Lunch break can't come soon enough
no sad desk salad here
Hey all! Ashe on the intro… I recently worked the Ottolenghi ‘Comfort Tour’ - an event to promote Ottolenghi’s new cookbook of the same name. Yes, that Ottolenghi, whose ‘Flavors’ book you couldn’t escape a couple of years ago.
I personally hadn’t really looked a lot into Ottolenghi’s work. I knew more of Sami Tamimi, co-owner of the business ventures, through his book ‘Falastin’. The usual ‘find a recipe I start craving [often Sami’s chicken arayes], forget to get all the ingredients, give up, finally make a thrown together pasta with not enough protein.
I went because I was curious what an event for a cookbook could even look like. There were Flemish and Dutch guests, Ottolenghi live cooking, and an interview and talk about comfort food. I was busy with my shift most of the time, so I only tune in for a bit.
It wasn’t particularly my scene. But it had me thinking of my own comfort foods - topics of what we eat, where we eat, and who we eat with. Just that week I’d had spicy salads, dumplings in soup, Indomie - all paired with a Jurassic Park franchise movie to cheer me up, alone, often in my home. The comfort Ottolenghi spoke of wasn’t just within the dishes themselves (or the memories associated with them). Comfort food is “the right food, at the right time, at the right place”.
I could wax poetic about this, instead I leave you with the suggestion to ponder what comfort food is for you - and of course, some pictures of mine.
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This just in 💥: Euphoria season 3 will start production this January
British author Samantha Harvey won the 2024 Booker Prize with the novel Orbital, the first book set in space to win the prize.
Mark Zuckerberg collaborated with T-Pain to release an acoustic version of ‘Get Low’ as a tribute to the first time he met his now-wife. If he wanted to, he would?
There’s a global matcha shortage, with cafes in Japan even unable to serve it. Australia allegedly has matcha limits now. More info here.
Emmy Nominees have been announced: Beyonce leading with 11 nominees, but Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Charli XCX hot on heels.
Formula 1 now has an official chocolate bar - KitKat. Why the sport needs a chocolate bar remains a mystery (well, apart from the obvious ‘money’ thing). Link.
+ for the first time ever, F1 is going to have a launch event. It’s for the 2025 season - their 75th anniversary - held at the O2 arena. New drivers and new team liveries will be revealed during the event.
Look-alike contests are in full swing: after the buzz around the Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest in NY, similar events have popped up in London for Harry Styles, Dublin for Paul Mescal, and in San Francisco for Dev Patel.
Disappointing! Temu was the most downloaded app among Gen Z in the US last year—let's hope Europe’s Gen Z isn’t following suit.
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Fashion ❤️ Cartoons
With the new Acne Studios x Moomin collection kicking off, it’s clear that fashion has a thing for cartoon characters. In honor of Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary, there’s been a whole slew of collabs. Miffy is getting loads of love too, from Dutch skate brand Pop Trading Company to Uniqlo. And GAP, riding a wave of popularity thanks to the resurgence of mall brands, has dropped a pretty rad, '90s-inspired Disney collection.
Soft toys as accessories were also spotted all over recent fashion weeks.
Pre-Shower Make up
It’s not so much a trend as much as a naming of a pre-existing behavior. Pre-shower makeup is all about playful, pressure-free creativity.
Since it’s washed off right after, makeup lovers get to experiment with bold, quirky looks, practice future looks, or just try something totally different. It’s a stress-free way for people to have fun with makeup without worrying about how it turns out.
Butter stuffed dates
The internet has a new favorite snack: big, juicy Medjool dates stuffed with butter and sprinkled with salt. Health experts are divided on the benefits—while it’s fiber-packed and high-quality butter adds healthy fats that can help slow sugar absorption, it’s still high in sugar. Like all good things in life—enjoy in moderation.
Scarf coats
Already spotted last season, coats with built-in scarves have now become a staple. High street stores like Zara and Mango are even offering a sweater version. The OG scarf coat comes from Stockholm brand Toteme, who launched it in November 2021. Not sure why men are left out of this genius invention, though.
Press Ons
The common gels and acrylics on nails are slowly getting replaced by press ons - because they’re removable and reusable.
“Now, the nail artist can craft the nail perfectly and send it to me, instead of me having to sit for hours at the salon,” says an acrylic girlie turned press-on pookie.
With more and more intricate designs (and niche ones) popping up by small artists online, the market is booming now more than ever.
Microwavable Hot Pot
Inspired by a Korean craze, people are now bringing tupperwares of veggies, meat, and some broth/dipping sauce to work for ‘microwaveable hot pots’.
It’s a cozy, convenient lunch—but there’s just one challenge: who’s brave enough to warm it up in the shared office microwave?
If-It’s-Under
Picking up things you wanna buy, stating the max price you would be willing to pay for it, and then checking the actual price. If it’s under, go for it. If it’s not…
Money-saving, content-worthy, and a fun hang out sesh - courtesy of TikTok.
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Is the Lavashak Craze Back?
The internet's Lavashak obsession is back! About six months ago, this Persian snack—a tangy, sweet-sour fruit leather made from pomegranate and molasses—became a favorite especially in mukbang videos. Now, as pomegranate season and autumn cravings roll in, Lavashak is making a reappearance on feeds.
Maybe a craving for sour snacks this fall - or is this to rejuvenate a content lul for food content creators?
Le Creuset craze
It’s 2024, and cookware has officially become a status symbol—especially the unmistakable cast-iron pieces from Le Creuset. Even if cooking isn’t your thing, you’ve likely seen it pop up on your feed. An Architectural Digest notes it’s particularly hyped among zillenials, but they’re clearly not the only ones; massive queues (police got involved) formed last weekend at Le Creuset’s warehouse sale in Andover.
[The authors of this newsletter are proud owners of some Le Creuset pieces.]
‘til next time
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