76 Comments

In our senior community outside of Washington DC, a number (!!) of us will be coming together during the inaugural, not to watch it, certainly, but to perform our own act of democracy in action. We will be conducting a “read around” to share the words of the Constitution, MLK’s Birmingham jail letter, On Tyranny, Gandhi, President Biden and others. Our own little counter-programming by those who marched in the 60s for democracy for all.

Expand full comment

I love this. What a positive approach.

Expand full comment

Our (Presbyterian) minister read the Birmingham jail letter as part of today's sermon. Powerful stuff, all these years later.

Expand full comment

A brilliant use for the day!

Expand full comment

Love the Contrarian! When you announced you were starting a new source for news, I jumped right on! We get real news from real journalists who can lay it on the line in this upcoming Trump era. Plus I like the recipes and the mention of your animals. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go “make” some cinnamon toast!!

Keep up the good work!

Expand full comment

Unity through cinnamon toast! So glad you've joined us at The Contrarian.

Expand full comment

Pastries and politics works for me. Best line in today’s piece has to be “Trump cryptocurrency will provide an easy way for folks to grease the palms of the Trump family while Daddums is in office.” Yet another ugly truth. Thank you to you and Leslie for the movie recommendations. Rustin was a terrific film.

Expand full comment

On a foggy and drizzly morning nothing is more comforting than cinnamon toast. I even have a spice shaker pre-filled with cinnamon and sugar. For me, it is important to butter untoasted bread (or under toasted) with a thick smear of butter, heavy coverage of the cinnamon/sugar mixture, then broil in the toaster oven. Sends me right back to Mom Mom's kitchen.

Expand full comment

Getting the ratio of butter and cinnamon-sugar right is key, of course!

Expand full comment

We always had cinnamon in a shaker in Moms kitchen too. Good times!

Expand full comment

I signed up for The Contrarian as soon as it came across my in my email and have not been disappointed. It's what all of us in the resistance need (along with that cinnamon toast, definitely a Proustian moment for me as well). So much insight packed into one space!

Expand full comment

Hi Marissa, I enjoyed your post. (first one for me). It made me think of all the times my daughter and I shared cinnamon toast when she was growing up. Such a comfort food. Good on your son! I was raised in Mountainside and Summit has many connections to my life. I am using this time to clean out kitchen cabinets and drawers to take my mind off the impending disaster known as orange. I look forward to subscribing and following you.

Expand full comment

Thank you for joining me. I used to go to Mountainside all the time too. I did a deep clean of our shower yesterday and I shouldn't admit to what kind of positive meditation it was, but it was.I understand the power of drawer cleaning. "The impending disaster known as 'orange.'"LOL.

Expand full comment

Thank you. That is all. Just a big Thank you for your post. I look forward to the cookies.

Expand full comment

Thank you. xo

Expand full comment

Every recipe of yours that I have made has been a yummy success. Thank you for those and for adding your touch to the Contrarian. Cinnamon toast and tea have always been my go-to comfort foods. You asked what we wanted. Do you have any recipes to make healthy veggie dishes taste as good as your chocolate chip cookies?

Expand full comment

ROFL. Indeed, healthy veggie dishes that taste as good as chocolate chip cookies. I'll get right on it.

(And thank you for the very kind words. And watch this space. Happy veg recipes to come.)

Expand full comment

Thanks so much for Leslie Uggams’ suggestions for films to watch…not just to honor Dr. King on his holiday, but all winter long! I am headed to the kitchen now to get my Penzey’s cinnamon out of the cabinet to put on a piece of buttered toast. ❤️

Expand full comment

yes!

Expand full comment

I’ve been a Penzey’s supporter for 13 years (which is when I discovered them).

Expand full comment

I love Penzey's too! I put their cinnamon in my coffee. Your suggestion about cinnamon toast is perfect! Yum

Expand full comment

I love brewing my coffee with cinnamon. Mmm.

Expand full comment

Penzy is my fave too

Expand full comment

I joined the Contrarian on Friday and I’m delighted that you are going to be an integral part of it. We be Boomers but we’re very engaged and informed. Plus we contribute!

Now let’s focus on 2022 and surviving the next two years.🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

Expand full comment

Yes, cinnamon toast makes about everything better. Thanks for the reminder. I just made a pan of Vacuum Cleaner Cookies for the first time but will make cinnamon toast tomorrow. Cute pup!

Expand full comment

Vacuum Cleaner Cookies? Go ahead. I'm listening...

Expand full comment

Because folks wolf them down so quickly. 🙂 I got the recipe from a friend who is a food scientist. I’ll be glad to share the recipe. Sheet pan cookies.

Expand full comment

Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen gave you a shout out in their Substack Live that just ended. My mother, who passed away a while ago, was not a great cook (seven family members to feed and no time to try new recipes), never baked (this is why I learned to bake), and I'm a picky eater. After every dinner I make toast, margarine (yeah, before I knew about butter) and cinnamon sugar to fill up. I still eat it when I need a lift. I love sugar cookies so a recipe that produces soft sugar cookies would be great. And, I'll bake anything you provide.

Expand full comment

No wonder we get along! United over cinnamon toast. I'm sorry I missed Norm and Jen's Substack Live, but am glad of the shout out! I have a recipe for soft snickerdoodles...which are like cinnamon toast in cookie form. I'll publish it soon.

Expand full comment

Cinnamon toast! Perfect! I am back sitting in my mother’s kitchen 65+ years ago, eating cinnamon toast, the smell of her fresh cup of coffee and her smile.

Expand full comment

(i will admit quietly here, in the comments, that I teared up writing about eating cinnamon toast with my mom.)

Expand full comment