From the Farm: Shishito Pesto Pasta

& navigating balance...

I want to start this off by saying that while there is no full menu for this week, we will return to our regularly scheduled programming next Friday.

As I had mentioned at the very end of ‘An RD Glow Up’, last week was communicated as and scheduled to be a Holiday Edition, which I have come to learn wasn’t so popular with what seems like the majority of folks. Your feedback was received and I’ll work on finding a way to transform holiday menus into something that can work for everyone.

I also mentioned that I’d be sharing some one-off recipes from the farm (previously referred to as Family Meal) and so here I am - sharing a one-off recipe from the farm.

I have to admit, I am a bit terrified of sending this off right now, given some of the feedback from last week (and weeks before). But truth be told, I created this plan a while ago, and since I’m going on my first vacation in a hot minute, I didn’t have time to pivot.

As for the one-off recipes from the farm, I’ll likely only send 3-4 more this year. If you’re looking for a menu to cook through, you can cook through a previously hand-crafted and artisanally-made menu (as a paid subscriber, you have access to all menus at all times).

This October, I’m getting married on my fiancé, Tate’s, family farm, and I (regretfully) do not have a wedding planner, so I’ve been simultaneously planning a wedding this whole time.

I’m also DIYing a lot of details (including our cake), so while I’m on the farm, I figured that I could find a silver lining (the abundance of seasonal produce) and share something, rather than nothing.

We’re only 16 weeks into this newsletter and I’m still trying to find a balance so I don’t get burnt out because creating, testing, writing, filming, AND editing 15+ recipes in a week is……….a lot.

I’m just a one-woman team and I’m doing the best I can.

P.S. - I keep seeing comments regarding disappointment about no new material in 3-4 weeks, which is throwing me off because while ‘Cooking in Chaotic Times’ had some recycled stuff, I spent a week developing a fair amount of new recipes for it (i.e. black bean salsa, a new-and-improved elote pico, and chipotle dressing). Also, Southwest Chicken Burritos and Crunchwrap Supremes had never been featured on RD before. I was very proud of that week!

P.P.S. - ‘Hot Food Summer’ and last week’s holiday special were also menus that I spent 70+ hours developing, so while they might not have been what you were envisioning, they were, in fact, new and carefully crafted.

P.P.P.S. - If you or someone you know lives in the Sacramento Area and has experience and/or is seeking a job in all things digital media and recipe development please reach out to contact@zoebarrie.com. I am looking to hire so Restaurant Dropout can continue growing and improving. Plus, I’d like to stop yapping about being a one-person team.

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Shishito Pesto Pasta

with Charred Corn