No. 7 || In a Pickle
Tickle my pickle, hold it, hide it, be in a dilly of it, take it back with a shot, keep it in a jar until next season, whatever, just don't make a big dill out of it.
Dear Readers & Cake Eaters,
In case you missed it last issue, I now have an *AUDIO VERSION* of the newsletter available for each issue moving forward that you will find at the end of the intro, just before we dive into the Weekly Specials Menu.
And another quick note, it’s come to my attention that some of you might have not realized that there is a lot more to my newsletter than what shows up in the body of your email. I kindly ask you to open it up in your browser so that you don’t miss out on the rest of the juicy visuals and content I’ve worked so hard on delivering to you! :) Now with that said. . .
It’s National pickle month y’all! Something I did not know until I started writing this to be quite frank. There are many food trends out there but there are as many pickle boys and girlies as there are tomato gurlz, I’m sure of it. I used to think that pickles united people, that no one disliked a good pickle. But like with any foods, it’s understandably not for everyone.
We know the pickle as that big honkin’ green cucumber floating around in a clear glass jar. And with such a specific and iconic image, it’s easy to forget sometimes that essentially anything can be a pickle once it’s been preserved in an acidic liquid for some time. In the US and Canada, a pickle is specifically a cucumber, and everything else is just pickled. But in other places, the label varies. In Korea we have kimchi, in Germany we have sauerkraut, in Vietnam we tend to favor a pickled carrot and daikon that you find most commonly in a banh mi, in Northern Italy you have mostarda, in Japan there’s pickled ginger and umeboshi, in Mexico you have escabeche, cornichons in France, pickled lemons in Morocco, and aam ka achar (pickled mango) in India JUST to name a few. The point is, pickles are everywhere. I don’t know about you but I find that fascinating. I never once realized how worldly pickles are. Even though I’ve had most of the “pickles” listed, I still can’t shake the image of the fat green lump that we (at least Americans), know as THE PICKLE whenever you say, well, pickle. It’s kind of like how every country has their version of a dumpling or idk, pancakes or, well, you know what I mean.
Here at
a lot of what I do is for the trollz and lolz admittedly. But I do hope that occasionally I provide you with some food for thought (and not just the literal kind hehe). Food can be a lot of things - it can be political, it can be emotional, it can be art, it can be sexual, etc. But all things aside, if you think that you have nothing in common at all with someone you deem as the worst person in the world, well, you have food in common at the very least. (And maybe breathing but I digress.) For better or for worse, we all need to eat and I think it’s a pretty beautiful and vulnerable thing to share a meal as well as to feed one another. I might not be able to necessarily share a meal with you through the screen or through the audio, but I hope to feed you with news, fun facts, history, beautiful things, and just overall knowledge even if in the tiniest microdose.
Now, please enjoy this pretty picture of a pickle that’s actually yet another trompe l’oeil dessert made by my wonderfully talented pastry chef friend, Alina Prokopenko aka A.PR.IS on IG.
And with that said, let’s get fed and let’s dig in to the next issue! xo
*AUDIO VERSION HERE*
THE CAKEWALK - WEEKLY SPECIALS MENU
Tuesday July 16th, 2024
Appetizers
To celebrate National Pickle Month, Baked by Melissa has teamed up with Claussen for a pickle cupcake that launched on July 10th. You can get this 25-pack tray of mini’s shipped nationwide until July 31st. Look, I’m not NOT convinced. They might actually be a lot more dill-ightful then they sound. . . Another pickle flavored honorable mention includes the Spritz Society x Claussen’s pickle flavor spritz collab that was so popular last year, they brought it back this summer. Makes me think about Grillo’s Pickles collab with Two Robbers last year where they created a pickle hard seltzer that sold out so fast!
