We’re getting saucy—even more so than usual?—and dipping into the spreads, schmears, and drizzles we’re treating as essential supplements to our souls as well as our fridge-clearing batches of fried rice. Also! We’re coming at you with a bunch o’ thoughts on how to practice ~friendship~ right now, whether you prefer a postcard or a week-long game.

The linkage:

Condiment for us (and for you): Chinkiang vinegar, seasoned rice vinegar, mirin, Fly by Jing sichuan chili crisp, Marmite, hoisin, Seedible sesame butter, Thai Kitchen curry paste, Iasa hot pepper in olive oil, Tutto Calabria Rose Marina, Mike’s or Red Clay hot honey, Holy Schmitt’s horseradish and horseradish mustard, and (drumroll) Luxardo cherries, which are available in this large-format option.

A couple recipe mentions: sauteed greens with onions and soy sauce and tofu and green beans with chile crisp.

Breaking news alert: grapefruit updates!! We learned about a grapefruit-eating tactic from a YouTube vid (by way of the wonderful Deez Links newsletter), and we both ate up Connie Wang’s article for R29 “Love in the Shape of Cut Fruit.”

Friend activities: texting (or Netflix Party chatting) over a movie, a game of Mafia (magazine covers via Canva quite optional), PowerPoint parties, sending postcards (extra credit if it’s by letter of the alphabet!) or using TouchNote to do so, the Marco Polo app, stoop drop-offs, New Yorker crosswords in partner mode, being a Mystery Reader for a kid, or, for the bold, singing theme songs—or any songs, really—via voice memo.

Voicemails! You wanna leave one? Great: 833-632-5463.

Take our survey, get coupon codes, etc., etc. at claireanderica.com.

Cook up Sun Basket goodness. $35 off your order with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

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276: John — Who Is Your Father?