Hi! Welcome Back To Big Sigh 🌀
It’s Dutch, Baby
This is not about a pancake (I am not a content repeater!) this is about someone who I think deserves the keys to the city of New York. His name is Dutch and I found him on TikTok. At first, the most noticeable thing about him is his accent, it’s as thick as pancake batter. I’ve never heard an accent like his on someone below the age of 45. He makes videos about his life in New York City but not those annoying ones that involve brunching in Soho and thrifting in Williamsburg; real authentic snapshots into his life. He lives in Harlem, he loves couponing, he takes the bus to his job as a nanny, and he always wears sunscreen.
He also talks a lot about growing up with his elusive father and going to NYC public school. This video is my personal favorite, it’s about the Isles (Aisles) of Gristedes, a destination his father tells him to mention when talking to the rich kids at summer camp.
I never understood the term comfort person in an internet sense until I started watching him. He’s my comfort person now. Although I don’t know him, I truly believe he’s the most wholesome individual in the five boroughs and I hope his videos relieve some anxiety in you, as they do for me. Ok, one last one for good measure.
Shake It Up, Baby
Around this time last year I attended the second largest gem and mineral show in the US located in the tiny town of Quartzsite, Arizona. I like to bring it up a lot because it changed my life. I was there to visit my brother, who is quite literally a genius. He has a tendency to veer off the beaten path (spent four months in Mongolia, took a class on the mob in Sicily, often knows the five nearest abandoned buildings off the top of his head, etc) and was living there to document the show in all its dusty, greasy glory. There, the food options were limited. We defaulted to eating breakfast tacos with canned salsa from the “dented can store” for breakfast, and dinners were a mixed bag. Evidence below:
The saving grace? There were dates. Ohhhhh there were dates. Quartzsite is surprisingly close to the Californian border and as you may know the dates in California are superior. They were predominately sold whole off the side of the road but we did find the holy grail of date treats: The Date Shake.
Sweet and spiced, a date shake is supremely refreshing and dead easy to recreate on your own. Try to find Vanilla Bean ice cream or French Vanilla (which has nothing to do with the vanilla itself, it just contains egg yolks) but if you can’t, regular vanilla will do the trick.
Date Shake
½ cup medjool dates, chopped
½ cup cow milk or oat milk
3 scoops vanilla ice cream
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of cardamom
Pinch of salt
Place dates in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak until the dates are soft, about 10 minutes
Blitz dates and milk in the blender until dates are broken down into small pieces, then add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth
Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy
Riffs:
If this sounds like a tasty breakfast treat but ice cream for breakfast isn’t your thing, turn it into a smoothie by swapping the ice cream for one frozen banana.
Top with toasted walnuts and coconut if you’re feeling fancy
That’s A Wrap, Baby
Last week my dear friend Lily (hi, Lily!) told me about Letterboxd and now I feel compelled to tell you all as well. It’s partially a social media app and partially a movie diary. The idea is to log each film after you watch it, you can rate and review it if you’d like or simply mark it as watched. But in my opinion the real appeal comes from the discovery feature. Not only can you see what your friends are watching, you have access to endless lists and boy are they specific. I’ve found them helpful for those Friday nights where you’re stuck with nothing to watch.
Some of my favorites include:
If you like (American film) watch (foreign film)
Featuring: Ponyo, Handmaiden, and Let The Right One In
for when you don‘t have too much time but you still want to enjoy a good movie
Featuring: The Red Balloon, What We Do In The Shadows, and Fruitvale Station
DVD menus burned into your brain because you’re the last one up at the sleepover and you don’t know how to turn off the weird tv at your friends house
Featuring: 13 Going on 30, Sleepover, and Bend It Like Beckham
“nothing happens” yeah but the vibes
Featuring: Amelie, The Virgin Suicides, and 20th Century Woman
movies whose full and correct titles can be pronounced perfectly in the part of “Burning Down The House” where they scream “Burning Down The House”
Featuring: Fiddler on The Roof, Horton Hears a Who, and Planet of The Apes
straight people screaming at each other for like 2 hours
Featuring: Malcolm & Marie, Revolutionary Road, and Marriage Story
Plus loads of others. All lists can be sorted by rating, length, release date, and popularity. And the reviews, THE REVIEWS. Most of them are long thoughtful critiques but once in a while you’ll find short quippy ones.
My username is vanderso110. Should you choose to make an account add me so I can spy on you :)
More Excellent Inhalations
Reply All’s foray into last summers downfall of the Bon Appetit empire. So good, SO GOOD. I can’t wait for the next episode.
Jenny Dorsey’s article on Lunar New Year cooking as a form of resistance
Last Weeks Crossword Answers:
Thank you for reading, it fills my heart with joy! See you next week 🤸♀️