Taco Bell opens “The Cantinas” - An Early Retirement Home For All Ages - “The Cantinas celebrates the old at heart who want to 'Live Mas' with a weekend of senior-inspired recreation.” “For one weekend in August, The Cantinas will be a place for Taco Bell superfans to enjoy sun-soaked recreation, retail and, of course, dining.” “For a cool $150, Taco Bell Rewards Members over the age of 21 can get a weekend membership that includes overnight accommodations and full access to amenities, recreation, dining and entertainment. Day passes are also available to rewards members for $50 per day. Tickets go on sale July 16.”
“KFC Teams Up With BoxLunch on a New ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’ Clothing Collection”. THE “BUCKET” HAT. I die. KFC did merch like this a while back, I don’t remember when but I believe it was a lot more limited of a collection and harder to get your hands on. I’m still dreaming of the KFC x Crocs platforms that are still not yet in my possession. Either way, here it is - don’t sleep on it!
Something smells fishy. . . but in the best way possible?! Fishwife & Lisa Says Gah have teamed up for the perfect summer collab featuring a “Smoked Salmon tinned fish”, an illustrated tee, nail art stickers, as well as a fish necklace and matching fish bracelet. If you’re fishing for compliments with these products, you might just get ‘em. Lolz.
Shake Shack recently announced a new partnership with Bearaby, a sustainable home wellness brand, with the drop of a “Crinkle Cut Cuddler Body Pillow”. Man I have really done it with the tongue twisters this issue. Made of a “plant-based Melofoam”, this pillow is yours for $149. Idk about you but I’ve totally always dreamed about having a gigantic crinkle cut french fry replace my non-existent boyfriend in bed. . . uh oh is this grounds for a new sentient being romance novel? If yes I expect royalties, lolz.
Van Leeuwen Is Celebrating Hello-Kitty’s 50th Anniversary With a New Limited-Edition Flavor - Yummy Berry White Chocolate Truffle which touts a combo of “white chocolate ice cream, bite-sized truffle brownie pieces, and red raspberry jam (those red swirls are supposed to remind you of Hello Kitty’s hair bow).” Head’s up that this flavor will only be available for one day only — Sunday, July 21st (NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY), at all of Van Leeuwen’s scoop shops in CA, CO, CT, MA, NJ, NY, PA, TX, and DC. Additionally, “Van Leeuwen said that 50% of the profits from sales of its Hello Kitty anniversary flavor will be donated to charitable organizations.” Some pretty solid reasons to check it out, my friends. Apparently they’ll also be doling out other Hello Kitty inspired desserts and merch. God, I miss those Sanrio store erasers. . .
“The Houses of Parliament restaurant is now on Deliveroo” - Let me make this short and to the point - if you’re a Member of Parliament (MP), you’re most likely ordering food from The Houses of Parliament Restaurant at one time or another. The only thing is, what you’re paying as opposed to what you’re getting is almost inconceivable.
For example: what about a “panko-coated lamb loin with carrot & Timothy Taylor Ale purée, black garlic, potato galette and natural jus for as little as £10.10”. Seems off, right? Except, “The House of Commons Catering Service spends millions of pounds of taxpayer money each year subsiding food and drink at its on-site bars and restaurants” so that these politicians can have these exquisite meals that seemingly cost less than a trip to the local fast food joint.
Enter North Paddington Foodbank, (NPFB - the largest food aid charity in Westminster) and artist Corbin Shaw who “have teamed up to launch the ‘No Food In The House’ campaign, calling for the redirection of public funds away from subsidising meals in the Commons and towards tackling food poverty across the country.” “They’ve also partnered with Deliveroo, showcasing the kind of dishes (and prices) on offer at The Houses of Parliament Restaurant, like smoked salmon with caperberries (£4.95), chargrilled sirloin steak with roast mushrooms and fries (£13.90), lemon sole with buttered asparagus (£10.10)”. “You can’t actually order the food for delivery but you can get a Corbin Shaw-designed t-shirt, with 100% of the profits going to support the Independent Food Aid Network, and you can also show your support by signing the campaign’s petition here.”
