Sichuan Food, Gazpacho, and Alexander von Humboldt [June 24]
Recommendations from Me
Rainer Werner Fassbinder made wonderful, character driven films. Three of my favourites are i) Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, which examines the cruel pressures placed on a Moroccan man and a much older German woman who choose to start a romantic relationship together; ii) The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, featuring a tortured love triangle between three women unfolding in a gorgeous West German apartment; and iii) The Marriage of Maria Braun, centred on a WWII widow and a manic sort of liberation.
I started the year by reading a 480 page book on Chinese cuisine: Fuchsia Dunlop’s Invitation to a Banquet. Dunlop’s writing offers a compelling and curious portrait of the flavours and textures of various Chinese regional cuisines, with special attention given to Sichuan, where she trained as a chef. This book taught me that many of my favourite plant based dishes (including several types of faux meats) have roots in 13th Century (Song Dynasty) China, many centuries before plant based meat became popular in Europe. Most of all, it offers a window into the great melting pot of cultures in which these rich cuisines were formed.
F.D. Walker creates wonderful street photography guides. This project will eventually cover 100+ major cities on 7 continents. Guide for Tbilisi here.
I recommend punctuating the long days of the summer with two wonderful hot weather snacks: Nigerian garri drink, and Spanish gazpacho. You can buy garri (fermented cassava) from most West African supermarkets, and online. I would recommend mixing the flakes with ~2x as much plant based milk (by volume), and a mix of: nuts, dried fruit, cacao nibs, and ice cubes. You can find a good gazpacho guide here.
I would also like to point you to my friend Joseph Levine’s website and writing. He reads ~100 books a year, and I have found his yearly book lists to be a really valuable resource.
Recommendations from Others
John 2022
‘Find your best 3-4 hour daily slot for your most demanding work. Protect this time. Then relax if you can.’
Rohan 2023
‘The work of Dean Blunt + Inga Copeland, especially their collaborative Hype Williams project (2007-2012). Cryptic internet cult fandom vibe. Some favourites: Hype Williams - One Nation; Dean Blunt + Inga Copeland - London 2012; Inga Copeland - Higher Powers
Elisa 2023
‘Look at the paintings from the Hudson River School about the travels of Alexander von Humboldt, and enjoy the sparkle.’
Luca 2023
‘i) Listen to an audiobook about a city when you visit for the first time; ii) 36 questions to fall in love, on a blind date (friendship or romantic).’
Jenny 2023
‘Colouring pencils - Prismacolor; Sketch pad - Daler-Rowney (smooth cartridge); Mechanical Pencil - uni-ball Kuru Toga high grade silver barrel.'
