Pop Culture Care Package: Making Lemonade
Only as I was writing up this email did I realize that two of the three things I am going to recommend within it are from TheNew York Times. I swear this does not mean I have become a company shill since getting my new job, they are just both really good.
Not this kind of Lemonade, but what am I going to do, NOT use a Beyoncé gif??
Before the end times began, I frequented many cocktail bars in the greater Boston area, but rarely ever made an effort to mix cocktails up for myself at home, through no aversion greater than laziness. But when, on a whim, I looked up one of my go-to cocktails and discovered it contained only four ingredients, all in equal parts, I realized it was time for me to make a change. However, one of the ingredients is fresh lemon juice, and there are few mundane tasks I hate more than juicing lemons. It’s messy, it’s a hassle, and I can never shake my conviction that I have not gotten anywhere near as much juice out of any given lemon as I should have.
Realizing I could not be the first person to face this challenge, I texted my most cocktail-competent friends, discovered that what I needed was a citrus press, and then did what I always do in times of struggle and confusion: I went to The Wirecutter to buy whatever they recommended. And, once again, my faith was richly rewarded with a comprehensive guide to the best at-home cocktail making equipment that not only recommended the best citrus press but also led me to an article full of great tips on getting the most juice out of your citrus. The thoroughness and wonkery of The Wirecutter is such a balm— I like reading through their articles even when I am not shopping for anything in particular just to be in the calming presence of an expert who’s done all the comparison shopping so I don’t have to. And the FreshForce Citrus Juicer (ordered from my local cocktail supply shop) really is a dream. Super easy to use, gorgeously juice-producing, and cute.
If cocktails are not to your taste, worry not! I have another lemon-based recipe to recommend: this French yogurt cake from NY Times Cooking. My roommate made it last week and I have not been able to stop thinking about it since. In the meantime, I am going to make myself a Paper Plane and settle in for my evening Zoom hang.
XO/Dame M.