union square cafe’s bar nuts

Four years ago, when I was home for a couple days between book tour stops and I had about 3 gazillion errands to run but I was also hungry (because proper meals are the first thing to go when I’m busy) and really craving a great salad (because vegetables are the first thing to get stiffed when you travel a lot) and I didn’t want to eat it out of a takeout container or on my lap or in a hurry, I wanted to sit down and eat it off a plate like a civilized person with water in a glass, not a plastic bottle, and the want for this was overwhelming and I looked up and I was right in front of theUnion Square Cafeand thought, “Why not?” Do you ever go out to eat alone? I really don’t. When I had the freedom to do this more often, I always felt awkward and fidgety and now that I’m old enough to not care, we only occasionally have the luxury of going out without twosmallpeople and snack cups of Cheerios, and certainly not alone, you know, sitting at a bar, reading a book like one of those grownups you always thought you’d be? But this time I did. The salad was perfect. The bread was warm. The bartender talked me into (I’m sure I was terribly hard to convince) a glass of wine and 35 minutes later I resumed my errands happy and fed and cared for and swore I’d do this more often, although I really don’t. I’ve been thinking about this because The Union Square Cafe reopens this week and although it’s been twenty-six years since itscookbookcame out, the bar nuts recipe inside is as easy to make and addictive as ever. It seems hard to imagine that such simple ingredients — a pat of butter, brown sugar, salt, cayenne and minced rosemary — could transform even the unloved Brazil nut into something you cannot stop snacking on, but that’s really what a timeless recipe does. I hope it becomes your new holiday habit, too. One year ago:Potato KugelandPull Apart RugelachTwo years ago:Twice-Baked Potatoes with KaleandDecadent Hot Chocolate MixThree years ago:Cigarettes RussesFour years ago:Cauliflower Feta Fritters with PomegranateFive years ago:Nutmeg-Maple Butter CookiesSix years ago:Roasted Chestnut CookiesSeven years ago:Balsmic-Braised Brussels Sprouts with PancettaandCream BiscuitsEight years ago:Cauliflower Gratin,All-Butter, Really Flaky Pie DoughandPumpkin CupcakesNine years ago:Rugelach Pinwheels,Fennel Ice CreamandRatatouille TartTen! years ago:My Favorite Banana BreadandHomemade Orangettes And for the other side of the world:Six Months Ago:Chicken Gyro SaladandThe Consummate Chocolate Chip Cookie, Revisited1.5 Years Ago:Picnic Pink LemonadeandCrispy Frizzled Artichokes 2.5 Years Ago:Nancy’s Chopped SaladandCoconut Brown Butter Cookies3.5 Years Ago:Rhubarb Cream Cheese Hand Pies4.5 Years Ago:Rhubarb Snacking CakeandAsparagus with Almonds and Yogurt Dressing