Tomatillo Clams with Eggplant and Basil
let's catch up and answer some questions
Hi there! After being away for most of August, I’m finally settling back into my routine and excited to catch up. In today’s newsletter, I’m answering your questions, and for my paid subscribers, I’m sharing a special recipe for Tomatillo Clams. But first, some housekeeping:
After being away from my garden for three weeks, I had a massive summer harvest. You can watch the haul here.
I posted my Copenhagen Travel Guide. I didn’t publish it out via email because I didn’t want to bog down your inbox if you weren’t interested!
I’m excited to have partnered with Made In for the launch of their new CeramiClad Collection, where I created a one-pan salmon and orecchiette recipe—check out the full recipe in the caption here. It was so good and packed with protein! I’m truly grateful for this collaboration, and funnily enough, it’s no coincidence that we chose Made In’s plates, glassware, and cutlery for our restaurant, Cellar Hand. Their quality is top-notch, and they’ve nailed it on aesthetics without sacrificing performance. You can get 10% off your order through this link. (Just so you know, I don’t earn anything if you choose to shop through that link— and this mention isn’t sponsored. However, the video I posted on Instagram is sponsored. I always want to be transparent with you, so I wanted to make sure that’s clear!)
Ghia just launched their newest product, Le Fizz, and I have to say—it’s genuinely amazing. The flavor strikes the perfect balance, not too sweet or bitter, with hints of fresh strawberries and a citrus grove. The bubbles are frothy and almost creamy (and I’m super particular about the carbonation in my drinks).
I received a lot of DMs after sharing in my stories that herbalism has truly changed my life. My brother-in-law, Justin, gifted me a course through CommonWealth Holistic Herbalism, where I learned about various plants and their unique benefits. It’s expanded my toolkit for handling everyday ailments and needs. Feeling sluggish? I can now reach for an energizing herb instead of coffee. Allergies acting up? I start with a simple nettle tea. Social anxiety? I’ve created a euphoric tea blend as a pregame alternative to cocktails. I’m still learning how to best extract the properties of different herbs while experimenting with flavors. As we head into cozy season, I’ll be sharing more of my favorite blends. I took the Herbal Medicine for Beginners course, but they offer plenty of other options too!
Here’s what I’ve read recently: The Rachel Incident, All Fours, The Nightingale, and Attachments. I just picked up the 1Q84 series by Haruki Murakami and pre-ordered Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. To get a debrief of all my favorite (and not so favorite) books this year:
Q & A
What are you planning to plant for fall/ winter? You can find my fall gardening plan and all the seeds I purchase for fall here:
How was your trip? It was the most unique trip I’ve been on - we were in Denver, Copenhagen, Bergen and London. Norway is the most beautiful place I have ever been while I was quite impressed by the food in Copenhagen. And London is my favorite city to visit (sorry New York!)
What shoes do you like for travel and long days of walking? My new balances did me well for most of our trip but I upgraded to these Salomons for better support.
What’s your favorite thing that you’ve made this year? Love this question! It definitely is my Garleek Galette. I could eat the whole thing myself.
How are you feeling? Thank you for asking! I’m feeling a bit scattered and disorganized, but I guess that’s to be expected after a long trip. I haven’t been able to garden for nearly a month—we came back to a 100+ degree heat wave, which made any outdoor work impossible. My garden is completely overgrown, which always leaves me feeling a bit behind. That said, last week gave me a much-needed reset. I’m trying a few new things to establish a routine: waking up earlier, reading and having breakfast, then exercising (I’ve started a couch-to-half marathon program). These small habits, disconnected from my phone, have been incredibly grounding. Let’s see if I can stick with it—I feel like sharing this with you is my way of holding myself accountable!
Do you cut down your tomato branches at end of summer? Once they have started to die back and stopped producing fruit, I remove them.
How do you deal with the heat of LA? All my plants didn’t make it? I have tips at the end of this post:
How long have you been gardening for/ how long did it take you to grow what you have? I’ve been gardening for nearly a decade, starting with a small apartment balcony and gradually expanding to larger spaces until I reached the garden I have today. For the past four years, I’ve been cultivating my current garden. You can read all about my full gardening journey here:
Did the liver and heart taste funny? This question stems from my incorporation of organ meats into my daily diet. While I do love a well-made pâté, I also enjoy blending organ meats with regular ground beef, seasoned with spices like cumin, paprika, and chili powder. It’s a delicious addition to a breakfast scramble, hearty chili stew, or meatballs. The inclusion of organ meats in the diet has been extensively researched, and they are recognized as some of the most nutrient-dense foods available.
How do you keep out aphids from your garden? To keep aphids out of my garden, I focus on natural prevention and control methods. I plant companion plants like marigolds, nasturtiums, and garlic, which naturally repel aphids. I also encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs, which feed on aphids. If I spot an infestation, I’ll spray the affected plants with a mild solution of water and dish soap to deter them. Regularly inspecting my plants and removing any affected leaves helps prevent aphids from spreading.
Pro tips for post gardening back pain? I make an effort to squat rather than bend over while gardening, but sometimes the back pain still hits hard. I try to avoid painkillers whenever possible, opting instead for magnesium supplements, a soothing Epsom salt bath, and laying flat on my back or stomach to ease the discomfort.Where did you get your tomato trellis?
Where did you get your tomato trellises? Here, and I love them.
Do you do the maintenance on the rest of your garden (hedges, etc.)? No, I hire a professional to trim our hedges.
What is your favorite thing to grow? This was my first year gardening and I love it. Yay! Welcome to the club. I absolutely adore growing artichokes!
Is there anything you have struggled to grow? Absolutely! Brussels Sprouts and blueberries have been particularly challenging.
What are the layers of material you used for your raised garden beds? I chose a hugelkultur-inspired approach to fill my raised beds. This method involves layering logs, branches, and organic matter at the base, which decomposes over time, enriching the soil and improving water retention for healthier plants. It also is a cost-effective solution so you are not filling your entire raised bed with expensive potting soil - just the top 4 or so inches. The soil level will drop quickly at first so you will need to replenish with more potting soil, compost and mulch.
Tomatillo Clam Stew with Eggplant and Basil
Watch me make it on Instagram or TikTok.
A heartfelt thank you to my paid subscribers for making this newsletter possible and for giving me the space to take a brief break last month to travel, explore, and recharge. I’ve got some exciting content lined up to carry us through the holiday season. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this weeknight meal—it’s full of flavor and the perfect way to use up the abundance of late summer eggplant and basil.