Good morning. I am writing from my couch here in Brooklyn, in my apartment that I love dearly, nestled between neighbors who have become family. I’ve been here for over 5 years now. In Apartment 2.
This appreciation exists and yet at the same time I feel a real heaviness about the fires in Los Angeles. I mention that because the theme of this entry is care: for one another and the things we have.
Right off the bat I want to mention that I have organized a bread mirror raffle to raise funds for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, who are on the ground in Altadena and Pasadena distributing necessities and cleaning with hundreds of volunteers and fire brigades. It’s amazing what they’re accomplishing. You can buy a $10 raffle ticket, or a few, on my website here. The winner will be chosen on February 1st.
The theme of care came to me while reflecting on 2024, and looking ahead to the new year. For me, that usually translates to food, and so, bread. If you buy good bread, typically not cheap, and you don’t slice and freeze it within one to two days, it will harden. At this point many people toss it, thinking they don’t want to crack a tooth. That’s true, but please do not throw away your bread! Did you know you can easily revive an old loaf by spraying it thoroughly with water and throwing it into a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes? Or you can make breadcrumbs? I myself am making a conscious effort not to waste food. If I can’t finish it before it goes (this happened yesterday with a huge batch of soup I made), then it goes into the compost back to the earth. Better yet, I try to freeze responsibly. But bread, only flour, water and salt, can easily be repurposed again. It can have another life or two.
Usually I slice and freeze extra loaves, but recently I stashed a few in my pantry to harden, thinking ah, soon I’ll breaden something. And so last night I blitzed the hardened pieces into breadcrumbs, the aroma pleasant and sour. While the sky is the limit here in terms of how to use breadcrumbs, one of my favorite ways is in a breadcrumb chicken. Or a chicken cutlet, if you will. To me this is so comforting.
To go along with this I’ve made my grandma’s coleslaw recipe, something I love and ate nearly everyday as a child. My grandma Estelle (“Stella”) grew up on a farm in South Texas during the depression and lived a pretty simple life, naturally translating into her cooking. She and her sisters loved to dance and called themselves "The Queens of Rowena" at the local honky tonk in Rowena, Texas.
These recipes are simple. They are not mathematical, don’t require ambient or overnight refrigeration time. Not bread. I’m bringing in a bit of ease this month. If you are not a paid subscriber and would like access to my recipes — including the beloved sourdough cinnamon rolls — please upgrade to a paid subscription.
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It’s hard to know what to do in times of crisis, especially when you’re removed but with a clear lens. Aside from helping on-the-ground or monetarily, I think the best thing one can do is care for the people in their lives. It comforts me to make sure my friends are okay and healthy. I try to be present with the people I love, and it’s often reciprocal. I care for my home, the food I purchase, and what is already in my possession. I lean towards a mindset of abundance and not one of scarcity. And I give away what I don’t use anymore. It is natural for us to be symbiotic with nature in this way, to operate in a circular motion. I think it feels good to live like this. I love placing something out on the stoop and seeing someone take it to a new home.
I listened to a great guided meditation yesterday by my favorite online practitioner, Tara Brach, one that focuses on communal caring.
She is so profound and gentle. All of her meditations are gold.
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I’m off to mix now. A few announcements:
I am making sourdough King Cakes for the third year in a row. Pickup will occur this Sunday, January 26th and again on February 2nd. I love making these! They are sold out but I am considering adding a third date, February 9th.
By popular demand I have released a series of mini bread mirrors. They are so cute and a great v-day gift, available in singles or pairs. Give one to a friend or a lover. I am also relinking the bread mirror raffle mentioned above here.
I am producing Italian cookie tins with my friend Chiara Defant of Pan di Serpe. In September I spent a week with Chiara in her hometown in Tuscany, where we produced two events together. Chiara is traveling to New York next month and we’re excited to offer this collaboration!
I am returning to RecCreate Collective in the Brooklyn Navy Yard to teach not one but two bread mirror workshops. I am super excited to return to this beautiful studio and teach again. Tickets are here.
With lots of warmth and love,
Carla
