Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.
My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure.
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Happy almost September everyone!
Steve and I are taking a couple of weeks off to sail up the coast of Lake Michigan, possibly all the way to Mackinac Island, but who knows? We are taking it day by day, going where the weather and our inclinations want to take us.
The next few issues are “reheats” - bits and pieces from some of the most popular issues I’ve published over the past couple of years with a few new recipes thrown in. (Don’t miss the seared scallops and brownie sundaes below!)
I might pop in from time to time with a sailing update, but no matter where September finds you, I hope the end of summer and the start to fall is gentle and filled with ease. And maybe some apples.
I originally published this essay September of last year. So, I guess it’s been a year since I’ve (mostly) left social media behind. I still don’t have the answers I ask here, but I also don’t regret the decision to step away and certainly don’t feel any desire to go back.
I apparently need someone to tell me how to enjoy my life
I loved facebook in the early years. It was such an exciting way to stay connected to people. I was able to keep up with the lives of friends and family from all over the world who I would have likely lost track of. I can also say that facebook is the reason why I’m friends with a handful of people whom I otherwise would not have met or gotten to know. Back in the day, it was a place where you could have actual conversations with people that turned into real relationships.
But those years are long gone, aren’t they?
What began as a tool that allowed people to talk about what they’re up to, what they think, and the things they are interested in, has turned into a series of funhouse mirrors. We’re seeing other people’s lives and viewpoints, but they’re all twisted and confused. And it’s twisting and confusing our own ideas in return.
What I’m trying to say is that, these days, when I spend time scrolling on facebook or instagram, my brain feels twisted and confused.
For the past couple of years I’ve tried to find some happy medium with social media. I’ve posted very little. I removed the apps from my phone so I have to be deliberate about the time spent there. I’ve tried to curate what I see there and who I’m connected to in a way that still allowed me to keep up with the people I’m interested in and cut out the rest.
It’s not going very well.
Also, quite frankly, there are people in this world for whom I don’t want to know what they think or what they’re up to. I would not subscribe to their Substack or sit next to them at a dinner party. I’ve tried to avoid them on social media.
That also is not going very well.
As a business owner, the relationship with social media is even more complicated. Because, can you be a business owner without a social media presence? Especially if your business exists mostly online?
I don’t have an answer to this but I am willing to ask myself some questions: How can I continue to do what I do without being a part of the problem? Or, how can I continue to do the work that I love without subjecting myself to a place that makes me feel twisted and confused?
A while back, I read an issue of Sam Harris’s Substack, We Are Losing The Information War With Ourselves. His last lines are these:
“Get off social media.
Read good books and real journalism.
Find your friends.
And enjoy your life.”
Perhaps social media has made me markedly stupider because I seemed to need someone to spell this out for me in profoundly simple terms.
Aside from 5 minutes when it was brand new, I haven’t spent any time on twitter and everything I’ve heard about the platform since confirms the wisdom of that decision. Facebook almost always makes me feel gross, so why am I spending any time there? Instagram makes me feel less gross, but also like I’ve wasted time that would, unquestionably, be better spent reading any one of the books on my bookshelf or the newsletters in my inbox.
Read good books and real journalism. Find your friends. Enjoy your life.
Ok, Sam. You’ve convinced me.
(If Sam’s closing words didn’t convince me, these certainly would have, “President Trump is a creature of social media, and his presidency would be unthinkable without it.”)
And yes, I know, Substack is social media. But, for now, it’s not the same.
The purpose of Substack is to provide a platform for writers to write and readers to read. And there are some really, really good writers here.
There is also plenty of not so good writing here. At least, not so good according to me. The beauty is that we each get to decide for ourselves what is good and not so good and fill our inboxes accordingly.
We get to do that because the incentives are different.
Substack, as a company, is not incentivized by ad spend because there are no ads. The subscription model changes the playing field. Substack makes money when it’s writers makes money. The writers make money because there are readers who want to support their work. This is an important distinction from other social media companies who maximize their own profits by selling user attention to advertisers.
I am in control of the content I consume on Substack. I choose who I subscribe to, what I choose to read, and which newsletters to support with a paid subscription. If I could afford it, I would pay for many, many more subscriptions than I do. But, I pay for some and try to rotate my subscription dollars around to support as many as I can.
In any case, I am in the drivers seat for what I consume and whose work I support. This does not make me feel gross. Quite the opposite, in fact.
I am also forming real relationships here. I have met other Substack writers and readers in person this year and it has been utterly delightful.
So, this is where I’m hanging out these days, with you wonderful people. For now at least, it’s a place where I am free to write what I like for an audience who wants to read it.
Like everything else, Substack has it’s problems. And, I can’t remember who wrote this, but I read something recently that is also important to say: Don’t thank Substack for the connections you’ve made here, thank the people you are connecting with.
Thank you. Thank you for reading and commenting and sharing. Mostly, thank you for being here.
