Go Forth and Fourth
Do you have a festive tradition or recipe for the Fourth that you look forward to all year long? I want to hear about it: hellomelissa@nytimes.com. I love a peek at other people's tables.
If you're still figuring out your menu, we have plenty of ideas for you here, including Yasmin Fahr's grilled tahini-honey chicken thighs. Made with pantry staples, this humble gathering of tahini, lemon and honey alchemizes into dinner party gold: gorgeously charred pieces of chicken with a nutty, caramelized flavor brightened by citrus. If you don't have access to a grill (or if it's being rained on), these are just as good cooked in the oven or in a skillet. It's a perfect last-minute party dish for Independence Day and days beyond.
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Grilled tofu: More grilled goodness, this time meatless, can be found in Kay Chun's garlicky, gingery, soy-glazed grilled tofu slices. Heating the marinade before pouring it on the tofu slices gives you an especially deep, complex flavor. And if grilling isn't in the cards, you can make this, like Yasmin's chicken, in a cast-iron pan on the stove.
Greek salad: Lidey Heuck's less-is-more Greek salad features a minimalist mix of juicy tomatoes, sweet red onions, plenty of olives and a slab of salty, creamy feta cheese. Use the best olive oil you have here. In this easy, versatile beauty, every ingredient counts.
Succotash with sausage and shrimp: This jubilant dish by Vallery Lomas puts a new spin on the succotash staples of sweet corn and lima beans. By fortifying the mix with spicy andouille sausage and shrimp and adding okra and basil for texture and freshness, she turns a classic side dish into a satisfying meal.
Pasta with corn, mint and red onions: Depending on where you live, local fresh corn may still be a few weeks away. But when it arrives, greet it with this colorful pasta dish, which crowns seasonal produce and cavatelli with dollops of creamy ricotta.
Buttermilk chess pie: Every party needs a dessert, and to me the Fourth calls for pie, preferably one topped with a windfall of seasonal berries. Pile them all up on Lisa Donovan's tangy chess pie with its jiggly, soft custard nestled in a crisp, buttery crust. It's the only fireworks I need.
To get these and all the other summery, celebratory recipes at New York Times Cooking, you'll want to subscribe. If you're hit by some kind of a technical snafu, email the smart people at cookingcare@nytimes.com for help.
Happy Independence Day! I'll see you on Monday.
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New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher thinks we've ‘lost the plot' with this health trend: ‘Don't lie to yourself'
Hold the cottage cheese. Pro rugby player Ilona Maher — whose team won the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics — spends plenty of time training to dominate on the pitch. But there's one fitness-focused diet trend that she thinks is a bit over-the-top — and she points to herself as evidence that it's unnecessary. 3 Pro rugby player Ilona Maher thinks the obession with protein has gone a bit off the rails. AP A former athlete herself, Kylie Kelce complained about how 'everything is trying to be high protein' on a June episode of her podcast, Not Gonna Lie, arguing that not everything needs added protein powder. Maher was on the same page, and she's no fan of a low-carb lifestyle either. 'I have a high-protein diet, but I also have probably the highest-carb diet ever,' the 29-year-old Bristol Bears player said. 'I was raised on very high-carb diets. And carbs are really the energy that you need — that's science, truly.' That isn't to say she doesn't eat protein too. 'I get protein in for most meals, but I'm actually not as committed to the bit as I maybe could be. I think I could be leaner … if I was really focusing on protein. But I just don't see — I think I'm fine,' she added. A big issue for both women is the trend of swapping 'real' food for protein-heavy substitutes. In recent years, for example, cottage cheese recipes have blown up on social media, with people using it in place of cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta and even mayo and butter. It's low in fat and high in protein, a combo that can keep you full, increase metabolism and preserve muscle mass. Plus, the curdling process creates bacteria that are good for your gut. 3 Maher, whose team won the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics, eats protein most meals — but she's not swapping 'real food' for protein-ified recipes. Getty Images But Kelce said her concern is people blending up cottage cheese and pretending it tastes like ice cream. 'Don't lie to yourself,' Maher added in agreement. 'I saw a recent one, it was like protein tiramisu. She dips the rice cake in espresso and then she puts Greek yogurt on there. I was like, that's not even f—-ing close!' 'I think we really lost the plot on that,' she said. Though she is working to eat more protein at the urging of her dietitian, for her that means more 'real food.' 'So after training I'll have a quick protein shake — that's very easy, quick protein. But if I can, I'm gonna have the eggs. I love like beef jerky,' she said. 3 'I saw a recent one, it was like protein tiramisu. She dips the rice cake in espresso and then she puts Greek yogurt on there. I was like, that's not even f—-ing close!' she said. Getty Images 'I just think, I mean maybe I'm wrong in science, but I don't know if we need that much. Because I'm doing fine and I just had a bagel this morning.' She's not the first star to take issue with the high-protein craze. This month, Bethenny Frankel also called out the fad. 'The obsession with protein is an out-of-control fad that everyday people are fixated on as if they're training for the Olympics,' she told The Post. 'They can also be calorie-dense. It's another marketing gimmick like keto or carnivore or low carb or all the absurd fads I've witnessed over the years. Balance is key.' In fact, studies show that there is such a thing as eating too much protein — and it can make you gain weight and clog your arteries. 'Consuming excessive protein, particularly from animal sources, raises insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels,' Dr. Joseph Antoun, CEO of the longevity company L-Nutra, previously told The Post. Primarily produced in the liver, IGF-1 is a hormone, that plays a crucial role in promoting growth and regulating metabolism. 'While it's essential in childhood and for muscle repair,' Antoun said, 'chronically elevated IGF-1 in adults has been linked to accelerated biological aging and therefore an increased risk of age-related conditions, notably cancer.'
