Aging is a privilege, as they say, and I agree. You gain the benefits of hindsight, experience, relationships that have grown deeper and more meaningful. You have more appreciation for the little things that bring you joy. You get a stronger sense of self and priorities.
You also easily get ripping, skull-crushing hangovers that can wipe out a Saturday, if not the whole weekend.
My go-to hangover foods are usually congee and pho, but I’m very into the look of Eric Kim’s new hangover kimchi soup. It’s full of ingredients and flavors that jolt me back to life, like garlic, ginger, chicken stock; has plenty of spice from gochugaru and kimchi; and gets an easy protein boost from white beans.
“Reheat this nourishing soup throughout the week, adding more broth and various crisper-drawer vegetables you need to use up, like cabbage, kale, arugula, watercress and bean sprouts,” Eric notes. “Quick-cooking proteins like shrimp and tofu taste great in place of the beans, too.” In other words, you don’t need to have a wild Friday night out to make this soup — it can also be an easy weeknight meal, a perfect salve for any email-induced headaches.
Miso-glazed fish: On Monday, I put a steelhead trout steak into this miso-mirin-sake marinade. I remembered it on Wednesday, when I roasted it and served it with rice and yamitsuki and felt like a million bucks. I’m now sharing this Martha Rose Shulman recipe, inspired by one by Nobu Matsuhisa, so that you can also enjoy this wonderful fish dinner.
Tofu rendang: “If you are meal-prepping, cook this on the weekend to eat during the week, as the curry increases in flavor over time,” writes Hetty Lui McKinnon of her vegan take on a Southeast Asian classic.
Chocolate-bourbon truffles: Happy Derby Day! Do you have some bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder, heavy cream, vanilla, bourbon and salt, and maybe some nuts stashed in the freezer? Then you can make these delightful treats from David Tanis, which require only about 20 minutes of prep and some fridge time to firm up.
