Come inside the 1st Lost Supper Club

The Lost Supper Club, Issue #35, All the recipes from the 1st Lost Supper Club dinner! + Win a copy of the Let's Get Lost cookbook! + San Diego restaurant recommendations + SoCal cooking

Holy moly, there’s a LOT going on in this issue, friends! Here’s what you’ll find…

1. Step inside the very first Lost Supper Club!

2. Two fun supper club-ish kind of ideas

3. The Supper Club challenge ~ Win a copy of the Let’s Get Lost cookbook!

4. Jicama and papaya salad

5. Slow-roasted Pulled Pork Tacos with Green Slaw

6. Orange, and date cake with candied pistachios

7. Olive oil cake with lemon mascarpone pastry cream

8. Southern California cooking with Betty Williams

9. Betty’s San Diego Restaurant Recommendations!

10. PLUS, Reading and listening recommendations - including my interview on the brand new Betty Eatz podcast!

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The Lost Supper Club is for paid subscribers BUT for the entire month of January, it is free for every subscriber. If you love it here, I hope you’ll stay.

Click here for more about The Let’s Get Lost Newsletter and the Lost Supper Club.

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The very first Lost Supper Club gathering

While in San Diego, Steve and I spent some time getting reacquainted with an old friend from Colorado. One evening, as we sat on a blanket on the edge of Sunset Cliffs watching surfers squeeze the last rays of sunlight from the day, she told us a story. Her identity was crumbling around her and she felt like she was in a sort of free fall when a friend said this to her:

Right now, you probably feel that you are on ice, slipping and sliding, unable to get your footing and terrified about where you might end up. But soon, you are going to look down and realize you are wearing ice skates and you can go anywhere you choose.

What a beautifully profound metaphor for the experience of being human. We are all just skating around on slippery ground, some of us more clumsily than others, and we may not know (yet) that we are wearing skates.

It reminded me of this quote from Chögyam Trungpa,

“The bad news is you’re falling through the air, nothing to hang onto, no parachute. The good news is, there’s no ground.”

Authentic relationships require a willingness to see other people more clearly while also challenging our preconceived ideas about who we think they are.

This calls on our ability to do two contradictory things at once but honestly, isn’t that one of the most basic truths of human nature? Who among us isn’t a cluster fuck of contradictions?

When people tell you who they are, believe them.

But also constantly stay open to the idea that you might have it all wrong.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve heard from some of you who are jumping in and creating your own Supper Clubs. Many of you have not yet determined the who, what, when, and how. You are on the ice but there is not a known route or a pre-determined destination. But, I’d venture to guess that most of you do know the why:

Connection.

At least, that’s my why for creating The Lost Supper Club, which had it’s first dinner party last weekend.

We were an unlikely crew of friends and strangers who became friends. We talked for hours, bundled in our sweaters and coats on a chilly San Diego evening while eating tacos and cake.

The guests

• Betty Williams of the Betty Eatz Newsletter was my co-host. Betty and I connected over in the FoodStack Library last year and getting to host the very first Lost Supper Club with her was such a treat! Betty brought her friend and neighbor Kim, who is a fellow RVer and a delightful human. I am so happy to have met her. This issue includes Betty’s recipes, favorite SoCal restaurants, and some insightful into Southern California food!

• Dustin and Brenda. I’ve known Dustin since 6th grade! We went to junior high and high school together in Colorado, reconnected 10 years ago in California, and the 4 of us have become lifelong friends.

• Narissa and Curtis. Narissa is also a long-time friend from Colorado who recently moved to San Diego. We hadn’t seen Narissa in a few years and it was wonderful to reconnect. She was joined by her boyfriend Curtis, who is the kind of person who instantly feels like you’ve known him forever.

I am reading The Book of Delights by Ross Gay, so this is where my mind is, and there were so many delights about that night. How Betty’s face lit up the moment she saw me (she has the warmest, most inviting smile). And how she sprang from the car to hug me, and how I immediately felt like we’d been friends for years.

How her friend Kim, who I had never met until that night, did exactly what I always hope people will do (but they hardly ever do) when they come into our home: sat down on the sofa and made herself comfortable.

