Calabrian Walnut Cake

Plus: Covid Hits Again, Gus's Chophouse, and Pasta Puttanesca.

Hey everyone,

It got us.

Just when I thought I was totally immune (having had Covid once in June of 2022 and then having been boosted every year since), we both woke up on Saturday feeling like a ton of bricks. My aunt and uncle who were visiting texted two days earlier to say that they tested positive after our visit and I was hoping that, as with previous exposures, the vaccine would keep us safe. But this time Covid broke through and we’ve been down for the count.

The worst night was Saturday night — I couldn’t even sleep, I was so achy — and I’ve been getting gradually better since. PBS cooking shows help. As does ramen.

So for today’s newsletter (sorry for the lack of a Monday dispatch, I was half-dead on the couch), I share with you a Calabrian Walnut Cake that I made a few weeks ago at a dinner party.

It looks very humble, and it is a humble cake. But what makes it spectacular is its simplicity. Just walnuts (in this case, supplemented with almonds), sugar, and eggs. I added a little booze for flavor, but that’s optional. And the results are stupendous. Let’s go to the video:

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So if you’re looking for a change from the almond cake I’m always hyping, check out this walnut cake. Full recipe now up on the blog! With lots of pretty pictures:

Before we got sick with Covid, we checked out a charming spot in our hood: Gus’s Chop House….