43 Comments
User's avatar
Noah Elbers's avatar

When DOS bulletins arrive in our inboxes, we're always given bite size morsels of honest insight along with exceptional seasonal flavor compositions, with a bonus of simple but gorgeous food styling on top. Together these offer an oasis from an often bleak world. I always treasure their arrival, at whatever interval it happens to be. Thank you.

emily nunn's avatar

Oh, gosh, Noah, I cannot imagine a nicer message to receive on a newsletter at a time when the writer wants to eat in the bathtub! Hahaha! Seriously, this is such a wonderful comment and I appreciate it so much. Thank you! And thank you for reading my newsletter--it means so much to me! ♥️

Noah Elbers's avatar

In much less eloquent prose, for the past week I've been taking stabs at a similar topic to the one you tackled here, in hopes to convey to readers of my bakery's monthly newsletter that while we're still hard at work, this is also our time to restore as best we can before the busy season returns.

Don't take this the wrong way, I completely appreciate how gifted writers like yourself build a narrative thread in just a few short sentences, but upon reading these paragraphs I find myself thinking "why do I even bother?" Thankfully I'm stubborn, so I do bother and occasionally I even hit the mark. Regardless, it's wonderful to have you and others I admire to look up to. I'm inspired and so grateful.

emily nunn's avatar

Noah, I'm honestly so grateful for you, too—and I promise it never feels tidy from this side of the keyboard. There’s a fair amount of muttering and rearranging before anything sees daylight. We’re all just trying to get it right!

Susie's avatar

I messed up the quote. Here it is, corrected.

“How beautiful it is to do nothing and rest afterwards.”

emily nunn's avatar

Oh, Susie, I just love this. So much! Thank you for being here and for sharing this. ❤️

Susie's avatar

Your post today was perfect. Don’t know if you are familiar with it, but there’s an old Spanish saying I think you’d like.

“What a joy it is to do nothing and rest afterwards.”

Thank you for your lovely words and equally lovely recipes.

emily nunn's avatar

Thank YOU, Susie. What kind words. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Cindy Thimmesch's avatar

to paraphrase Dr. Seuss, "I would eat this here, I would eat this there. I would eat this anywhere"

emily nunn's avatar

Cindy! 🩷🩷🩷🩷

Judy Morris Lampert's avatar

Thank you, Emily.

I look forward to reading your posts. I don’t know if it is the times that we are experiencing, but they are so poignant. It could be that I am projecting.

Your salad and dressing recipes are refreshing, delicious, and complex.

emily nunn's avatar

Judy, thank you so much for this! I am so glad to have you here at the DOS. We're all pushing through! ❤️

Judi Gunn's avatar

I can't wait to try the salad with delicata squash! They're so pretty in their little half-moons.

AND: What wonderful advice. We can all use a rest!

In the spirit of food that's easy to eat and delicious, for lunch today I ate tater tots with -- wait for it -- your insanely delicious Green Goddess dip. It was fantastic and I plan to do it again tomorrow. Probably also the next time I want to serve some little snackies.

Thank you, as always, Emily, for the recipes and your writing. I'm hard pressed to choose which I enjoy more.

emily nunn's avatar

Oh, boy--Judi: I want to come to your house for lunch! That sounds so good. I feel like my green goddess dip is truly a revelation. I need to make some. Thank you right back for such kind and supportive words, by the way. It's music to my eyeballs. ❤️

Judi Gunn's avatar

P.S. I think I will try the GG dip on a baked potato next. 😍

emily nunn's avatar

HELL YES!!!

Sara's avatar

I can’t wait to eat the Winter Delicata. Mmmm.

emily nunn's avatar

Oh, good! That’s exactly the reaction I was hoping to elicit—I hope you enjoy it, Sara! ❤️

joey's avatar

I cherish my copy of R Crumb’s Despair Comix the inevitable outcome of keeping on truckin- Thank you for keeping me sane with fiber moral and otherwise

emily nunn's avatar

Oh, my gosh! do you really have a copy?? LUCKY!! Anything I can do to keep you (or anyone!) sane is my honor completely! Thanks, Joey!

joey's avatar

I got this thanks to you

emily nunn's avatar

Oh my gosh—congratulations! I’m very happy for you!

Julian Sheryl's avatar

First of all, photos are just lovely. Second, your writing delights me every single time. Third, when I can burst out laughing I’m doubly pleased. You are our Ambassador of Relief (among other titles). Add many hearts here and when you’re done, add many more.

emily nunn's avatar

Sheryl: ❤️ 💕 ❤️ 💝

A.K. Mansfield's avatar

I'm charmed by not one, but two, utterly gorgeous photographs of chopped salad greens! Thank you for the moment of zen.

emily nunn's avatar

Thank YOU for this sweet note! 💚💚💚

Amy Lord's avatar

Little bits of sweetness in amongst the bitterness - both your words and salads.

I made both salads from a couple newsletters ago and had leftovers of both the green olive and the pepperoncini dressings. Naturally I mixed them both together and found the dressing of my dreams. Thank you Emily, we will make these salads and you go take a nap. 💕

emily nunn's avatar

Oh, wow, Amy, that sounds good together. Someone else sent me a note about mixing dressings, I think. One of my favorite salad people told me she mixes the last spoonfuls of various dressing jars to make marinades--isn't that brilliant?

E Nicol's avatar

Is it permissible to use anchovy paste rather than make your own paste. Asking for a friend, ha ha.

emily nunn's avatar

Yes! It’s a little saltier and sharper than what you get by finely chopping then mashing, and it’s completely broken down, but it works. I’d start with a tablespoon. After you’ve mixed it into the dressing, taste to see if you want a touch more. I wouldn’t add more than another teaspoon though.

Nanci Courtney's avatar

I normally have a big, fat prejudice against cheese in salads - but this sounds and looks wonderful!! I am casting aside all preconceived notions and giving this a try!!

emily nunn's avatar

Fantastic, Nanci! I have to say, even though they would not be as multidimensional both of these salads were pretty good without the cheese. The mozzarella one stars mozzarella, but those particular greens with the lemon anchovy dressing are pretty fantastic. Thank you so much for being here. Cheers--Emily

emily nunn's avatar

Oh, my gosh! Christine! This is so fantastic--I'm definitely going to share this, if that's okay with you. Thank you so much--and thank you for being here, too. ❤️ ♥️

Christine Sensenig's avatar

Please do share!

Barbara Boyle's avatar

I love this, Emily!!! The wisdom AND the salad with that lemony dressing!!! Thank you. Can't wait to get out of this hotel and back to Itsay where I can do it justice.

emily nunn's avatar

Oh, Barbara--thank you! I am a little jealous that you are in a hotel, and I am imaging it as a very glamorous one. Cheers to you wherever you are.

Barbara Boyle's avatar

The Best Western in Arroyo Grande is nothing to be jealous of, believe me, especially since you are there running the Department of Salad with your staff and all those lovely fruits and veggies!!!

emily nunn's avatar

Oh, how I wish I had a staff! Hahahaha! It’s just me and my dog and my imaginary helpers.

Leu2500's avatar

Emily, your braised cabbage from 2 issues ago was a hit with my mother.

emily nunn's avatar

I am so glad to hear this! Tell her hello for me! Thank you @leu2500 (I saw your original note! And responded--I think it was on the original post? Unless I didn't press send. I eat that cabbage all the time.)

Pari Sabety's avatar

What a fabulous and touching homily in front of this newsletter. The image of the Mars rover will stick with me in the most awful moments we’re facing ahead in the world. Also…I think you should do an issue devoted to salads to eat while reading in a big comfy chair.