On April (2025), with an Apology
The Discord link should work now!
It had long been my modus operandi to shoot fast and loose from the hip. Quitting jobs, launching newsletters, booking trips—I did these things without much consideration of the future. That is no longer my modus operandi: I want to be sure of what I’m doing.
When I launched a Discord server for paid subscribers, I did so gingerly—no massive announcement, so I could work out the kinks, and kinks there have been, perhaps because I didn’t do a big announcement. The link regenerates each time I go to get it, and I have to reset my desire to have them never expire, yet some of them seem to do just that, and I heartily apologize to my wonderful paid subscribers for letting you be my beta testers on this.
The link included below the paywall and in today’s email header has been tested my multiple people, I promise. If it somehow doesn’t work, please let me know via email or comments and I will generate a new one. I’m doing my best! If more people upgrade, I can hire someone to manage my links (jk, but…)
We have well over 200 members so far, despite my snafus, sharing indie magazines, podcast and book recommendations, and academic articles on ecology. TOMATO TOMATO is the place you can text your nerdiest food and culture thoughts and find a friend. I’ve also got a channel for introductions and self-promo, so that your work in this space can find not just any audience, but the right one.
Onward to the April links and events!
April Writing
“On Not Writing a Cookbook” / “From the Desk Recommends... Looking Back to Go Forward” / “Interlude: A Brief Trip to Lake Como” / “The Monthly Menu: A Touch of Gluttony” / “3 Books for Thinking About Now” / “What Is ‘Normal’ Food?” / “On Airplane Food”
April Events
“‘That Process of Identifying the Story’: A conversation with Layla Schlack on editing, cookbook trends, and more,” part of the Desk Salon Series. Find past conversations (audio, video, and text transcripts all available) here.
April News
I wrote about WhatsApp’s really entrenched role in global agriculture for the Bittman Project. I talked about music, specifically Jeff Buckley’s Grace, and No Meat Required on the Real Wolf Record Club. Love to meet a longtime vegetarian!
Forthcoming in May
The Desk Salon and Book Club conversation with Pam Brunton, author of Between Two Waters / writing on aesthetics, consistency, Pope Francis, and editorial vision / my talk from Women in Food 2025 / I’ll be teaching “The Food Essay” in BU’s gastronomy program in May and June, so that will certainly affect my writing—tell me if there’s anything of particular interest you’d like to know about it! / the usual Recommends, Monthly Menu, and Book Club notes…!