Moschino’s got it right: Even when you’ve tried foie gras, caviar, and sure, some lobster thermidor, McDonald’s and soft serve will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Just ask chefs Danny Bowien (of the much-acclaimed Mission Chinese in San Francisco) and Momofuku Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi. The chefs recently discussed dollar-store ingredients at Taste Talks in Williamsburg and showed us how to use Ritz crackers, Cool Whip, and grape jelly to build the icebox cake of PB&J dreams*.
“Even when you pool the fanciest chefs,” Tosi says, “they still love banana-cream pie, apple pie from McDonald’s, Ritz crackers.”
This casual approach doesn’t just apply to food; Tosi is a dollar-store queen. In fact, after Tosi first met Bowien in San Francisco, she sent a big gift box to the entire Mission Chinese crew. Inside? Dollar-store goodies, hand-picked by Tosi herself, including a kazoo, holographic placemats featuring photos of puppies, and a do-rag. “It was like an R. Kelly do-rag,” Bowien says. “I wore it while working the dumpling station.”
Since then, the two have become dollar-store addicts. Tosi favors the houseware/home goods section for housewarming gifts (see aforementioned holographic puppy placemats); Bowien goes for the Jell-O and pudding section.
“It’s really important to celebrate the basic stuff,” Tosi says. “And the basic stuff is just as important as the fancy stuff in life.” In honor of that, we asked Tosi and Bowien what their current obsessions were, celebrating both their lowbrow and highbrow loves.
Christina Tosi’s Obsessions:
To eat: Oreos, whenever they come out with a new flavor. The newest one is pumpkin spice. Whenever one of the mass products come out with a new flavor, like candy-corn-flavored M&Ms, my sister and I buy it and send it to each other.
To drink: Strong coffee. Like a really good cappuccino. Every time.
To hear: I make a lot of Spotify playlists, but recently I’ve been putting King Krule on Spotify and listening to it all.
To read: I try the two-pronged effect. I get pleasure reading and like grown-up books. Like business books or leadership books, like the Checklist Manifesto. So now I’m reading Tibetan Peach Pie by Tom Robbins and Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple.
To wear: This time of year, I really love a pair of skinny jeans, a sweater, and sandals. Rocking a little of the New England vibe, but there’s something about wearing it with sandals that feels comforting in fall.
To watch: I haven’t watched TV in weeks. I love watching Game of Thrones when it’s on. I got really deep into Homeland. Louis C.K. Obsessed.
Danny Bowien’s Obsessions:
To eat: I’ve been eating at home a lot—that’s my current obsession. My wife cooks steamed greens, and I eat grains, macrobiotic stuff.
To drink: There’s a thing from Ito En—it’s called Sencha Shot. It’s like a shot of green tea. I drink those uncontrollably.
To hear:
Just ask chefs Danny Bowien (of the much-acclaimed Mission Chinese in San Francisco) and Momofuku Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi. The chefs recently discussed dollar-store ingredients at Taste Talks in Williamsburg and showed us how to use Ritz crackers, Cool Whip, and grape jelly to build the icebox cake of PB&J dreams*.
“Even when you pool the fanciest chefs,” Tosi says, “they still love banana-cream pie, apple pie from McDonald’s, Ritz crackers.”
This casual approach doesn’t just apply to food; Tosi is a dollar-store queen. In fact, after Tosi first met Bowien in San Francisco, she sent a big gift box to the entire Mission Chinese crew. Inside? Dollar-store goodies, hand-picked by Tosi herself, including a kazoo, holographic placemats featuring photos of puppies, and a do-rag. “It was like an R. Kelly do-rag,” Bowien says. “I wore it while working the dumpling station.”
Since then, the two have become dollar-store addicts. Tosi favors the houseware/home goods section for housewarming gifts (see aforementioned holographic puppy placemats); Bowien goes for the Jell-O and pudding section.
“It’s really important to celebrate the basic stuff,” Tosi says. “And the basic stuff is just as important as the fancy stuff in life.” In honor of that, we asked Tosi and Bowien what their current obsessions were, celebrating both their lowbrow and highbrow loves.
Christina Tosi’s Obsessions:
To eat: Oreos, whenever they come out with a new flavor. The newest one is pumpkin spice. Whenever one of the mass products come out with a new flavor, like candy-corn-flavored M&Ms, my sister and I buy it and send it to each other.
To drink: Strong coffee. Like a really good cappuccino. Every time.
To hear: I make a lot of Spotify playlists, but recently I’ve been putting King Krule on Spotify and listening to it all.
To read: I try the two-pronged effect. I get pleasure reading and like grown-up books. Like business books or leadership books, like the Checklist Manifesto. So now I’m reading Tibetan Peach Pie by Tom Robbins and Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple.
To wear: This time of year, I really love a pair of skinny jeans, a sweater, and sandals. Rocking a little of the New England vibe, but there’s something about wearing it with sandals that feels comforting in fall.
To watch: I haven’t watched TV in weeks. I love watching Game of Thrones when it’s on. I got really deep into Homeland. Louis C.K. Obsessed.
Danny Bowien’s Obsessions:
To eat: I’ve been eating at home a lot—that’s my current obsession. My wife cooks steamed greens, and I eat grains, macrobiotic stuff.
To drink: There’s a thing from Ito En—it’s called Sencha Shot. It’s like a shot of green tea. I drink those uncontrollably.
To hear: