I have a knack for getting massive work assignments as the winter holidays near. I thought I might dodge it this year, what with not being at the mercy of advertising’s last-ditch new business pitches, but it seems my fate has been sealed. The projects are fun, so I’m not complaining; merely marveling at the consistent, clocklike miracle of the season. It’s a fun joke on a Capricorn!
All this to say that this 65th edition of “In Good Taste” is coming to you live from the deepest procrastinatory part of my brain.
GREAT READS ARE AVOIDANCE TACTICS
Have been fascinated by this TikTok creator for a bit now, who dives into particularly niche consumer aesthetics that are immediately, viscerally recognizable. See also: the global village coffeehouse aesthetic
Speaking of aesthetics, Atlanta’s featured in this Architectural Digest guide for design lovers. Missing some good stuff, but generally it’s a fine tour! Glad to see Lucian and Little Bear included :)
A very funny piece about meetings
Gift guide season may be upon us, but how many include a Reality Bites beach towel or a Sleepless in Seattle sweatshirt? (I already bought the latter.)
Finally, the music of Selling Sunset (I’ll spare you my thoughts on Season 4 and its deeply boring drama storyline)
MAKE FONDUE ON A WEEKNIGHT
Adrian and I are (recently) fondue people. And we didn’t even have to go to the Melting Pot!!!
Follow my murderboard story: we went to see a live version of my favorite podcast, wherein a key point of discussion was the host’s Google Slides presentation on the true identity of Christine Quinn. (Unpack all the 2020s references in that paragraph alone!)
Anyway, before that we went to Wrecking Bar, which is a beer bar with a great martini and even better fondue. Hot cheese, apple slices, crusty bread, crudité??? There is no wrong answer. That’s what I like about fondue. You can basically do anything with it and it’s going to work out. We don’t have a fondue set (yet -- and that’s not a hint, it’s in an online shopping cart RIGHT NOW), but you can still do hot melty cheese without one, as long as you consume it immediately.
As always, watch my Idea Pin for visual guidance on an incredibly easy recipe.
INGREDIENTS
1 garlic clove cut in half, lengthwise
1/4 cup white wine (we used an Albariño)
10 oz. emmental and gruyère cheeses, shredded
1/4 tsp cornstarch
Cut up baguette, apple slices, vegetables, olives for cheesin’
WHAT TO DO
Rub the inside of a small (SMALL) casserole dish or cocotte with a garlic clove. Mix cheeses and corn starch in a bowl until coated. Heat wine in the vessel over medium high heat, until steaming, about a minute.
Working a handful at a time, add cheese mixture to the vessel, stirring constantly until fully melted and combined. If the mixture separates, lower the heat -- may seem counterintuitive, but that’s science for you.
Dip in while hot 🥵 🧀