Over the past few months, I’ve been wondering about what I’m supposed to be doing, as a food writer. The world as we know it is going through a fundamental shift, and, ever the optimist, I believe this is the shake-up it needs.
I’m starting this newsletter as a way of processing the many articles, books, podcasts, as well as food (!) I consume daily that is shaping the way I see things – food, restaurants, and media, definitely, but nothing is “off topic”. (I’ll link to some good ones in each issue). The idea I’m evangelising here, essentially, is that food does not exist in a vacuum (insert sous-vide joke here) and that it’s fundamentally connected to the economy, the environment, the justice system, humanities, science, and whatever else the universe contains. I’m at a point in my life (or perhaps the world is at a point) where the traditional “restaurant review” no longer has a place in my reading lists, and speaking of lists, I really couldn’t care less about “best restaurant” lists or being particularly diplomatic about how I feel about things anymore. I’m just going to let it hang, people. There will be rants.
Geographically speaking, expect a slight lean towards Hong Kong, and I’ll admit that I do have a bit of a chip on my shoulder about certain regions with which I’m familiar that get overshadowed/ignored/misinterpreted by US voices, so there’ll be some of those places.
I don’t know how long I’ll keep this up for (it could go the way of my blog, ahem), but if this sounds like what you might want to read once a week, then…
For a taste of how this works:
Instagram accounts I’m loving:
@uyo.nz for the completely unapologetically clear message that single-use cups should be banned from New Zealand, which has amassed a highly engaged community of followers with real world effects (“responsible” cafes/restaurants listed on their site and social media).
@agrowingculture, which I learned of from their Juneteenth broadcast - an entire day of black voices in food, especially agriculture, which was hugely educational and inspiring. One of the biggest takeaways for me what that the injustice in the (US) system stems from willful obstruction of African Americans from land ownership, with tactics including the signing of land transfer documents by people who were never allowed to learn to read (the first part of the Juneteenth broadcast by Queen Quet was powerful start to the day). Also, did you know that a majority-Black village called Seneca Village in NYC was cleared in order to create Central Park? This and more mind-blowing stories under the Hunger For Justice series, which is ongoing.
Things making my blood boil:
Food influencers showing off single-use coffee cups.
David Chang on the Peter Meehan/Lucky Peach revelations in his podcast. He’s “so proud” of LP, but his “involvement was never like that”. You can’t have it both ways. If you’re not against it, you’re part of it. I can’t stand his podcast by the way, they’re like therapy sessions where only he benefits. And spoiler alert, the podcast is only 7 minutes long (still too long, imo) and there’s nothing about Meehan in it because they signed a non-disparagement agreement.
Newsy stuff:
The democracy protests in Hong Kong is officially a meme war, now that the National Security Law suggests that using slogans like 光復香港 時代革命 (Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times) could land you in jail. Cantonese speakers are endlessly creative, and recently, food-themed slogans that rhyme with the one mentioned above have popped up all over social media. (Actually “rhyme” is kind of an inadequate word for saying how this works – all the words in that meme use the same tones as the original slogan).
More from Hong Kong and the NSL, because that’s more or less what I’m occupied with these days. “Lennon walls” of blank Post-Its are giving me all the feels.
What I ate and loved:
Blue cod, the season of which is now in full swing in NZ. It was a fish and chip special at the pub yesterday, and my neighbour caught some today and gifted it to us 😊 15 minutes in the oven with lemon slices and olive oil, boom.
That’s it for now – there’ll be more next week, probably, since I’ll be quarantined.
Did you know, you can get free* char siu if you share this?
*no, you can’t, but I’m waiting for that #spon deal.