How Narissa squealed with delight when she first arrived, so happy to see us, and squealed with delight at the deliciousness of the food. Isn’t this exactly the best reaction when you offer someone something you’ve made?

How everyone just dove into conversations as if they already knew each other, even though they had just met.

How everyone happily crammed into our tiny home on wheels to load their plates one by one and then bundled up to eat outside by firelight and candlelight. What do you need to host a Supper Club? A long dining room table? Matching place settings? A large home? Cloth napkins, crystal stemware, candles, flowers…?

Nope.

All you need is friends. And, they don’t even have to know each other.

The menu

• Chips and guac

• Slow roasted pulled pork tacos with green slaw

• Jicama and papaya salad with watermelon serrano vinaigrette

• Orange and date cake with candied pistachios

• Olive oil cake with lemon mascarpone pastry cream

Betty brought the main dish - slow roasted pulled pork tacos with green slaw - and, friends, it was out of this world delicious. Want the recipe? (You do. You absolutely do.) You’ll find it, and all the other recipes down below.

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Two fun supper club-ish ideas

#1. A Cookbook Club

Lindsey Otto from Let it Simmer mentioned that she had just started a cookbook club. I asked her if she’d be willing to share a bit about it with all of you and here is her response…

Hi! Sure! Right now, we have 8-9 people (& have collectively decided to max it at that number so as not to burden those who host).

We only started in October, so only have a few gatherings under our belt. Our aim is to have them once a month, but they may occur every other month - it just depends on everyone's schedule! With this many people, that can sometimes be a challenge but we all are very excited to make it work.

After we decide a date, we vote on a book. Folks can suggest a new one they've just bought or want to try, and we've recently looked at holidays to inform our choice. For example, with Lunar New Year coming up, we wanted to try cooking Chinese recipes so we landed on Chinese Enough by Kristina Cho because someone recently picked it up and lots of us are fans of hers!

Anyone can volunteer to host. The one person who has the book will send a list of the TOC/recipes. After we all choose the dishes we plan to make (typically 2-3 (we are serious food people, haha), the person with the book sends out photos of the recipes. Then, it becomes a dinner party that's great fun with so much food (also bringing Tupperware is a must).

We go through what we each made and essentially review the book, chat about how the recipes are written, how we maybe had to improvise, substitute, etc. My friend Soleil Roth (Soleil’s Substack), who is a food photographer, was the real connector who had the idea, started a group chat to gather us food people, and here we are!

Photo by Gregory Garretson

#2. The Random Travel Club

In The Random Travel Club, Gregory Garretson describes a group of friends who formed a club centered on taking trips to randomly selected locations of little obvious interest. He also writes his thoughts about engineered socializing, which is based on the perspective that for many of us connection doesn’t just happen - we have to be deliberate about it. It’s 100% worth the read.

Here’s an excerpt taken directly from his post…

The eventual success of the RTC, as we called it, was thanks to its design, which minimized the imposition on any one person and maximized the fun had by all. Here is how it worked:

We, a group of eight people, decided that we would take two trips per year, each one from a Friday afternoon until Sunday evening. In addition, we would meet for dinner twice per year in the intervals, meaning that we would see each other every three months. This was infrequent enough that everybody could commit to it.

For each iteration, we would start with a dinner, which was essentially just a social event, except that at the end, we would choose a date for our next trip (finding a weekend that worked for everyone was the hardest part of the process), and then have two “trip organizers” volunteer. These were two people from different households who would plan all the details of the upcoming trip together. And then we would run the program. That was the most exciting moment. Keep reading…

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The recipes from last weekend’s Lost Supper Club.

Jicama and papaya salad

This recipe, along with the easy chicken enchiladas and tres leches pan de elote from last week’s issue, was inspired by a meal I had at Clandestino in Palm Springs.

The salad at Clandestino was bright, colorful, and refreshing with an interesting mix of flavors and textures. In other words, to my mind, it was exactly what a salad should be.

This is the kind of salad that makes just as much sense as a main dish or as a side dish. Steve and I ate it for lunch twice last week AND I served it for the Lost Supper Club alongside Betty’s pulled pork tacos.

