience around food, for all. Too often highly curated dinner gatherings are expensive, exclusive and all together in accessible. Aley and I are calling that status quo into question. We believe that everyone deserves to experience a beautiful meal and celebrate community. 

I'm still floating on a cloud, as I reflect back on what ended up being a magical gathering, our first inaugural The Wandering, last Friday night. By luck or the grace of some higher power, we were blessed with the most spirited dinner guests we could ask for, many of whom did not know one another. By the end of the night, Aley and I witnessed and participated in tons of laughter, deep conversation, and the exchange of phone numbers between our guests, proof that our dinner was a success. 

Food highlights included our dazzling veggie board (featuring a smokey carrot hummus, recipe to come soon), minty pesto, herbaceous farro salad and a summery peach galette with coconut cream. 

We're so excited for our next gathering coming up in September! Here's a sneak peak at the menu.

WANDERING 02 MENU

FIRST

harissa matbucha

tomato, chili, smoked paprika

melon bites

pistachio, za’atar, olive oil, parmesan

fried olives

orange zest

crudite

peppers, cucumbers, beets

SECOND

warm tomato and bread salad

bread + white beans, coconut milk

spiced nightshades

spice rubbed eggplant, carrots hummus, dill

not quite autumn salad

dark greens, charred corn, stuffed green olives, pumpkin seed, cucumber, feta, citrus + basil

crusty bread

THIRD

skillet crumble

pear, ginger, oats, thyme

SPIRITS

intoxicated detox

apple, ginger, lemon, cayenne, gin

bottomless sauvignon blanc

And here are some of my favorite snaps from The Wandering 01. 

photo by @alex_elle

photo by Alexandra Dawson

The Wandering

WANDERERS WANTED

It is with a full heart I announce the launch of my newest project, The Wandering: a plant based and seasonally inspired gathering series, offering DC's wanderers the opportunity to step away for their everyday chaos and assemble around the communal table. Developed and curated with my dear friend Alexandra Dawson,  nutritionist, wellness warrior, mama bird, and the writer and photographer behind celebrated plant-based lifestyle and recipe  website inmybowl.com and Instagram, @tallulahalexandra, The Wandering is fundamentally influenced by the Jewish Value of hachnasat orchim- welcoming guests no matter the circumstance.  Together, Alexandra and I are offering an accessible and inclusive opportunity to gather with old friends and new, with our table as the centerpiece. Pull up a seat, wanderers wanted.

Our very first gathering is quickly approaching! On August 12th Alexandra and I are whipping up an intimate, home cooked summer feast. Take a sneak peak at the menu below and be sure to score a ticket as seats are very limited. Can't wait to see you there!