Reasons for homemade cake, mangonada, and appetite adornmentEmiko Davies selects her top Substack readsThis week’s digest was curated by Japanese-Australian cookbook author Emiko Davies, who writes Notes from Emiko’s Kitchen on Substack and is the author of six cookbooks. The latest, Gohan: Everyday Japanese Cooking, came out in October 2023 and won Fortnum & Mason’s Cookery Book of the Year Award. She has lived in Tuscany for the past 20 years. Some of her most popular posts include “You look so much better!” On nourishment and unwanted comments about your body,” “Antifascist pasta, a recipe and a story of resistance,” and “A love letter to rice.” If you enjoy Emiko’s edition today, be sure to subscribe to her Substack. What I love most about the Substack newsletters that pop into my inbox every day is the sheer variety of writing that I am exposed to now. As a food writer, I lean heavily towards other food writers and, while I am interested in recipes of course, I also crave more than simply ideas for dinner. I love how personal some of these are—like reading someone’s letters, or diary entries—or how informative others are, how some really hit a nail on the head for me or make me think for days. Some are just a beautiful snapshot into someone else’s point of view, and that’s all you need. Food writing need not only be just about recipes, because those of us who are writing about the food are also complex human beings, and writing out a recipe is only a tiny function, just the tip of the iceberg, of what food writing can be. Food can be complicated—feeding other people or ourselves is fraught with all kinds of emotional and cultural issues—but it is also a source of immense joy, capable of creating core memories or jolting you into old ones or taking you to places you have never even dreamed of going. What a delight to be able to share some of the things I’ve enjoyed reading on Substack lately. It is not a coincidence that I have selected writers from diverse backgrounds and of diverse ages (two of them are in their 70s and 80s) or that they are all women—I hope you enjoy hearing their voices, as I do too. “Elisabeth Luard’s whimsical watercolours of recipes, travels, and ingredients that accompany her stories get me every time. Born in 1942 in London, the accomplished broadcaster, journalist, and author (15 cookbooks, four memoirs, and two novels) turns to Substack to share her illustrations (she trained and worked as a botanical artist in the ’70s through the ’90s), which in her words is a ‘cartoon cookbook.’ Whatever it is, it is a joy.”Reasons for homemade cake—Elisabeth Luard in Elisabeth Luard's Cookstory
“Saghar Setareh, an Iranian woman living in Rome, is one of those food writers whose writing is never just about food but about so much more. I’m thrilled that she has started writing on Substack so I can read things like this story about her special connection to cats as pets, imaginary and real, while growing up in Iran. Immensely talented, whether it be in design, photography, or writing, she is incredibly honest in whatever it is she creates.”Making amends to a ginger cat— Saghar Setareh in Noon by Saghar Setareh
“Nic Miller cleverly weaves history, memories, cookbooks, literature, art, and other references into her deep dives into food topics, be it mangoes or vinegar or trifle. She has a wealth of knowledge, but the way she shares it is in such an easy-to-absorb way (and with plenty of links) that you will no doubt end up going down your own rabbit hole once you start reading.”Mangonada—Nic Miller in Tales From Topographic Kitchens
“Born and raised in Canada to parents from Japan and Hong Kong, Kana Chan now lives in rural Japan in Kamikatsu (a tiny village with a reputation for zero waste), learning to do things with her hands. This quiet newsletter is one of the things that often stops me in my tracks like a gentle and nostalgic memory, making me wistful for the rhythms of the timeless Japanese countryside that she writes about: learning the rice harvest, foraging, life in a kominka, an old Japanese home.”A hidden cafe in the mountains—Kana Chan in Tending Gardens by Kana
“Katie Okamoto is a Japanese-Spanish-American food and culture writer, journalist, and editor based in L.A., and I will basically read anything she writes about, whether it is Ricola in the Alps, mochi in a waffle iron, pillowcases full of Halloween candy, or socks adorned with bread. She has a refreshing point of view and a way of discussing everyday things that leaves me thinking about them long after reading.”Appetite adornment
“Syrian-Lebanese chef, author, and culinary educator Anissa Helou is known for her cookbooks on Mediterranean and Lebanese cooking and currently divides her time between London and Sicily. Now in her 70s, she has been called the ‘queen of Lebanese cooking’ and one of the ‘100 most powerful Arab women,’ and her newsletter is a little glimpse into her kitchen, her travels, and the women who inspire her.”A kibbeh mortar and pestle—Anissa Helou in Belly Dancer in the Kitchen with Anissa Helou
“The Kitchen Shrink is a weekly culinary advice column by chef and writer Tamar Adler and it is genius. From cooking fish on the grill to suggesting what to do with okara or how to eat lettuce with a sore tooth, there seems to be no question that Tamar cannot answer with depth, humour, recipe links—and an accompanying Peanuts cartoon.”The inquest of involuntarily wilting—Tamar Adler of The Kitchen Shrink
“Apoorva Sripathi writes broadly about culture and food from Chennai, India — covering recipes and thoughtful, personal essays. I first came across her work through a piece she wrote for Vittles on the pleasure and politics of eating mangoes, which is also worth diving into too, to get a sense of how she can transport you through words, while weaving memories, history and food politics deftly together.”This writing life—Apoorva Sripathi in shelf offering
Inspired by the writers featured in Substack Reads? Writing on your own Substack is just a few clicks away Substack Reads is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, and audio from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and this week’s edition was curated by Emiko Davies, who writes Notes from Emiko’s Kitchen on Substack. Substack Reads is edited and produced from Substack’s U.K. outpost by Hannah Ray. Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. |
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Reasons for homemade cake, mangonada, and appetite adornment
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