Hi all —
Here’s my (try as hard as I can) monthly round-up for those of you that want to learn / keep up a little more with me and the work that I do. Hope you enjoy.
Heartbreak and Hope
I skipped the March newsletter because I just couldn’t. What do I say? In a few short weeks, I’ve seen the industry I love so much crumble. It’s upended all of us. Personally, it’s not only upended all the businesses of the people I have interviewed and documented for years, but it’s upended that documentation by yours truly. In other words, how do I write and podcast now?
I wrote a piece for Eater Carolinas on Chef RJ Dye’s return to the Lowcountry just days before that project was put on hold, and released the Best Bars of Charleston (a months long project with Conde Nast Traveler) just 10 days before that. Frankly, both of those just seem out of a different time and place now. You get that feeling too, right? We’re living a reality that I doubt many of us remotely saw coming.
It’s thrown my creativity for a loop and months of research out the window for projects that are (for now) nebulous at best. I’ve wandered about my little yard, I’ve whined, I’ve wined, I’ve finally given into Facetime, and I’ve let myself feel the feelings, not shocking for anyone that spends more than 15 minutes with me. ;) And on one of those calls, when I said, “I don’t know what to do,” a good friend answered, “You tell stories. You’re a storyteller.” So, little by little I’m finding a way forward in my writing, letting those stories bubble up and make themselves obvious, and I hope you’ll continue to read along. Stay tuned for new work in this space next month. (P.S. Thanks Lisa. xo)
New Episodes for your Listening Pleasure
But …
Season five is here, and you should subscribe if you’re not already! It’s a weekly show, and so far I’ve interviewed Aaron Siegel of Home Team BBQ in Charleston, Brian Dunsmoor of Hatchet Hall in L.A., Kris Tominaga of Maneula (also in L.A.), and Vivian Howard of Kinston, N.C., whose new show Somewhere South on PBS you should definitely be watching!
And speaking of Somewhere South, there are so many past Southern Fork alums included on the show so you’ll hear familiar voices. Vivian’s a force in American food who is approachable, smart, funny, and makes damn good TV that’s delicious and thought-provoking.
#southernforkselfie w/ Vivian Howard 3/20 (follow along on Instagram to stay connected)
Food, and how we think about it matters. Vivian gives you a glimpse into how we all have certain dishes in common. And if we have those commonalities of food, what other ways are we more alike than different?
As for this podcast, my intent hasn’t changed. I want you to know the people behind the scenes of this Southern culinary landscape, their creativity and their tenacity will help them find a way forward in this crisis. And as their stories evolve, so will my interviews. I hope you’ll listen to give them (and this show) some support!
Podcasts I like right now: Burning through my to-be-listened list — so much time in the evenings — but one of the standouts was this episode of This American Life featuring the poet Ross Gay, who isn’t pretentious in the least. It’s called The Show of Delights. Also, I want Cameron Read of Episode 118 to get to making a salty licorice Gose after listening to Gastropod’s episode on Licorice. Cameron, let me know how/when I can lend my taste testing and consultation …
On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. But most of all, right now, the idea of how this stimulus is shaking out so far feels a little shaky. I signed this joint letter to congress today. I also am a small, artistic, creative business of one, so I need to make my voice heard too. Sole proprietor = small biz.
Cooking: More than I have ever cooked at home! I have most of those Books from the Show on my cookbook shelf, so I’ve been digging in there, making a Skillet Naan from Anne Byrn that uses plain yogurt and have found my new favorite zucchini dish from Steven Satterfield’s Root to Leaf. It has mint, honey, and red pepper flakes — yum.
Please note: I’ve had “transfer all my book links to independent booksellers” on my to-do list for months, but haven’t gotten there yet. But if you’d like to support local, Buxton Books supports me by having a shelf of my cookbook picks (and they ship).
Until next time,
Steph