Happy New Year! May 2021 grant you enthusiasm, balance, abundance, empowerment and hope.
The Best Is Yet To Come
I am dropping two songs that have the same title, “The Best Is Yet To Come”. I remember listening to this Grover Washington and Patti LaBelle duet from when I was a kid. My Dad loves jazz and my late uncle played jazz with Lionel Hampton, so jazz was part of my soundtrack growing up.
Later, in the early aughts I got into jazz standards and I started listening to women like Cassandra Wilson and Stacey Kent.
Dry January
I did “Dry January” four years ago, and it was doable. Mostly, I drank ginger beer whenever I was in a bar. Julia Bainbridge published a book a few months ago that’s a must have for good non-alcoholic drinks this month or any time. You can buy Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Recipes for When You're Not Drinking for Whatever Reason on Amazon (available right now) or via Bookshop (on backorder).
How Bouillon Cubes Became an International Pantry Staple
It is soup making time, so you may need some bouillon cubes. Check out this piece by Mari Uyehara about how colonialism and convenience made bouillon cubes a popular ingredient in kitchens around the world.
The Kids Are Alright For The Future of the Food Magazine
Last year, there was a lot to be said about the future of food media, but it was mostly adults in the conversation. Pass The Spatula is a food magazine created by students at Food and Finance High School that was released in August 2020. [ I love the name of the high school. Back in the day, the Just Food Conference was held there and I attended the event.]
“There are so many injustices happening today and it’s the younger generation that
has to take charge. Being silent is no longer an option,” writes Jade Atkins in the magazine’s opening letter from the editor.
The Customer is Not Always Right
I read this article by Khushbu Shah and nodded vigorously at the end of every sentence. There are so much truth about how restaurants bend over backwards to the detriment of their staff to please guests.
Restaurants also need to give their servers agency to not always say "yes." “Owners need to stop entertaining a customer’s every request,” she adds.