January 2026
Make something in the kitchen and maybe consider texting your friends back
Here’s my (try as hard as I can) monthly round-up for those of you who want to learn about or keep up a little more with me and the work that I do. Hope you enjoy.
Here we are again
We hear a lot about social media being our highlight reel, but for someone like me, showing you the highlights is my job. I eat at fabulous places then share my favorites so you can add them to your list; I show you beautiful vistas that inspire your wanderlust; I write down the instructions for my recipes to the best of my ability so you can make them too.
For me, social media is for us to connect, but most especially through inspiration.
And I bet you can guess what is coming next. Yes, not every day, every moment is inspiring for me. A lot of it is hard, just like it is for you. It’s that concept of sonder, right? That idea when you realize that everyone’s life is as rich and full as your own, including those frustrating, or not-what-you-thought it would be, or heartbreaking times.
Something that never makes my highlight reel is the professional and soul-level floundering that occurs in the space between projects. I am grateful to have had bigger, more encompassing work these past few years, from the SFA Oral History baking project to producing SAVEUR’s podcast or writing my own cocktail book that publishes next month. But projects end and make space for new ones. I’m in that space now, and it makes my nerves jangly sometimes. David Whyte comes back to me in these times, and I learn as best as I can where “here” is by leaning into my personal routine, remembering to look up when I hear a hawk, and text back my friends when they text me.
If you’re hearing the urgent question “what’s next” in your life too, then may this little highlight of mine make you feel less alone. I promise if you stand in your question, you’ll see something you didn’t know was there. Happy New Year friends.
Updates
Podcasts
Note: All links below are for Apple Podcasts, but you can find The Southern Fork on almost any platform that streams audio, from YouTube to Spotify and many places in between.
Merci, located in Charleston, SC, ended up being one of my most exciting restaurant visits of 2025, so in this conversation, co-owners Courtney and Michael Zentner delve into the importance of community relationships and their event production company, The Drifter. The chef shares his insights into their menu development and culinary philosophy, and they both embrace the challenges of running a small restaurant.
Trey McMillan of Lowcountry Oyster Company shares insights into the world of oyster farming, discussing the significance of location, the transition from fishing to oyster cultivation, and the crafting of the Lowcountry Cup oyster. If you dream about a day on the waters of the South Carolina Lowcountry, then this episode will transport you there.
And finally, I released a mini-episode recap for 2025, sharing my best bite, restaurant, and stay. If you are interested in planning some food and travel fun this year, I hope you’ll take these recs into consideration.
Articles
I didn’t publish a new byline in December. However, if you’re interested in popping into a read from one of my favorites of the past, check out this article about oyster diving from WaPo. The research trip was done in December of 2018, and so this time of year, I always remember the bitter cold and snow coming into Easton, Md. later in the day after a morning on the water. It was a mix of bracing excitement then cozy conversation with a beer beside a warm fire.
Other published media I like right now: I don’t know about you, but the trend toward longer, rambling podcasts often loses me during the listen. This podcast, Practical Reverence — a Conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer, was a welcome departure. The Emergence Magazine Podcast was one of my finds from 2025, and I love the substance served here in 59 minutes.
On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — showing up. 2025 was a year of me committing more to showing up daily in my life and for those in it instead of waiting for some future moment to do big things. Small things are where it’s at, I’ve learned. And despite that, the holidays and all their pre-written scripts often send me spinning. But when it doubt, do the dishes. I’m already in the kitchen anyway, right?
Cooking soundtrack album: Grace, Jeff Buckley
Best thing I cooked this month: Apple & Cauliflower Salad from William Dissen’s Thoughtful Cooking . So, heads up: this isn’t an easy “throw together salad.” It takes time and planning. But it is worth every second, and my family wholeheartedly already requested this for next year’s Thanksgiving. Why? Because it was crunchy, sweet, savory, and not really dominated by one ingredient but a symphony of how they played together.
Until next time,
Steph