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RushTok backlash: Why sororities aren't letting prospects post
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Kylan Darnell became an overnight celebrity in the TikTok niche that documents the glitzy, ritualistic recruitment process for sororities. As a 21-year-old rising senior four years later, she's taking more of her sorority life offline. Darnell has until now been the embodiment of RushTok, a week-long marathon that has teens at schools around the country meticulously documenting their efforts to land a cherished spot in a sorority during the colorful, girly and enigmatic recruitment process known as rush week. Reactions to the content that once catapulted her to fame — depicting her life as a Zeta Tau Alpha member at the University of Alabama — had become so negative that it was affecting her mental health, she said. 'This year it was just like a whole different level of hate," Darnell said. Citing a need to protect prospects from harassment, many sororities have made similar moves, issuing a de facto ban against talking to the press or posting on social media during rush week at Alabama, where almost 13,000 students participate in the nation's largest on-campus Greek life. Across the country, rush is typically a 10-day event where 'prospective new members' try out sororities through rounds of activities prescribing a strict slate of outfits and etiquette. In the lead-up, girls often submit "social resumes" and letters of recommendation from sorority alums. Participation often requires an eye-opening price tag. After spending sometimes tens of thousands of dollars on outfits, makeup and plane tickets, each of this week's 2,600 recruits paid $550 to participate. It's non-refundable if they don't get picked. If accepted, they'll pay an average $8,400 a semester to live in the sorority house, or $4,100 if they live elsewhere, according to the Alabama Panhellenic Association. The pressure can be so intense that an industry of consultants now helps girls navigate the often mysterious criteria for landing a desired sorority. Some charge up to $10,000 for months of services that can begin in high school. Throughout rush, many events are invite-only. At any point, girls can get a dreaded call informing them they've been dropped — that a sorority is no longer interested in letting them join. Matches are finally made on bid day as prospects rank top choices and sororities make offers. Morgan Cadenhead, now 20, gained such an audience on RushTok despite being dropped that she covered most of her tuition with income from social media. Then came the social cost as she was slammed online for criticizing Greek life. Now the marketing major — featured on Lifetime's 'Sorority Mom's Guide to Rush!' — said she's looking for offline work. A fixation with rush was renewed when sororities resumed in-person recruiting after the pandemic. Social media became flooded with 'outfit of the day' and 'get ready with me' videos showing sorority members and recruits in well-lit rooms, sometimes flaunting exorbitantly priced designer wear or pieces purchased on Amazon, always precisely curated. Alabama's Greek life got attention before, when its traditionally white sororities racially integrated, accepting their first Black members in 2013. Targeted by protests following allegations of racial discrimination, the university agreed with the Justice Department in 2016 to encourage diversity. Today, Black students outside of traditionally Black sororities and fraternities represent 2% of the total Greek membership, the university website says. Meanwhile, online attention to rush has led to books, a polarizing documentary and the reality television series, widening the appeal of sororities in the South in particular, according to Lorie Stefaneli, a New York City-based consultant who flies to Tuscaloosa each year for rush. Stefaneli coaches girls from around the country, and about a third of her clients enroll at Alabama. She says many are drawn by the vibrant depictions of sisterhood, showing female friendships that can ensure girls feel seen and supported. 'That's the reason why a lot of them want to go to Alabama, is because they see it on TikTok,' Stefaneli said. If they gain enough followers to become social influencers, RushTok participants can earn ad revenue and brand deals. Darnell's posts brought her financial independence, more than covering the $58,000 it costs her annually to attend Alabama from out-of-state. Rush can be fun and help girls build confidence, but it's also an 'emotional rollercoaster,' especially for girls who feel they need to reveal themselves to a massive audience, Stefaneli said. She answers phone calls at all hours of the night during rush week. 'I'm literally a therapist, I'm talking these girls down from a ledge,' she said. Numerous incoming freshmen told The Associated Press this week that they were expressly prohibited from speaking with the media or even posting about rush at Alabama. Darnell said the most selective 'Old Row' houses will automatically drop prospects who do. 'Now a lot of girls just come to the university to be influencers,' she said. 'It kind of gets in the way of sisterhood.' Some incoming freshmen — including Darnell's 19-year-old sister Izzy, with a vast social media following of her own — have chosen to post anyway, satisfying a demand that can reach millions of views within days. Izzy Darnell — who wouldn't share her choices for sorority ahead of Saturday's bid day — said her older sister's acumen has equipped her to navigate criticism and potentially predatory business deals. But she worries about how other girls might handle the fame and money. 'I just fear what some girls will do because they think they have to,' Izzy Darnell said.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