The salad is just as good with papaya as it is with mango, so use whichever you prefer. I imagine it would also be delicious with pineapple, oranges, grapefruit, or watermelon, or any kind of citrus fruit or melon.

Watermelon Serrano Vinaigrette:

• 1 cup watermelon chunks, seeds and rind removed

• 10-12 mint leaves

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon honey, more to taste

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 small to medium size shallot, peeled and cut into chunks

• Serrano hot sauce, to taste (I used Yellowbird Serrano Hot Sauce)

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Add all the ingredients except for the olive oil to a blender and blend until smooth. Start with a tablespoon or so of hot sauce plus about a half teaspoon of salt and pepper. Taste and add as much more as you like.

2. With the blender running on medium speed, slowly pour the olive oil in to the vinaigrette. It’s important to pour it slowly, in a thin steady stream, so the oil will emulsify into the dressing and not separate from the other ingredients.

3. Pour the vinaigrette into a jar or other airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Refrigerated, it will keep well for up to 3 days.

To make 1 large Jicama Papaya Salad:

• 6-8 slices of papaya, preferably Mexican papaya, OR 1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks

• salt and pepper

• 1 cup greens

• 1/2 cup jicama, julienned - cut into short, thin strips that are about the size of matchsticks

• 1 small carrot, shredded (I used a food processor to do this; you can also cut the carrot into short, thin strips similar in size to the jicama)

• 1/2 green apple, diced or shredded in a food processor

• About 1/2 cup dried green apple chips (I used Bare Baked Green Apple Chips)

• Toasted, salted pumpkin seeds, optional

1. Cut the peel from the papaya and scoop out the seeds. Cut it in half and then slice it into half moon shaped pieces. Lay several slices on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (If using a mango, or any other kind of fruit, peel and slice the fruit, or cut it into chunks, place on a plate, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.)

   

2. Add the greens, jicama, carrot, and apple to a bowl and toss everything around to mix. Drizzle some vinaigrette over the vegetables and greens and toss until everything is lightly coated with the dressing. Pile the salad on top of the fruit.

3. Top the salad with the apple chips and pumpkin seeds, if using.

To toast pumpkin seeds: Add about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a skillet and about a cup of pumpkin seeds. Set the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until about half of the pumpkin seeds are golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and remove from the heat to cool.

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Slow-roasted pulled pork tacos with green slaw

I think the best way for me to tell you how incredibly delicious these tacos are is to say that our friend Dustin, who was one of our guests at last Saturday’s Lost Supper Club, would not stop talking about them. 😂

I should preface by saying that Dustin is an excellent cook, especially when it comes to all things meat. (We spent Sunday night and Dustin and Brenda’s home and were served his famous smoked meatloaf and it was, quite frankly, better than meatloaf has any business being.)

He was so impressed by the pulled pork in these tacos that he’s making them this weekend for his own birthday party.

Or, I could just quote my husband… “These are so fucking good.”

Perhaps not the most elegant description, but accurate.

Recipe by Betty Williams

Serves 6 to 8

Time: 12 hour cook time, 24 hour brine

Dry Rub Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon regular table salt)

• 1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder (not salt)

• 1 tablespoon onion powder (not salt)

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pork Ingredients:

• 7 to 10 pounds pork shoulder (with fat cap and bone)

• 2 cups light-colored beer or dry white wine

Slaw Ingredients:

• ½ head green cabbage, thinly sliced

• 2 Granny Smith green apples, unpeeled, thinly sliced

• 1 bunch green onions, sliced diagonally

• 1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped

• 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons lime juice

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon celery seeds

For Serving:

• Flour or corn tortillas, warmed

• Lime wedges

Instructions:

1. Combine the dry rub ingredients together in a medium bowl. Take note that kosher salt granules are larger than regular table salt, so use the correct amount for the kind of salt you are using.

2. Dab the pork dry with paper towels then place in a large roasting pan with the fat cap facing up. Pat the dry rub on all sides of the pork including the top, sides, ends, and underneath. Scoop up any rub that has fallen off and pat it evenly on the top.

