It’s Friday and the second day of Spring, but this is not how any of us pictured spring unfurling. I have to remind myself to look up and notice the trees are starting to bloom, and flowers are peeking out of the soil, because it’s so hard not to be frustrated that we’re separated from beloved family and friends. For now, though, we are staying healthy, occupied, and quasi sane in our new cloistered normal. There’s an odd sense that the world has suddenly gotten very small and we are going through the same things together, albeit in slightly different ways and at different stages. Thank goodness we live in the time of the internet so we can check up on news around the world, FaceTime with faraway family members, do distance learning and virtual yoga classes.
We can watch people in Italy singing their hearts out from balconies while under quarantine. And Parisians cheering in appreciation for the medical workers from their windows. In about an hour, my neighbors are “meeting” on their individual stoops and out of their windows for an Italy-inspired singalong and wine.
Art museums, though shuttered, are open for virtual tours. And Audible is offering free audio books for kids right now. This crisis has not brought out the best in everyone, but for the most part there’s a sense of cooperation and inventiveness that reminds us of our collective better selves and sustains us through the long, formless days.
In my neighborhood in Brooklyn, people are going out for careful walks with their kids, but since groups are verboten, playdates are off the table. Someone around here started a Rainbow Connection project, where kids can make rainbows to display in a window, then other kids out walking can play a game of I Spy and spot the rainbows. It seems to be spilling over to other cities, too. There is a map of the project here and you can add your own to the map here.
As a friendly reminder to wash hands, a neighbor around the corner installed a temporary sink outside his gate, open to all, with foot-operated pedals dispensing soap and water.
We are keeping ourselves sane by taking walks and bike rides in our local parks (for as long as we’re allowed to!), keeping chore schedules, and of course cooking. A lot. Luckily, everyone in my family likes to cook, and we’ve had a rotating lunch schedule in which we all sit down together. So far we’ve had a vegetarian sandwich by the eldest child, homemade pizza from the middle child, and “breakfast for lunch” from the boys. There’s been some talk of chicken and waffles, so the ante is upping.
Cooking is one thing I’m able to do when I don’t feel in control of much else, so I’ve been doing a lot of it. That’s not to say I’m doing the other things well. I make a terrible home school teacher—and as the kids are technically on spring break right now we haven’t even gotten to that phase yet. My thesis project exists in a parallel universe where attention span is an actual thing, and I’m not even sure how graduation is going to play out. But we’re all healthy, so that’s what really matters.
If you are facing a never ending string of meals at home—and you probably are—you can find some easy and tasty recipes at the New York Times. David Lebovitz, confined at home in Paris, has pulled together some here (call me crazy but I’m kind of excited to try the sardine rillettes). The Kitchn has some good stuff, too and Amanda Hesser of Food52 has been doing cooking tutorials on her Instagram (@amandahesser).
It was my turn to make lunch today, so I simmered up a big batch of black beans and put together a mess of sheet tray tortillas we could all help ourselves to—crisped corn tortillas loaded up with spiced beans, cheese, avocado, pickled onions, and fried eggs. They’re vegetarian but the recipe is open-ended, so you can mix it up with anything you have around. I’ve included recipes for a few of the core basics below, along with a list of other things I piled on. The black bean recipe is one we use for tacos, burritos, bowls, and a host of other things.
Spiced Black Beans
2 TBS or so neutral oil
2 cups cooked black beans (approx. 1 can), some liquid reserved
1 small onion (or 1/4 large onion)
1 tsp. salt or to taste
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder or sweet paprika (depending on level of spiciness desired)
1/2 tsp. ground coriander seed
Instructions:
Heat oil in a skillet or small frying pan. Add onions, spices, and half of salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 5-7 minutes until onions have sweated and spices smell toasty. Make sure not to burn. After that has sizzled for a bit, add beans and some of their liquid (or plain water). Simmer for around 20 minutes, adding a bit of water as needed, until beans are tender and flavorful, simmering away in their own sauce. Add more salt to taste.
Pickled Onions
1 small red onion, sliced into thin rings or pieces
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 TBS kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar
Instructions:
Put sliced onions in a bowl or jar. Bring other ingredients to a boil, then pour over the onions to cover. Let sit at least 30 minutes until bright pink and ready to use. Once cooled, put in the refrigerator. These keep for a long time and have many uses.
Assembly ingredients (suggested only—add your own):
Small corn or wheat tortillas
Neutral oil
Beans
Shredded cheese
Eggs
Avocados, sliced
Chopped chiles
Thinly sliced radishes
Pickled onions
Sliced scallions
Cilantro leaves
Limes for squeezing
Your favorite hot sauce or salsa
Other ideas: sauteed Mexican chorizo or sausage; corn; sauteed peppers and onions
Assembly:
Preheat oven to 400°. Brush or rub 8 tortillas with oil on both sides and arrange on tray slightly overlapping. Once the top side starts getting crisp, flip and rotate them so they crisp evenly. Take them out and scatter over beans and then as much shredded cheese as you like. Put them back into the oven to let cheese melt. While this is happening, fry the eggs in a skillet. Once cheese is melted and starting to bubble, take the tray out and arrange eggs and the other toppings any way you like. You can make a smaller version of this if you’re confined on your own, or multiply infinitely once it’s safe to come together in one big party. That day will come!
