For years and years I’ve talked about starting a monthly blog or newsletter — but now we’re lucky enough to have Substack, so here we are. This feels big and I’m hoping (!) to stay consistent with this long-overdue goal in 2023. With that said, welcome, friends, to the first issue of Hi Gang: A Monthly Letter from Valerie Gordon, my Substack that will share all things food-, beverage-, lifestyle-, life-, and business-related.
As a lifelong list-sharer, I’m so excited to share my personal recommendations, as well as my current favorites with a wider audience — outside of my personal text streams (but if you text me on the regular, no need to break with tradition). This is also a space to keep you up-to-date on what we're working on at Valerie Confections, but Hi Gang is also a more personal glimpse into what I'm into at this very moment.
Please know that this is a work in progress. Chime in (seriously, DM me!) if you’d like to see something new or something different in upcoming editions. Let’s GO!
XO,
Valerie
WHY I DO DRY JANUARY
2023 marks my second Dry January. My life right now is like a desert vacation, arid. But still, I love a reset, especially after the intense rigors of the holiday season, with its endless work hours followed by decadent nighttime events. It’s all too fun and fabulous, but come January 1st, I definitely feel the need for a fundamental restart. (Isn’t it funny how the word “cleanse” went out of fashion? Whatever, let’s stay on track.) As a proud member of Gen X, I’ve also noted that my, ahem, maturity affects my rebound the morning after a particularly celebratory evening — so Dry January was an exciting, and necessary, goal this year. Plus, it simplifies my life and saves money, and I find that I have more energy, mental clarity, and focus to gear up for the year ahead.
I’ve also noted that when I’m doing Dry January, I naturally eat more healthfully and over-indulge less frequently. The darling Melissa Magsaysay included me in an incredible article in the Los Angeles Times about Dry January, calling out some of my favorite nonalcoholic beverages.
Two of my favorite zero-proof drinks: making cocktails with Seedlip nonalcoholic mixers, or adding an extra squeeze of Meyer lemon or blood orange into Pellegrino’s Essenza flavored mineral water.
WE LOVE LETTUCE GROW
We have three Lettuce Grow Farmstands in the garden at our new Glendale compound. I’ve never been able to grow anything, until Lettuce Grow. I’ve tried tomatoes. I’ve tried herbs. I’ve tried succulents. I've tried orchids. Let's face it, I just do not have a green thumb. Lettuce Grow has been a revelation for me, because there’s something incredibly approachable about the system: You get the seedlings, and after you plug them in, all you have to do is check the water levels and Ph, and you’re good to go.
As we're all trying to be kinder to the environment (especially as we go into this new year) it's worth noting that Lettuce Grow uses 95% less water than traditional farming. Here in California, where we’ve been experiencing historic shortages, that's no small feat. It’s been fantastic to see this actualize in our garden and to then experience the unparalleled joy of harvesting and eating what we grew. Check out a recipe for a salad I recently made using the bounty from my Lettuce Grow Farmstand, below.
And should you want a Farmstand of your own — which, trust me, you do — our friends over at Lettuce Grow are offering $75 off an 18-plant Farmstand or larger now through January 29th. Use the code VALERIE75 at checkout.
Lettuce Grow Harvest Salad
4 heads lettuces or chicories
6 anchovy filets
A dozen or so meaty olives, like Cerignola
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds or seeds
Dill and edible flowers
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Colman’s mustard
Juice of 2 to 3 large tangerines
Pound the anchovies in a large bowl
Mix in olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and juice.
Toss all the lettuces in.
Add olives and crunchy business.
Add herbs and floral flourish.
Season with a flaky salt.
Need more salad inspo? Check out this Reel.
THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT
Lunar New Year is next week, which means the Year of the Rabbit is almost here. The rabbit is the luckiest sign in the Chinese zodiac, so after a couple of rough years (major understatement), we might all benefit from some much-needed luck. As an honored member of the AAPI community, Chinese New Year was always one of my favorite holidays growing up because it’s food-related (and you get money — bonus!).
Every year, my husband and business partner Stan and I go out for a Chinese banquet with two other families; during the height of Covid, we ordered from the same restaurants and had our celebration virtually. Even though our children are just a quarter Chinese, it’s important to me that they share in the same culinary culture that I grew up with in San Francisco. Food has always been my primary connection to AAPI culture — I speak, maybe, 30 words of Cantonese? — but the FOOD I understand. As a child, mixed race kids were true unicorns; no one knew what to do with us. I have checked MANY “other non-white” boxes in my time. But during Chinese New Year, at the banquets, I’ve always belonged.
Should you choose to go out and celebrate, here's a list of some of my favorite AAPI-owned restaurants in Los Angeles. And should you want something sweet to celebrate the New Year at home, check out our Lunar New Year collection featuring our signature “Good Luck” truffles.
PARTY WITH US
One of the things we're most excited about with our new Glendale space is the opportunity to host chefs, friends, artists, authors, and others from around the country. Our inaugural event is with our fabulous friend Aliza J. Sokolow, food stylist, photographer, author, and chef extraordinaire.
On Saturday, January 28th from 2 to 4 p.m., we'll be celebrating Aliza's charming new illustrated children's book, This Is What I Eat. Grown-ups and kids alike are invited to join us for a fun apple demo, book signing, and meet-and-greet with Aliza. I'll be doing a demo of our fruit hand pies and will be curating a winter fruit tasting. Tickets ($35) include a signed book, snacks, and more. Get in on the good times — and stay tuned for more to come!
RECENT PRESS LOVE
We absolutely loved this piece in Coolhunting, where the talented Julie Wolfson took a deep-dive into the history of Valerie Confections and how, after 18 years, we're still shaking things up at our Glendale compound. We were also thrilled by the opening press in Pasadena Weekly and Eater LA. Thanks for the love, gang!