3. Place the pan in the fridge, uncovered, for 24 hours.

4. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 230 F. Pour the beer or wine into the pan around (not on top of) the pork.

5. Roast, uncovered, for 12 hours.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and allow pork to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Shred the pork while it is still in the pan with two forks. Include the fat cap and the bark which add extra flavor and richness. Using tongs, toss the pork with the pan juices.

7. Make the slaw by tossing the ingredients together in a large bowl.

8. Assemble the tacos by filling a tortilla with some pork and top with some slaw. Squeeze on extra lime juice, if desired.

Recipe notes:

• Use any beer you like but I think pale ones like Corona, Tecate, or Stella Artois hit the right note and don’t overpower the dry brine flavors.

• Most ovens have an auto-shutoff feature once they hit the 12 hour mark, so take that into consideration. I preheat the oven, once it reaches the desired temp, I shut it off and turn it back on again to restart the 12 hour countdown.

• Call me paranoid, but I also leave a sticky note on the oven controls just so other household members don’t accidentally turn it off.

• Timing considerations: If you want to eat the tacos for lunch, put the pork in the oven the night before around 11pm and let it roast overnight. If you want to eat the tacos for dinner, start the pork at 6am that morning and it will be ready by 6pm that evening.

• Note from Rebecca: If you’d like to try your hand at homemade flour tortillas, this is my favorite recipe: All-butter flour tortillas. Or, try Betty’s homemade corn tortillas, which you will find in this post for Mexican-style Caldo de Camarón.

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Orange and date cake with candied pistachios

California produces 95% of the dates in the United States with the majority of them come from the Coachella Valley, located about 150 miles northeast of San Diego. Unsurprisingly, California also produces 99% of the country’s pistachios and is one of the top three orange-producing states.

So, what does one make for dessert while in California? An orange and date cake with candied pistachios, that’s what.

This is an upside down cake, with a sticky caramel date mixture that’s baked on the bottom of the cake but is then flipped over to become the top. The batter is flavored with pureed dates, an entire orange, a bit of miso, and a lot of vanilla.

Wait. Miso? I fell in love with miso in baking after making the Miso Maple Loaf in Baking With Dori and I haven’t looked back. Just as it does in savory dishes, miso adds layers of complex flavor, including a hint of umami - and a little umami is always a good thing, even in sweet treats.

Candied pistachios add some crunch, and I would like to mention that if you want any leftover for the actual cake it’s wise to make extra because you and everyone around you will find them irresistible.

It’s also worth mentioning that one of our Lost Supper Club guests (you know who you are, Narissa) actually squealed with delight after tasting this cake. Like an actual, alarmingly loud, squeal. It was really more of a scream, and I can’t imagine a higher endorsement.

For the caramel and date glaze:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark

• 1 tablespoon corn syrup

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, OR 1/2 teaspoon table salt

• 8 ounces dates (about 1 cup), pits removed, cut into bite-size pieces

For the cake:

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 medium to large size orange

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark

• 1 stick (4 ounces/ 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1/4 cup white miso

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) dates, pits removed

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup plain, unsweetened greek yogurt, whole milk or 2%

• 1/2 cup orange marmalade

Instructions:

1. Prepare a 9 or 10-inch springform pan: Smear the inside of the pan with softened butter or vegetable shortening. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper and then smear the top of the paper with butter or shortening. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of flour into the pan and shake it around until the entire inside is coated with flour. Turn the pan upside down and gently tap out the excess flour.

   

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Prepare the caramel and date glaze: Add all the glaze ingredients except the dates to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Spread the glaze across the bottom of the pan so it covers the bottom completely. Sprinkle the chopped dates over the glaze. (There’s no need to rinse out the mixing bowl.)

   

   The dates in this photo came pre-chopped so they are a little smaller than I would have cut them if working with whole dates.

4. Prepare the cake: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and stir with a wire whisk to mix.

5. Zest the orange then cut the remaining peel from the orange. Discard the peel but reserve the zest and the sections of fruit.

6. Add the sugar, butter, and miso to the mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating for 1-2 minutes after the first egg before adding the second. After adding the second egg, beat for another 2-3 minutes.

