These Are the Best Fridge Magnets I've Ever Seen (And How to Get Them for Free)

plus all the best things i've eaten this week.

Hello! I know it has been a few weeks since I last sent a newsletter! I have been buried in getting ready for my cookbook to launch. Somehow that date, June 4, is suddenly right around the corner. I am both incredibly excited and deeply nervous/terrified: I’ve always been attached to a publication, and this time I am putting out a project that is very personal and totally my own. There are so many elements from the book that I am obsessed with — especially the visuals, and that is something that I will dive into deeper in an upcoming newsletter. But today, I wanted to focus on just one aspect: the illustrations from the book that W.W. Norton (my publisher), so generously turned into a set of really fun magnets!

These magnets are pulled from the B-I-N-G-O game in my book that celebrates the objects that are most commonly found in diaspora (and south asian diaspora) homes. They include:

— A Danish cookie tin… filled with a sewing kit.
— A Corelle Bowl filled with cut fruit (the ultimate immigrant family love language)
— An old school pressure cooker (the kind that whistles)
— A proper cup of chai (also in a cutie Corelle mug)
— A baggie of safety pins (for pinning every South Asian outfit)
— A giant sack of basmati rice (because of course?)
— A bottle of black label whiskey (**brand name redacted for copyright purposes**)
— A magnet that says AMRIKAN

There is only one way to get them! And that is to pre-order my cookbook (anytime before June 4!) from anywhere you like to purchase books. Once you do, submit your proof of purchase here, and enter your address and W.W. Norton will send them to you for free! FREE! It’s also the ONLY way to get these magnets.

Here’s a cute little video that I made of how the magnets look on a fridge:

Do you have a favorite one? Let me know in the comments below!

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THE BEST THINGS I ATE/DRANK/COOKED THIS WEEK

Saint James Iced Tea (Costco)
I now understand why all the Erewhon health girlies are hooked on this iced tea. It comes in several great flavors like Passion Fruit & Peach and Pineapple & Mango, and it’s made with organic green tea. It also is incredibly low in sugar, but not low in flavor. Refreshing, hydrating, and package in recyclable cartons. What is not to love?

Feta Voras (Speciality Grocery Stores)
I cannot stop eating this feta and go out of my way to the one market I know that carries it near(ish) to me. The cheese is made in Northern Greece from sheep’s milk and it has a ton of really bright and deep flavor but not too much funk. There’s a smoothness to it, and it crumbles incredibly well. If you come across a block, immediately purchase it.

The Gluten Free Chocolate Donut (Sugar Bloom Bakery, LA)
While it looks like the most boring thing in the pastry case, a cashier at Cookbook (which buys a lot of pastries from Sugar Bloom) told me that it is her favorite thing in there and she is right. It might be gluten-free but the Devil’s Food donut is super moist with a great crumb and a smooth glaze. I think about it often.

Kimchi Rigatoni alla Vodka at Jilli (Koreatown, Los Angeles)
Jilli is one of the hardest reservations in LA right now and the menu is filled with really fun Korean-American third culture foods. The most popular item is the Alla Vodka Rigatoni made with kimchi and I can see why! The kimchi adds a really lovely heat and sharpness to the sauce.

My New Favorite Boba Order (Sunright Tea Studio, LA)
Hokkaido Milk Tea (50 percent sweet), plus honey boba, plus mochi (this is the game changer! drinkable mochi!)

1/2 Rose, 1/2 Cardamom Iced Chai at Elaichi Co (Berkeley, CA)
Charming new chai spot in the Bay Area that I dragged my family too after my brother’s college commencement ceremony. Love the iced chai, super smooth, not overly sweet, really great rose and cardamom flavor.

The Green Orzo from

Justine Doiron

(Recipe!)
I can’t stop making this (and topping it with the Feta Voras. It’s super fresh and bright and a great way to eat some veggies. I top mine with a ton of broccoli and fresh herbs.

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LINKS!

I recently wrote a fun little piece for Eater on the rise of Eggholic, this niche chain that serves mostly Indian egg dishes, but not just pan-Indian egg dishes, but specializes in Indian egg dishes from the state of Gujarat. It’s part of their excellent state of Chains package.

I also wrote about Anajak Thai, and how the gentle generational tension between son and parents is the foundation upon which the magic of the restaurant is built (for Food & Wine’s April issue)

Epicurious very kindly said they are excited to cook from my book this summer!