Hi friends, good Sunday to you!
We made it through January—one down, eleven to go. I’ll go ahead and cross it off the list, though I’d like to formally request that the rest of the year ease up just a bit. No need to come in so hot. I didn’t plan on starting the year at a full sprint, but here we are, catching our breath. We don’t always get to choose the pace, do we? That’s why we have soup, and blankets, and people who remind us to put a coat on instead of turning the heater up.
January was about small joys, tiny anchors to keep us steady. February, I think, is about slow and simple. The kind of days that ask us to take our time. It’s still dark by 6pm, and I’d be in bed by 7:30 if I could get away with it. The world will pick up soon enough, but we don’t have to rush. This month, I’ll be sharing recipes that let time do the work—an overnight rise, a long roast, a slow simmer.
We’re inching toward brighter days, but right now? Slow and simple and steady. Here’s the Sunday offering. I hope you find a few things you didn’t know you needed.
• On January 27th we observed Holocaust Remembrance Day. “Remembrance is only meaningful if it has a purpose. And that purpose must be rooted in an understanding of precisely what we enjoin ourselves to remember and why.
Informally designating January 27, the date that Auschwitz was liberated in 1945, as an annual international day of commemoration, the United Nations General Assembly reaffirmed that the Holocaust must ‘forever be a warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice.’” 80 Years On, We Must Keep The Memory of Holocaust Survivors Alive (TIME)
• Have you ever listened to the Anderson Cooper podcast All There Is? It’s a podcast about life and loss and grief and growth and it has just wrecked me (in an important way?) this month. This particular episode with David and Amy Sedaris was incredibly powerful. And as supplemental reading, this is essential: David Sedaris on the death of his father. (Apple, The Guardian)
• The best podcasts I’ve ever listened to are the 15-20 minute long voice notes from my girlfriends. Ankita Shah on the nuance of this now essential communication tool: In Praise of Voice Notes. (Substack)
• It’s Mardi Gras season and I’ve eaten nearly enough King Cake. Luckily there’s over a month to get that sorted. I can see a King Cake and kolache taking shape in my mindseye but first I’ll be making this full blown Pull-Apart Mardi Gras King Cake. If you want to bake along with me, I’m teaching a class with Williams Sonoma Bake Club at the end of February. The virtual classes are really fun! Come make a cake with me! (Joy the Baker, Williams Sonoma)
• This week on the socials I made Amy Sheppard’s Cheesy Lentil Bake which is incredibly versatile, economical, and exactly what to make with the bag of red lentils in the back of the pantry. Amy’s food is strictly comfort! She has a new cookbook that’s available for pre-order, too! (Instagram, Amazon)
• I made the executive decision that card games are IN for 2025. Grab a deck. Pick a game. Don’t be a sore loser. (Amazon, Board Game Geek)
• It sounds like we need more impromptu Do Nothing hangs with our friends. Do we have space for that in our days? It’s honestly hard to tell. Doing Nothing With Your Favorite People Is Really Really Good For You. (Self)
• Wait – have we talked about King Arthur Baking’s Recipe of the Year? Last year, of course, the recipe of the year was an elaborate Chocolate Chip Cookie that I stacked up against Dad’s cookie recipe. This year, KAB has developed a Big and Bubbly Focaccia. It’s on deck to make in the next few weeks. Focaccia, to me, is a lot of bread and a minimal amount of effort. It’s an excellent bread to tackle if you don’t necessarily consider yourself a bread baker. (King Arthur Baking, Joy the Baker)
• The Super Bowl is just an excuse to make Dill Pickle Dip, right? I knew it. (Bon Appetit)
• Are you in your Cod Liver Oil era too? Maybe it’s just me and my shiny hair. (Amazon)
• If I don’t get to chat with you before Valentine’s Day can you do me a favor? Make this Chocolate Stout Cake to celebrate. It’s my favorite winter chocolate cake. It’s so unfussy and perfect for a little love moment. Also – it was the cake I made for our wedding a few months back so it’s just infused with love. Ok thaaaanks! (Joy the Baker)
• Another executive decision I’ve made: we’re celebrating half birthdays this year. Yes. That is in addition top regularly scheduled birthdays. MMKAY? Of course I’m working on a cake about it.
In honor of Boo Simms, who died tragically last week, please “Look around. Happiness is trying to catch you.”
My love to you,
Joy