This week’s menu
Pan Seared Scallops with Chorizo and Creamy Roasted Corn
I have served this dish to more dinner guests than probably anything else and it is always a huge hit. It’s a dish that’s built around contrasts: sweet and smoky, rich and tangy, tender, creamy, and crisp.
Steve just admitted that, when fresh sweet corn is in season, it’s his favorite meal. And, I don’t think I’ve ever served it to dinner guests when they haven’t asked for the recipe.
What I’m trying to say is this: If you’re looking for a recipe that is a slam-dunk, sure-to-please, and easy-to-make situation, this is it.
One of the best things about this recipe on nights when you’re entertaining is that all the main components can be prepped in advance. Roast the corn, sear the chorizo, and chop the veggies ahead of time. Then, about 15 minutes before you want to serve dinner, start cooking, preferably over good conversation and cocktails.
Hot Fudge Brownie Sundaes
Here’s how to guarantee a good mood no matter what else is happening in your life and in the world: Make a pan of these dark chocolate fudge brownies. Then, make some old-fashioned hot fudge, the kind that thickens almost instantly when it hits cold ice cream into a sticky, chewy layer of intensely chocolate fudge.
Stack a brownie or two in a bowl, top it with some really good vanilla ice cream, and a very generous spoonful of hot fudge.
What could be better?
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
A few weeks ago I wrote about how much I LOVE my Nina Creami ice cream maker. I have since heard from quite a few of you who tell me you recently ordered one and are loving it as much as I do.
So I thought I’d share this recipe for the the best vanilla ice cream you’ve ever had. And I know that’s an extraordinary claim. There is always the possibility that you’ll make it and disagree with me. But, I think that’s highly unlikely.
Here’s what you need:
4 large egg yolks
¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
1 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
How to make it: Add the egg yolks, sugar, and salt to a 3-quart or larger saucepan. Stir them together with a wire whisk then whisk in the milk and cream. Set the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken.
The key is to get it to 150°F. Using a thermometer is, of course, the easiest way to know if you’ve gotten to the right temperature. But, you’ll also know because the mixture will start to thicken. It’s done when, if you run your finger across the back of the spoon you’re using to stir the custard, the custard will hold the line.
Remove it from the heat and stir in the extracts. Let the mixture cool slightly then pour it into your Ninja Creami containers and freeze for 24 hours. At that point they are ready to be processed into ice cream. Put them in your Ninja Creami and press the ice cream button.
Once processed, the ice cream will stay perfectly smooth, creamy, and ready to eat in the freezer for weeks. I usually make several containers at a time and process them all at once so the ice cream is ready to eat when we are!
This newsletter exists because of the generous support of The Lost Supper Club (paid subscribers). As a thank you, I try to provide those paid subscribers with some cool stuff, including…
The NEW Road Food series
And access to The CookStack Collective, 12 months of cooking classes with 12 incredible chefs!
A subscription is just $35 a year.
Road Food: Good food that travels well
Whether you’re heading across the country, across the world, or simply across town, this series of recipes is made for life on the move. They’re easy to make, easy to pack, and taste just as good hours later as they do fresh from the kitchen. Perfect for road trips, boat days, beach days, picnics, hikes, airplanes, potlucks, packed lunches, busy weeknights, and anywhere else you need to go.
This series of recipes is exclusively for members of The Lost Supper Club (paid subscribers).
Last week’s Road Food Recipe: Roasted Eggplant Dip
And from two week’s ago: Spicy White Bean Harissa Dip
Blueberry pie bars
For the past several weeks, I’ve brought a giant box of blueberries home from my weekly trips to the local farmers market here in Michigan. I pour them by the cupful into our oatmeal and over bowls of Greek yogurt. And I bake them into all my favorite blueberry recipes, which now include these blueberry pie bars.
I “road tested” these bars on the sailboat last weekend and am happy to report that, when wrapped individually, they gave us something to snack on from Friday through Sunday. They’ll keep perfectly well at room temperature (or boat temperature) for several days.
These are perfect for picnics, lunch boxes, hikes, beach days, camping trips, and maybe especially on days spent running from one thing to the next when a sweet, portable treat is just the reward you need for being a grown up and doing all the grown up things.
Individually wrapped, these will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Join me for the September CookStack Collective Class!
The incredible Anna Vocino is teaching the September CookStack Collective class and, friends, you do not want to miss this one. Anna is a multi-talented recipe writer, photographer, comedian, and voice actor - she plays Mrs. Potato Head in Toy Story 5!
She also has a line of super premium pasta sauce , and has written four cookbooks: Eat Happy and Eat Happy Too, Eat Happy Italian and Eat Happy Cocktail Hour, her brand NEW book that comes out in October!
Like I said, multitalented superstar, this one.
In this class, she’s going to teach us how to adapt classic appetizers to be not only gluten free but low carb, along with a Mixology 101 crash course on making fresh, balanced cocktails and mocktails with ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Here’s where to find out more and sign up!
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OMG those scallops look beautiful and mouthwatering! 🌟