7. Add the orange segments, dates, vanilla, and yogurt to a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth.

8. Add the date and orange mixture and the flour mixture to the mixing bowl in alternating additions: about 1/3 of the flour, about 1/2 of the date and orange mixture, another 1/3 of the flour, the rest of the date and orange mixture, the rest of the flour. Mix on low speed after each addition; beat just until each addition has been incorporated then add the next.

9. Spread the batter in the pan. Set the pan on a rimmed parchment lined baking sheet; this is very important because some of the glaze WILL leak out of the bottom of the springform pan.

   

10. Bake in the center of the oven for 80-90 minutes. To test that the cake is done, insert a toothpick in the center and remove it. If there is no evidence of raw batter on the toothpick, the cake is done. If a light crust has formed over the cake, use the toothpick to kind of dig underneath the crust so you can get a clean test. The top of this cake will become the bottom, so don’t worry if the toothpick test hole is visible. Also, the top of the cake will get quite brown; don’t be alarmed. If the cake is browning unevenly, rotate it in the oven.

11. Remove the cake from the oven and run a flat knife or spatula around the sides of the cake. Immediately release the latch on the springform pan to loosen it and remove the side of the pan. If you don’t remove the sides of the pan right away, the caramel in the bottom of the pan will start to harden and make the removal more difficult. Trust me on this.

12. Allow the cake to cool completely, then turn it out onto a plate or a serving platter, so the date side of the cake is now the top. To do this, lay the serving plate over the top of the cake and then flip the whole thing over, including the baking sheet that the cake is resting on. Remove the baking sheet, then gently peel the parchment paper from the cake. It’s highly likely that some of the dates and caramel glaze will stick to the parchment paper. Just remove the paper slowly, using a spatula to transfer the sticky dates from the paper to the cake.

13. When the cake has cooled to room temperature, or slightly warmer than room temperature, spread the marmalade over the cake so that it covers the top and the sides completely.

14. Serve with candied pistachios (recipe below).

How to make candied pistachios:

• 1 cup shelled, roasted and salted pistachios (I used Wonderful Roasted and Salted Pistachios)

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Add the pistachios and the sugar to a non-stick skillet and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has melted and the pistachios are beginning to turn golden brown.

2. Spread the pistachios out onto out a piece of parchment and allow to cool. Once they are completely cool, break them apart and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

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Olive oil cake with lemon mascarpone pastry cream

I have probably made this cake more than any other cake. It is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. It’s also one of the most popular recipes on my baking blog, Of Batter and Dough, and has been made and shared by tens of thousands of people.

So, to say it’s well tested is a considerable understatement.

When I make this cake for anyone who has never eaten an olive oil cake, it’s usually met with a skeptical raise of the eyebrows. (I got a couple of those at Saturday’s Supper Club.) But one bite is all it takes to fall in love with this cake, which everyone does.

Here’s where you’ll find the recipe: Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Pastry Cream

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Southern California cooking with Betty Williams

Betty is a recipe developer who lives in Southern California and writes about Southern California food. In other words, every one of her recipes is overflowing with bright flavors and fresh ingredients.

Betty and I at the first Lost Supper Club!

You can read more about Betty and California cuisine here, but these are just a few of my favorite recipes from her gorgeous newsletter:

• Artichokes with herby aioli

• Maple glazed bundt pan chicken (this recipe is genius)

• Fresh Vietnamese-style Summer Rolls (these only take about 30 minutes)

• Plant Protein Schnitzel with Fresh Cabbage Salad (I LOVE chicken schnitzel, so I was skeptical, but my concern was unnecessary because this is absolutely delicious)

• Mexican Pasta Verde (pasta and Mexican food are two of my favorite things, so there was no chance I wasn’t going to love this)

• Melon and Feta Salad with Sumac Dressing (I am obsessed with Sumac and it’s incredible with melon)

• Lemon Posset (I had never heard of posset, but one glance at the ingredient list - heavy cream and lemon! - and I was sold)

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Betty’s San Diego Restaurant Recommendations!

Unsurprisingly, most of the best restaurants we’ve eaten at as we travel around the country were recommended by the people who live in the area. So, when we arrived in San Diego, I was excited to pick Betty’s brain about her favorite restaurants.

