The Runcible Spoon

It's on Sept. 10. To find out more, buy a $5 ticket (proceeds will fund our next issue) on Eventbrite and we will email you the super secret details. 

Snackability
1. peanut*
2. almond
3. cashew

Likeability
1. cashew
2. almond
3. pistachio

Texture
1. brazil nut
2. cashew
3. peanut

Snob Appeal
1. pistachio
2. almond
3. hazelnut

In Dessert
1. pistachio
2. macadamia
3. pecan

Honorable mention
Pine nut for versatility
Walnut for perseverence

Please note that pumpkin seeds are not nuts. They are seeds.
*Also, the judges are aware that peanuts are technically a legume, but the word does contain "nuts"

What's the reader's choice? Leave your vote in the comments!

-- Claire

In our most recent zine, I wrote about the art of campfire cooking. There’s oh so much to be said about it, and maybe I’ll save that for a later date. For now, I’ll share something I made this weekend, on an overnight hike through Elizabeth Furnace in George Washington National Park.

(Who needs food, really, when you have a bottle of whiskey?)

(That's cheese, not butter!)

Easy Foil Dinner

Serves 3

Ingredients: 

• 2 potatoes
• 1 onion 
• 2 containers sliced mushrooms 
• 1 zucchini 
• 1 jalapeno 
• Can spicy beans 
• Cheese Seasonings

Directions

• Butter a large piece of foil
• Layer very thinly sliced potatoes on the bottom
• On top of that, layer the rest of your ingredients
• Wrap it up tight and cook on foils for about 20 minutes

FFTW is a term that Malaka and I use occasionally in texts. It means “food for the week” and it’s something we make almost every Sunday. Lately, I’ve been trying to do it on a shoestring budget -- which can be hard if you’re conscientious about getting enough produce in your diet.

This past Sunday I got one of those HUGE tubs of greens for $6.50 and got at least 7+ meals out of it. I also got mini carrots, which I parboiled for a softer texture. I boiled a bag of lentils and mixed that up with green peas and corn. That, plus red onion, was my salad. I mixed it up with different dressings, nuts and cheeses throughout the week. At one point, I put that stuff on a tortilla with a half of an avocado.

With the other avocado half, I made this dressing:

• Half an avocado
• Juice of a lemon
• Big bunch of basil
• Clove of garlic
• TBSP mustard
• Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
• Extra vinegar, whatever you have around
• Some oil, though you don’t need much
• Water for consistency

Blend it all up and that’s that!

Do you have any recommendations for cooking in bulk for the week? We'd love to hear!

-- Claire

Big thanks to Julian Vu and Kimberly Cadena for taking these awesome photos at the Runcible Spoon Issue 5 Ice Cream Social for Brightest Young Things. The photos are fresh, delicious and fabulous -- and certainly make our little shindig look like the place to be.  

You can look at all the pictures here, but here are some of our faves: 

Thanks BYT for the love. We love you right back! -Malaka

Running a food zine is serious business. Claire and I are constantly reading food blogs to find out the latest news on our favorite chefs, restaurants and food trends -- even outside of the District -- to make sure that each issue features fresh content and a unique perspective on the food world. 

Here's a list of our essential food blogs and publications. 

What We're Reading: This daily roundup on the New York Times' Diner's Journal blog is your portal to the best food stories on the Web. It covers everything from must-read recipes to inspiring food-themed poetry to industry news from the likes of Details, the BBC and the New Yorker. 

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: I've been a big fan of this blog ever since it started. Ree Drummond cooks real food for real people, and somehow, she makes every dish feel decadent. Her recipes speak to me -- when I read her blog, I think, "Yes. This is what I really, really want to eat." I want the zine to give people that same feeling.  

Smitten Kitchen: For me, Smitten Kitchen is a crucial read. Her recipes are simple, down-to-earth and use fresh, seasonal ingredients. She uses her hands, she takes her time, she cooks everything from scratch. I look to her to make our recipes more seasonally relevant. 

Mark Bittman: Claire and I always tell our writers to make their recipes "Bittman-esque," in the same vein as his "101 Recipes" series. Why? Because we're a 12-page zine, and we have no space for a two-page food opus. 

Young and Hungry: For food gossip 'round the District, Chris Shott has it first. And that's enough to keep us coming back for more. 

The Washington Post Food: The Post's food section boasts some of the best food writers around, and their coverage of the DMV's food scene is hard to beat. They even have a barbecue columnist! 

The Washingtonian Food & Dining: The Washingtonian's restaurant lists are my absolute favorite. They've got a list for almost every kind of dining experience/meal you can have in the District.

I make sure to read these blogs on a daily basis, but there are other great blogs that I read, too. DC food blogs Arugula Files, Capital Spice and Prince of Petworth are all fantastic reads. And Orangette, Food 52's A&M Blog and the Guardian's Life and Style blog, too. 

What food blogs do you read? What do you think about this list right here? Let us know in the comments below. -Malaka

Way back in January, my friends celebrated my 25th birthday party in the most wonderful way possible -- they threw me an "Alice and Wonderland"-themed tea party. There was long table filled with tea sandwiches, potions and little cakes and cookies. There were multi-colored, oversize saucers and teacups. There was even a long water pipe filling the room with a gauzy, rose-scented haze. I thought I would share with you my magical experience. -Malaka

The weather was beautiful, the garden was lush, the ice cream toppings were abundant. Thanks to everyone who came last night; we had a great turn-out! Our awesome photo friend AJ Chavar snapped a few shots as the night was winding down. More soon!