I’m a whole season late to the party, but I just got into the show Ted Lasso, which features a deeply charming football coach (the American kind) who heads across the pond to train, for his first time, a football club (the soccer kind). It's very sweet and very feel-good, and new episodes air every Friday on Apple TV+. But I’m not here to talk about the show—I’m here to talk about the cute pink box of freshly baked shortbread biscuits that Ted brings his boss every morning.
The boxes make me nostalgic for my own days working in a bakery, where I clocked countless hours folding and assembling cardboard packaging just like the ones in the show. And the biscuits remind me of my grandmother, who loves shortbread—which, as we (and the Brits in Ted Lasso) know, is the perfect cookie to have with tea. She lives in Atlanta and I live in New York, so I always send her some for birthdays and special occasions, and over the years I’ve landed on two favorites that can be shipped nationwide: Mah Ze Dahr’s vanilla bean shortbread and Back in the Day Bakery’s lavender shortbread. But as I was watching Ted’s boss Rebecca Welton enjoy the shortbread, I realized I couldn’t think of the last time I’d had some myself. So I took a trip through the archives to look for a few recipes, which you can find in the list below. I’m planning to try out one (or two or three...) ahead of the next episode.
In the meantime, here are a few other things I’m loving:
- This guide-to-end-all-guides to dining outside from Epicurious, particularly the frozen cocktail and ice box cake entries
- And a guide to all things sticky rice
- Ideal dining itineraries by local restaurant experts everywhere from New Orleans to Bozeman for the August print magazine (subscribe here to get future issues)
- This year’s Met Gala plans, which feature a lineup of extremely cool chefs—and a fully plant-based menu (!)
- A conversation I had with Jana Schmieding, co-star and writer of another great show, Rutherford Falls, which just got picked up for a second season. We discussed what she ate in the writers’ room, food sovereignty, and so much more
- A very helpful Epicurious product review of serrated knives, just in time for tomato season
- And speaking of tomatoes, I’m a purist, but this Tomato Caesar recipe for the next time my market haul is less than perfect. Plus more new recipes ideal for the dog days of August: Dominican Spaghetti, Saucy Grilled Squash With Chickpeas, Spicy Braised Eggplant Noodles, Summer Corn Rice
Please tell me about the TV shows (or movies, plays, video games, or books) that have prompted you to cook something new—but no spoilers, please! I’m at sonia@bonappetit.com.