The Girl's Guide to DC
Issue 49: Evie's Semi-Homemade Cooking
Happy Thursday! I can’t believe next week will be 50 issues of Girl’s Guide. If you missed last week’s issue, find it here.
I want this newsletter to be about you, the ladies of DC, so send me claw clip recommendations and bad date stories by replying to this email.
What They Don’t Tell You
DC kitchens are normally small, outdated, and do everything but make you want to cook. But keeping some key ingredients on hand can really inspire you!
A few weeks ago I asked readers to send in their pantry staples (a.k.a. the ingredients that keep them from ordering takeout every night). They did not disappoint — here are the recommendations in no particular order, plus a few of my own!
Reader Recommendations
Gourmet salt - Rebekah Hoshiko
“I keep multiple kinds of salt on hand — it's amazing how something so simple elevates a dish. Coarse salt in a salt cellar is my everyday go-to (Costco has a giant box that lasts for awhile), but then if you REALLY want to feel elite, Maldon flaky sea salt is worth its weight in gold. And a little goes a long way. Whatever you do, don't use iodized salt and remember to always salt your pasta water. There, you're already basically your own salt bae!”
Allll the spices - Max Bodach
"Something I always appreciate is a well-stocked spice cabinet — it doesn't need to be exhaustive, but always having good red pepper, cumin, dill, nice salt, etc. makes cooking so much easier — and you're not scrambling around a Trader Joe's aisle at 7 p.m. frantically searching for the last bottle of something you need! It also makes improvising in the kitchen much easier.”
Cast iron skillet - Marshall Frith
Reader Marshall Frith recommends getting comfortable with cast iron cooking — and you can make a filet mignon to rival any steakhouse. His recipe is below.
“Preheat oven to 425°. Get the cast iron hot.
Season your steak with your favorite seasoning on the filet mignon (hidden secret is do some bacon beforehand in the cast iron and baste the steak with bacon fat while searing the steak).
Sear each side 45 seconds to 1 minute — depends whether you have gas or electric.
Throw in the oven for 7-11 mins (less time = more rare).
And a trick from my Dad: I don’t make my own mango chutney, but when you take the steaks out, paint them with mango chutney. Let sit for a minute or two then serve. Serve them with whatever sides you want and you have an easy in-apartment/condo filet mignon when a grill isn’t as easily accessible.”
Tomatoes galore - Brenda Scears (Nick’s nana)
“MUST have canned tomato products! Stewed, diced, sauce.”
Evie’s Recommendations
Pesto
“I always keep a few jars of pesto on hand — it’s super versatile. It’s delicious spread on a BLT or grilled cheese, but it’s also a lifesaver when you need a quick and healthy salad dressing. I love to mix pesto, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil per this recipe for a copycat Sweetgreen chicken pesto bowl.”
Minced garlic
“Now you see why I call myself a Sandra Lee semi-homemade cook — I can’t even be bothered to mince my own garlic. Gourmet chefs, please don’t read this next part, but I always keep a jar of minced garlic in extra virgin olive oil from Aldi in my refrigerator. It’s so easy to throw into a skillet with veggies or meat.”
Organic cassava pasta
“Spaghetti night, but without the guilt! Most of us probably keep a jar or two of pasta sauce on hand, but these grain-free cassava noodles from Jovial (can be found at Whole Foods) are delicious with whatever you decide to throw on them. You won’t miss the real thing. Just don’t try to cook them al dente — you’ll be chewing on the noodles for a while.”
Interview with Rachel Wolff
This week, I’m excited to introduce you all to Rachel Wolff, who is finishing up her first year of law school at Georgetown (smart cookie!). Connect with Rachel on Twitter and Instagram.
What area do you live in and why do you love it?
I live in Navy Yard and love it for its convenience and proximity to friends. Sometimes it seems like everyone I know is moving to Navy Yard! Having everything you could possibly need in one place definitely makes my life easier during busy times. I also love being near the water — walks along the Anacostia River are a perfect way to clear my mind.
What does your life look like right now?
I’m finishing up my first year of law school at Georgetown, although it’s my second year of a four-year dual degree program to get both my MA and my JD. It’s definitely strange to still be in school when everyone around me is working, but I’m very grateful to be able to continue my education. I’ve met a lot of fascinating people at Georgetown and in legal communities and really enjoyed my time there so far!
What's your favorite landmark or hangout spot in the DC area?
I’m a pretty outdoorsy person, so I’m always looking for places in DC that make me feel like I’m not in a big city. To that end, I love Theodore Roosevelt Island. It was made to feel like a real forest to pay tribute to TR’s legacy as an advocate for conservation, an issue that’s quite important to me. Perfect for walks, runs, birdwatching, and being in nature just steps away from the hustle of DC.
What's something you wish you had known when you first moved to DC?
You’ll run into the same people over and over, and the impressions you make on them matter. People really do remember how you make them feel — being dismissive or unkind, even if it’s a minor interaction, will color someone’s impression of you forever.
It’s worth going out of your way to be deliberate in every conversation you have, and it’s usually not worth making enemies in a city that runs on favors and reputation by word of mouth. That’s not to say you need to agree with everyone or abandon your principles, but being able to treat strangers with genuine respect is important, especially in a city like DC.
The Haps
#HotMeghanSummer
Whether you think Meghan Markle rescued Harry from the royal family or stole him away, you can’t deny: the girl’s got great style. I wrote about how to recreate some of Meghan’s classiest outfits this summer and where to buy dupes of her favorite pieces for Evie Magazine — read it here. I loved that I already had a lot of the building blocks for Meghan’s outfits in my closet… stay tuned on my Instagram to see what I come up with.
What’s Your Salary?
Gen Z and millennial workers are much more likely than their older counterparts to share how much they’re paid, according to a new report from Bankrate.com. The article interviews a 29-year-old woman who says her parents are horrified that she is transparent with friends and coworkers about her salary — they think it’s impolite. I have definitely found it helpful to have frank conversations about salary and benefits with friends to make sure I’m on track… and let’s be honest, the “don’t talk about money EVER” rule seems to be a psyop created by our greedy capitalist overlords so they can underpay us.
Here are a few more links to what I’m reading this week:
The D.C. soccer besties who scored: If you’re on the fence about jumping into one of DC’s many rec sports leagues, let the story of Vanessa and Steven Santos inspire you.
The Slip: Amanda Elliott and Sarah Curran of The Slip were kind enough to feature my thoughts on pregnancy in the Mother’s Day edition of their newsletter — click here to read musings from all the moms they featured!
Tweet of the Week
Reader Harvest Prude may have made the most out of the story about the wild turkey terrorizing parts of DC. Check out the thread below to find out how the men of DC told her they would fend off a turkey attack.
Ask Evie
Have a question you want me to answer in the newsletter? Click this link to send your question anonymously!
I can’t promise to have all the answers, but I will consult with the experts, a.k.a. the plotlines of my favorite 2000s romcoms.