Roundup: June 5, 2023

Cooking up trouble. Or something like that.

Do you still have your pandemic sourdough starter? I’m pleased to say that my starter, named Fridasdöttir, is still going strong, and we have homemade focaccia a few times a month because it is so ridiculously simple. Hence, I was very excited when my lovely and talented friend Meghan Murphy-Gill published her new book The Sacred Life of Bread (affiliate link). The official release date is June 13, but you can pre-order now.

Meghan is a writer, editor, and Episcopal priest. She started baking bread before COVID made it trendy, so she is well beyond basic no-knead focaccia. This book has great recipes (most using instant yeast instead of sourdough starter) and meditations on faith, earth, time, and family. It’s a lovely book.

If you’re in Chicago, you can see Meghan at The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square on June 13 at 7:00.

Things to Do

• Make focaccia: Go find the starter at the back of the fridge! It’s probably still good. This recipe is super easy, and it makes a delicious accompaniment to whatever you’re having for supper. (The Clever Carrot)

• Make brownies: I needed to bring a snack to a meeting last night, so I made Supernatural Brownies. These are so good, and no, they don’t have pot in them. I’ve made them for years; they freeze well, so I used to make a batch every Sunday for my kid’s school lunch. You can use fancy chocolate and Kerrygold butter if you want to make something special, but store-brand chocolate chips and butter work fine. I melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water and stir the dry ingredients together with a fork, making the recipe even easier. Also, I skip the nuts, because why would anyone want nuts in brownies? (Nick Malgieri)

• Go to school: MIT—yes, THAT MIT–has a slew of free online courses that you can take to learn something new, whether for work or for fun. The offerings are heavy on science and engineering, but there are other subjects, too. (MIT Open Learning)

Things to Read

• Get ready for summer: The TueNight Social has a great roundup of skincare, shoes, and bathing suits. (Substack)

• Tommy Stinson: Are you a Replacements fan? Guns and Roses? Tommy Stinson has been around forever, in part because he started playing in bands when he was in grade school. The Other Annie, Annie Zaleski, has a great interview with him. (Stereogum)

Things to Hear

• Superconnected: I heard this song by Belly for the first time in ages and ages, and it is so good.