RushTok backlash: Why sororities aren't letting prospects post
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Kylan Darnell became an overnight celebrity in the TikTok niche that documents the glitzy, ritualistic recruitment process for sororities. As a 21-year-old rising senior four years later, she's taking more of her sorority life offline. Darnell has until now been the embodiment of RushTok, a week-long marathon that has teens at schools around the country meticulously documenting their efforts to land a cherished spot in a sorority during the colorful, girly and enigmatic recruitment process known as rush week. Reactions to the content that once catapulted her to fame — depicting her life as a Zeta Tau Alpha member at the University of Alabama — had become so negative that it was affecting her mental health, she said. 'This year it was just like a whole different level of hate," Darnell said. Citing a need to protect prospects from harassment, many sororities have made similar moves, issuing a de facto ban against talking to the press or posting on social media during rush week at Alabama, where almost 13,000 students participate in the nation's largest on-campus Greek life. A centuries-old tradition Across the country, rush is typically a 10-day event where 'prospective new members' try out sororities through rounds of activities prescribing a strict slate of outfits and etiquette. In the lead-up, girls often submit "social resumes" and letters of recommendation from sorority alums. Participation often requires an eye-opening price tag. After spending sometimes tens of thousands of dollars on outfits, makeup and plane tickets, each of this week's 2,600 recruits paid $550 to participate. It's non-refundable if they don't get picked. If accepted, they'll pay an average $8,400 a semester to live in the sorority house, or $4,100 if they live elsewhere, according to the Alabama Panhellenic Association. The pressure can be so intense that an industry of consultants now helps girls navigate the often mysterious criteria for landing a desired sorority. Some charge up to $10,000 for months of services that can begin in high school. Throughout rush, many events are invite-only. At any point, girls can get a dreaded call informing them they've been dropped — that a sorority is no longer interested in letting them join. Matches are finally made on bid day as prospects rank top choices and sororities make offers. Morgan Cadenhead, now 20, gained such an audience on RushTok despite being dropped that she covered most of her tuition with income from social media. Then came the social cost as she was slammed online for criticizing Greek life. Now the marketing major — featured on Lifetime's 'Sorority Mom's Guide to Rush!' — said she's looking for offline work. A zealous TikTok following A fixation with rush was renewed when sororities resumed in-person recruiting after the pandemic. Social media became flooded with 'outfit of the day' and 'get ready with me' videos showing sorority members and recruits in well-lit rooms, sometimes flaunting exorbitantly priced designer wear or pieces purchased on Amazon, always precisely curated. Alabama's Greek life got attention before, when its traditionally white sororities racially integrated, accepting their first Black members in 2013. Targeted by protests following allegations of racial discrimination, the university agreed with the Justice Department in 2016 to encourage diversity. Today, Black students outside of traditionally Black sororities and fraternities represent 2% of the total Greek membership, the university website says. Meanwhile, online attention to rush has led to books, a polarizing documentary and the reality television series, widening the appeal of sororities in the South in particular, according to Lorie Stefaneli, a New York City-based consultant who flies to Tuscaloosa each year for rush. Stefaneli coaches girls from around the country, and about a third of her clients enroll at Alabama. She says many are drawn by the vibrant depictions of sisterhood, showing female friendships that can ensure girls feel seen and supported. 'That's the reason why a lot of them want to go to Alabama, is because they see it on TikTok,' Stefaneli said. Recruits told to stop posting — or else If they gain enough followers to become social influencers, RushTok participants can earn ad revenue and brand deals. Darnell's posts brought her financial independence, more than covering the $58,000 it costs her annually to attend Alabama from out-of-state. Rush can be fun and help girls build confidence, but it's also an 'emotional rollercoaster,' especially for girls who feel they need to reveal themselves to a massive audience, Stefaneli said. She answers phone calls at all hours of the night during rush week. 'I'm literally a therapist, I'm talking these girls down from a ledge,' she said. Numerous incoming freshmen told The Associated Press this week that they were expressly prohibited from speaking with the media or even posting about rush at Alabama. Darnell said the most selective 'Old Row' houses will automatically drop prospects who do. 'Now a lot of girls just come to the university to be influencers,' she said. 'It kind of gets in the way of sisterhood.' Some incoming freshmen — including Darnell's 19-year-old sister Izzy, with a vast social media following of her own — have chosen to post anyway, satisfying a demand that can reach millions of views within days. Izzy Darnell — who wouldn't share her choices for sorority ahead of Saturday's bid day — said her older sister's acumen has equipped her to navigate criticism and potentially predatory business deals. But she worries about how other girls might handle the fame and money. 'I just fear what some girls will do because they think they have to,' Izzy Darnell said.