This is not a drill y’all. For those who need a jolt of caffeine as well as a snack fix around that 3pm slump, you can look no further than . . . coffee-flavored Doritos?! OH NAURRR. . . While this looks like yet another AI snack rendering, it’s actually not thanks to Doritos Australia who actually decided to bring this concept to life. Except, it’s not exactly available to everyone either. Much like what we’ve seen with many other quirky snack releases, this is a limited edition item that will only land in the hands of 300 “lucky” giveaway winners and this time, it’s for Aussies only.
7-Eleven launches new limited edition Cherry Slurpee Twinkies - And no, I have zero plans to hunt these down lolz.
Dunkin’ [Donuts] releases Iced The EP featuring 5 songs, one of which is“Iced Like My Coffee” featuring A.J. McLean & Joey Fatone of none other than history’s two ultimate boy bands - Backstreet Boys & N*SYNC. Listen to the tracks below and stay tuned for the music video coming out later this month.
Main Course
I’m sure you’ve seen it. It’s a viral trend at the moment. Putting pickles in your Dr. Pepper. (Try saying that 5x fast) Have I tried it? Not yet. Is it on my to-do list? Not exactly. If the opportunity presents itself, sure why not. For some people, it’s a combo that comes across as unhinged or maybe even “disgusting”. For others, it’s a mix of flavors that aren’t really so surprising when you think about it. (Although I will admit, I’m curious as to why it’s Dr. Pepper specifically and not just any soda) I have Vietnamese roots and so having grown up with a beverage we know as Soda Chanh Muối in my lexicon, Dr. Pep & pickles is hardly surprising. Soda Chanh Muối is essentially a sparkling sweet, salty, and briney fresh lemonade. The next time you have a hankering for such a beverage, I’d suggest you give it a try - recipe here. The only thing is, you might wanna start pickling your lemons *now* since they should sit for about 3 weeks. Let me know if you give it a try! (Also, chances are they have it at your local pho place if you’re in a bit of a hurry.)
“Forget dating apps: NYC pickleball courts are the hot new singles scene”. Honestly, I still don’t know what pickleball is for the life of me and how it got so popular all of a sudden but any chance at dating outside of the apps has got my full attention. (Apparently Chick-Fil-A has also caught onto the pickleball phenomenon because they now offer a $70 Pickleball set in their online shop.) I’ve been told from friends in other cities that it’s not just NYC and that this is very much a thing that’s happening at the moment. But I also know, from taking a quick glance at San Francisco courts, that getting an actual spot seems to be harder than it sounds with demand (for playing) exceeding supply (of courts) so unless you already have a club membership somewhere, or know someone it’s sounding to be like a LOT of effort for very unclear results. But it would appear that people aren’t only getting picked up on the courts these days. The past couple of years I’ve heard more and more about grocery stores turned “meet markets” with no other than Erewhon leading the pack.
“Juliette Hohnen, a well-known L.A. realtor, isn’t looking for love herself but has plenty of clients who are, many of whom hold memberships at fancy coteries like NeueHouse, Soho House and the San Vincente Bungalows. “But they don’t meet people to date there,” she says. Where do they meet? “The parking lot at Erewhon.”” - LA Mag
Of course, those who are active in this ritual tend to be of a certain “set” - you know, the chiseled, toned, athletic, model/influencer-type. But apparently grocery meet-cutes aren’t so uncommon. Those who live in San Francisco are apparently all too familiar with the Marina District Safeway also known as “Dateway”. And then apparently in Chicago there’s Mariano’s as previously reported by Snaxshot that has a supposedly pretty successful happy hour. And then we have the NY Post recently reporting that “NYC single ladies hit the man market at Whole Foods Tribeca: ‘It’s the best place for husband hunting’”. A quick google search will tell you that Whole Foods has been a prime spot for picking up dates since forever. Admittedly the thought of picking up someone while grocery shopping has never once crossed my mind since groceries are such a cut and dry act for me where I’m in for what I need and out when I get it. But then again, the same can be said by the others that are seemingly more successful in the dating pool, lolz. Have any of you landed any dates from grocery or farmer’s market jaunts?
Here’s a pro tip from a reel I once came across (because I still don’t have Tik Tok lolz) that unfortunately I can no longer find: The guy in the reel is apparently a grocery store cashier and he claims that the best time to find a guy at a grocery store that’s husband material is on Sunday Mornings before 1pm. He then goes to explain that these guys are *husband material* because they are up early and not hungover from the night before. These are the meal prep fellas, up at 10/11am on a Sunday trying to buy groceries so that he’s prepared for the week. And also, there’s a possibility that he’s picking up something to bring over to his mom’s Sunday lunch or something like that. After 1pm, it’s game over because that’s when the couples comes out to play. That’s when the gremlins wake up from their hangovers. Et voilà.
What else can I say folks, may the odds be ever in your favor. On that note, has anyone ever seen the movie, Fresh? Lolz. (It’s a horror/comedy that’s directly connected to this subject. I’ll save you some trauma and dive deeper into it another time.)
“A Pickle a Day May Keep Your Anxiety at Bay” claims this Smithsonian magazine article from 2015 - can any of my anxious pickle crunching girlies attest to this?! Lolz.
À La Carte
Pickle Juice Soda Pop - imagine going to someone’s house for the first time and seeing a fully stocked wall of these bad boys
Vintage Cornichons Jar w/serving tongs (Left)
Drinks by Evie “Hot Girls Love Brine” Tee - I’m so sorry to report that it’s already SOLD OUT but apparently a restock is coming soon so check the Drinks by Evie IG in the meantime to stay up to date!
1. Ottolinger Ceramic Bag (on sale) - this bag just gives me fashion pickle girl vibes plain & simple. Not actually ceramic, it’s made from recycled TPU.
3. 3D Printed Cucumber Ring by EmoSalad via In Angelhood
Olive Face Hat by SMO Ceramics (Left) - obsessed!
Pickle Knit Sweater (Right) - ok technically it’s a “holiday” sweater but . . . semantics
Pickle Bandaids - for when you’re literally in a pickle
Heinz Pickle Flavored Lip Balm - because nothing says pucker up like pickles
1. MCM Murano Style Art Glass "2 Bok Choy" & "4 Cucumber/Zucchini" Vegetable Decor
3. Pickle Pipe - honorable mentions in this shop: Oyster, Dumplings, Radish
(Not Just) Desserts
(roundups, reviews, recommendations, opinions, your “just desserts” for subscribing I suppose)
FILMz - An American Pickle starring Seth Rogan. Let me first just inform you that I have not yet watched the entire film. I started it when I was on break in the US at some point and I suppose I got distracted and never made it to the end. Is this indicative of the film’s quality? Not really, there’s plenty of things that I like just fine and don’t get around to finishing haha. This film is a “sentimental comedy” as some reviewers put it. The comedy is on the lighter side, but what you’re doing more is reflecting on modernity and it’s affect on us. It’s one of those movies that you actually have to pay attention to, so don’t expect a slapstick comedy that you can have going on in the background and assume you’ll still catch on to all the major highlights. It’s definitely a more subtler piece and while I still haven’t gotten around to finishing it yet, I would say it’s worth checking out. How’s that for a lukewarm review lolz.
EVENTz - Minnesota State Fair - When I say it’s my dream to go, I am not exaggerating in the very least. FYI, Minnesota is constantly competing with Texas as the US’ largest state fair (I mean, I would love to go to both to be quite honest). Everything from butter sculpture carvings and various other contests like for baked goods seen above, a milk run, rides, music, livestock, but let’s not kid ourselves here and talk about the main attraction - the FOOD. One of my good friends Nichole, is from there and I live vicariously through her every year when she posts about it. Everything from deep fried cheese curds to cookie buckets, alligator-on-a-stick, to deep fried ranch dressing, fried pies and candy bars, corn dogs and so so so much more. Personally, I would happily go to just stare at the rows of cakes and other treats lined up in a glass case awaiting judgement and a potential prize reward. The MN State Fair has also just recently published their new foods lineup for this year and you can check that out here. The fair goes from Aug. 22nd-Sept. 2nd (Labor Day). I pray that next year will be the year that I finally get to go.
