Birthday Honours List

Please do forgive me this tiny bit of narcissism but here is some reading for your enjoyment in the form of my first Birthday Honours List. (I am a Leo after all: ROAR)

Marissa Higgins on eating when you are poor is one of the best things on the subject I've read in ages. Her prose steers us through love, the protection of someone who is doing their best from the judgement of others, and remembrance, in all its beauty, pain and imperfection: "When I eat the food that reminds me of her, it comes wrapped in plastic or spills out of a can."

I read Anya Von Bremzen's 'The World's Last Great Undiscovered Cuisine', swooned then plastered the link all over my social media. Eighteen months later, I was wracking my brains to recall where I had read it so you can imagine how delighted I was to rediscover her feature in 'The Best American Food Writing: 2018', edited by Ruth Reichl. I think these words of Anya's are a masterpiece in cross-genre; it's as if a particular time and place have interviewed themselves and commended their insights to the page.

Tim Smith on the fundamental- not basic- role of the pot-wash and his return to work after the closure of his bakery which understandably exacerbated his anxiety and depression.

This piece made my parotids contract in a violently pleasurable manner.

And The New York Public Library digital menu collection is a bit of a treat.