Sweet Somethings #10
Half-caff beans, a swoon-worthy bag, Liz’s Book Bar, and the promise of grated tomatoes
Hello and happy July! How are we?
I’m heading into a busy week, beginning tomorrow morning with five days in the studio, styling and shooting recipes for my full-time job. After the shoot, I’ll head to Fishers Island to cater a special dinner with my friend
for the artist residency Lighthouse Works. The dinner is coincidentally on Teo and his twin brother Nico’s birthday, so I’m sure it’ll feel like a celebration on many levels. I’m looking forward to spending the week on my feet, cooking with colleagues and friends, and to the sweet relief of kicking up my feet and drinking a cold beer at the end of it all.As for now, I’m here with another Sweet Somethings: a monthly series where I share recommendations (food-related and otherwise). This time, I’ve got thoughts on the perfect half-caffeinated coffee beans, a swoon-worthy bag from Maine, a Brooklyn bookstore-bar where I like to write, and my new obsession with grated tomatoes. Thank you for being here!
Sweet Somethings
Joe Coffee Half Moon (half-caff!) beans
While ordering a coffee at Joe Coffee in Greenwich Village the other day, I noticed a bag of half-caffeinated beans for sale under the dreamy name of Half Moon. The tasting notes were even better than the branding: walnut, sticky toffee pudding, vanilla bean. (Describe almost anything as sticky toffee pudding-esque and I’m in.)
I’m lucky — Teo makes me coffee most mornings, and I make the bed. We both feel like we got the better end of the deal, which is true chore-splitting success. Lately, though, I’d been making Teo’s job harder by requesting half-caff cappuccinos, which meant he had to custom-blend regular and decaf beans. That is, until Half Moon came into our lives. Now, I start my mornings appropriately caffeinated — no jitters, just the right amount of buzz — and Teo gets to skip a step. My fellow anxious coffee guzzlers, take note.
Rough & Tumble envelope tote
In August of last year, Leah Shahmiri opened an eponymous Park Slope boutique, Shahmiri, and thus cursed me with an undying desire for her beautifully curated collection of French hair pins, timeless leather bags, yellow gold earrings, and more.1 Never have I wanted so many things in a single boutique — a source of equal parts delight and torment!
After months of coveting a particular bag from Shahmiri, I finally gave in and bought myself one as a gift during Leah’s summer solstice sale. It’s an envelope tote from Rough & Tumble, a leather bag brand in Maine, in the deep, inviting shade Bourbon & Cognac. The bag feels buttery and durable, with the rich, earthy scent of new leather, and I hope to wear it forever.
Grated tomato everything
As I wrote in The Dish chat recently, I’m really into grated tomatoes right now. One of my perennial favorite snacks, pan con tomate, is a Spanish dish made of garlic-rubbed toast topped with tomato, olive oil, and salt. The tomato can either be rubbed directly onto the bread or grated and spooned on top. I illustrated the pan con tomate below as part of a monthly series called Barely a Recipe that I’ve been sharing on Instagram. When I made my first pan con tomate of the summer at home, I started thinking about the bright, juicy goodness that is grated tomato and all the ways I could use it. Turns out: quite a few.
Some ideas I’ve come up with include turning it into a no-cook pasta sauce, paired with halved fresh cherry tomatoes like in this recipe, blending it with full-fat yogurt, grated garlic, and salt for a simple dip, and using it as the base of a vinaigrette with red wine vinegar and minced shallot. It’s funny how one tiny tweak — grating, rather than slicing or dicing — can inspire you to experiment with a humble ingredient you’ve cooked and eaten countless times before.
Liz’s Book Bar
Liz’s Book Bar is a charming community space on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens — part bookstore, part coffee shop, part bar. It’s my favorite spot right now to get out of the house and write. There’s almost always someone else click-clacking away at the bar, which motivates me to keep going, and a steady stream of people browsing, reading, and chatting quietly.
The coffee is good and strong, the WiFi is fast, the atmosphere is inclusive and warm, and the beer and wine offerings are excellent for when evening falls. What more could I ask for in a third place?
I haven’t attended an event there yet, but they regularly host workshops and gatherings for book lovers and writers. If you’re local (or visiting New York), please support Liz’s. I hope it sticks around for many years to come.
That’s all for today! Thank you for reading, and I’ll be back soon with more.
Wishing you a peaceful, productive week,
x Phoebe
Recent editions of Sweet Somethings:
I wrote a more in-depth write-up of Shahmiri for FOUND NY here (paywalled — sorry!).
I live just two blocks from Shahmiri, and I've been avoiding going in because I know I will want EVERYTHING. After this post I'm not sure I can hold out much longer. On the other hand, I keep walking by Liz's Book Bar without popping in, and now I definitely will. Thanks Phoebe!
thank you for the reminder about stove-free sauce!! there's an old BA recipe that's essentially tomato and vinegar spiked butter that sits out on the counter until you're ready for it and it's divineeee