RESTAURANTz - Pecking House x Lord Stanley Turntable is the hottest collab in San Francisco (says me - also there’s a pun in there somewhere) and is available through August 31st. I slept on it last year and since I’m not gonna be in NYC in the immediate future, I’ll probably be here everyday once I’m back in SF. Fried chicken is hands down one of my favorite foods and upon hearing about Pecking House 2 years ago, I made it my life’s purpose to try it during my trip to NY last October. As you can imagine, I had a pretty jam-packed to-do list, and yet I still made it to Pecking House twice. It was THAT incredible.
To quote Eater NY’s Ryan Sutton, “10,000 People Can’t Be Wrong About Pecking House Hot Chicken”. Founded by Chef Eric Huang during the pandemic, this spicy and beautifully blended, mouth-watering and perfectly crisp fried chicken “attracted a 10,000-person waitlist when he started the business as a pandemic pop-up.” The coating is a thick and sturdy layer that does its job without feeling too caked on, while the spicy sauce provides a punch of exciting and well-balanced flavors that leave you wanting more. For the spice lovers out there, I would say that it’s a very enjoyable level. You’re getting the kick while still enjoying the flavors without burning a hole in your tongue. For those that are not spice-oriented, you’ve been warned.
From one fried chicken fanatic to all of you, I mean it so sincerely when I say this is my favorite fried chicken and I get absolutely nothing out of this coverage except the pleasure of sharing a wonderful experience with you. New Yorkers are lucky to have full access to this glorious chicken year-round as the restaurant itself is in Brooklyn. San Franciscans, don’t sleep on this goldmine while it’s in town, who knows when the next time will be. And for everyone else, never say never because Chef Eric Huang did bring Pecking House to London’s popular Carousel restaurant back in May. Praying for Paris to be in the rotation at some point.
ARTz - “This is Pickle, an installation featured in Auckland, New Zealand’s Michael Lett gallery. Artist Matthew Griffin created the piece by peeling a single pickle off a McDonald’s cheeseburger and throwing it at the gallery ceiling. Griffin’s self-described “sculpture” was on exhibit throughout July [2022], meaning the pickle remained stuck to the ceiling, using only ketchup remnants and nondescript burger juices as adhesive, for an entire month” via The Cut. The artist was asking $6200 for it and the buyer would ultimately get instructions as to how to recreate it for themselves upon purchase, much like Maurizio Cattelan’s Basel Banana. Life is but a gigantic troll, folks.
RECIPEz - This Pickle Margarita by Drinks by Evie has already got my mouth watering. Check it out!
Digestif
Do you know The Pickle Sisters? Well, there’s probably a good reason you don’t. Supposedly, they are a Vaudeville group from the 1920s but upon further research, it would seem that their entire existence may be a hoax. This post by Leaves of Trash does a pretty intense if not thorough deep dive into their “lore” by following their trail on the interwebz. Happy deep diving down that rabbit hole!
“Cleopatra - Perhaps the most famous ancient pickle lover, the Queen of Egypt is credited with having a regular dose of pickle in her life.” -hold for laughter-
“Rumor has it that Cleopatra used pickles as part of her beauty regimen. While it was unclear how she used pickles, we can assume that she experimented with pickles in various ways.” Do with that what you will lolz.
This would make for a good - “should I call him?” meme, me thinks. Love a vintage ad.
What a random trend lolz.
This guy makes cucumber hats. He also has 2 books on it. He goes by the name of “Xandiloquence Bizarre the Ab3rd”. Ohhh what a world.
FIN.
My next issue is already cooking but in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to share this page with anyone you think might like this sort of content. After all, my newsletter can only feed its subscribers if they’re hungry. :)
And lastly, your feedback also means the world! Please feel free to comment below, or email me at thecakewalk@substack.com. xoxo
omg you have to read the short story that American Pickle is based off. It's called "Sell Out" by Simon Rich (one of the best comedy writers of all time). https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/sell-out-part-one