C Level

880 Harbor Island Dr., San Diego, CA 92101, www.clevelsd.com

Stunning waterfront dining with views of the city skyline, harbor, and nearby Coronado Island! Lobster bisque and coconut shrimp are delicious, as are the C Level Louie salad and lobster & fontina BLT. My friend ordered the lobster mac n’cheese and loved it. Be sure to let your server know if you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary because they do bring you a sweet treat! Make reservations and arrive early for better chances of getting a waterfront table, although every table has nice views. Service is attentive and super friendly. This restaurant is connected to the restaurant Island Prime, which is just next door. Plenty of free parking.

Buona Forchetta

1000 C Ave., Coronado, CA 92118, www.buonaforchettasd.com

Casual Italian eatery with great food and friendly service. Locally owned by two Italians! It is housed inside a former auto repair shop so lots of auto-themed references but Italian-style. Pizzas and pastas are delicious and they offer gluten-free and vegan options. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Walking distance from the Hotel Del Coronado and the beach. They recently expanded to other SoCal cities but I haven’t been to any of their other locations.

The Henry

1031 Orange Ave., Coronado, CA 92118, www.thehenryrestaurant.com

We always manage to stop here for breakfast or lunch if we spend the weekend in Coronado. Their salads and sandwiches are great (as are their cocktails!) and there is a walkup coffee bar if you just want coffee to go. There is indoor and outdoor seating and service is quick and friendly. It can get crowded, especially on the weekends!

Smack’n Guamanian Grill

9506 Miramar Rd., San Diego, CA 92126, www.smackngg.com

This is a small, family-owned restaurant that features the cuisine of Guam! It’s unusual and most people aren’t familiar with it, but I thought I’d include it since I spent part of my childhood on Guam and have a soft spot for their red rice, chicken kelaguen, and spare ribs. The restaurant isn’t fancy but is clean and casual. Wear your shorts and flip flops.

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Reading and listening recommendations

First, I am incredibly grateful for Heather Cox Richardson and her remarkable and diligent ability to summarize the important political news of the day in the context of American and world history. I am extremely mindful about curating my inputs these days - I want to both stay informed and not lose my mind (seriously) - and Letters From An American is an essential part of that effort.

I was so honored to be the very first guest on the Betty Eatz podcast, by Betty Williams! Betty is a natural and, for me at least, the conversation felt easy and relaxed. You can watch and/ or listen to it here:

Let's Get Lost with Rebecca Blackwell

A Sliver of Truth In A Time of Tyranny by Jeannine Ouellette. This post was exactly what I needed to read on Tuesday morning. This section in particular made a big impact on my thoughts this week and helped me remain open to the world when I wanted to close myself off:

The English poet John Keats—who died at the young age of twenty-five—described something he called “Negative Capability,” a state of being that values uncertainty, mystery, and doubt over the frantic search for easy answers….. practicing Negative Capability in our creative life teaches us how to stand in the storm of not-knowing, to resist the urge to tether ourselves to certainty, and to soften ourselves as needed as the wind blows through, swaying until the storm passes.… To write in the dark is to thrive inwardly in that storm. It’s about the open mode—the place where judgment is suspended and we get to play, to connect ideas that shouldn’t go together, to throw out the rulebook and see what happens. It’s messy. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s absolutely essential. Because if we’re not willing to endure creative chaos, we’re not really creating—you’re just rearranging furniture in a locked room.”

I’ve been a fan of Martha Beck for a long time and her latest book, Beyond Anxiety, is the masterful mix of knowledge, insight, and practical application that made me fall in love with her work years ago.

The cookbook

The Let’s Get Lost Cookbook is the culmination of many of the recipes and stories I published in this newsletter in 2024. It includes 143 recipes with full color photos of every dish and, scattered amongst the recipes, a handful of the stories from our life on the road.

Click here for more information and an inside peak!

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The Lost Supper Club is for paid subscribers BUT for the entire month of January, it is free for every subscriber. If you love it here, I hope you’ll stay.

Click here for more about The Let’s Get Lost Newsletter and the Lost Supper Club.