The Monday Digest, July 2024
What happened last month on the newsletter, what’s to come and links to articles I enjoyed
This is the extra newsletter you get every first Monday of the month to sum up what I published the previous month and to tell you what you can expect on this one.
As a reminder, here’s what you will find on My Cup of Tea:
The Monday Digest: The first Monday of every month you’ll get a summary of what I sent out the previous month, a sneak peak of what you’ll get the current month and a curated list of latest food news as well as personal notes.
Every Thursday: a new newsletter on the following topics (a different one each week): 1 recipe, 1 educational blog on food photography, 1 in-depth essay about the history and uses of a dish or ingredient (mostly focused on New England), 1 personal essay / travel guide / chronicle.
June’s summary
I started out last month with a second issue of an already popular series, and this one was focused on choosing what to photograph: Tips for Taking Better Photos: Find Your Subject
The recipe last month was a beloved Catalan recipe that is perfect for this season and it mixes the sea (cod) with the land (garden vegetables): Bacallà amb Samfaina
Last month’s food history piece was focused on an ingredient that is a dish in itself and cherished everywhere in the world and adored especially here in New England: The Oyster in New England
The last article of the month took you around the world to Hong Kong, Taipei, San Sebastián, Crete and Hue: My Favourite Places to Eat in The World, Part 2
What’s to come this July
Thursday the 4th: This month’s recipe celebrates a delicious seasonal crop that I could go pick myself in a local farm: Strawberry Lavender Galette
Thursday the 11th: This new issue on the series is about looking back in time to gather inspiration from art and architecture: Tips for Taking Better Photos: Learn from Art
Thursday the 18th: July is the national month of baked beans so this month’s food history piece explains the context of a New England classic, mostly enjoyed on Saturdays and also around barbecue gatherings: Boston Baked Beans
Thursday the 25th: I will reflect on what Summer means in different parts of the world and how when the weather and produce changes, its significance also does: On the Meaning of Summer
Thursday the 1st: There is an extra Thursday before my August’s Monday Digest, so I’ll be writing about a trip I’ll take in mid July: My first time in the South. A trip to Savannah, GA
Food News
A Handy Guide to Understanding Restaurant Awards - (Ryan Sutton and Eater Staff) Eater
Can We Please Let Croissants Be Croissants? - (Jaya Saxena) Eater
When It’s This Hot Out, Eat Like a Toddler - (Amy McCarthy) Eater
Issue 9: Adventure - About Magazine
Don’t Call It an ‘Ethnic’ Grocery Store - (Priya Krishna) The New York Times
Eater Grilled Merguez Patties With Cabbage Salad - (Julia Turshen) The Washington Post
37 Unforgettable Airport Meals Around the World - (Arati Menon) Condé Nast traveler
Substacks I loved
) Feminist Food Journal) Latina CookingFriday Bread Basket 6/28/24 - (
) WordloafFavourites from Puglia to Venice to Modena to Sicily - (
) Notes from Emiko’s KitchenThe New Generation Of Baking Entertainment - (
) Serving Up SweetnessBologna Outtakes - (
) The Unplugged TravelerHow Substack Helped Me Find Joy in Writing - (
) Local Bread Baker’s Newsletter) Lickedspoon with Debora RobertsonThe Garden Edit - (
) The Venetian PantryEating The Museum - (Adriana Gallo) From The Desk of Alicia Kennedy
) Recipe BoxA Guide to the Hot Dogs of Latin America - (
) New WorlderExpating is hard - (
) Baur StudioLa Fraise - (
) Life’s a Feast by Jamie SchlerPackaged and Repackaged: With fewer journalists, where is our information coming from? - (
) TPA) Substack ReadsPersonal Notes
I have been enjoying the end of Spring and the beginning of Summer very much so far. On June, it marked a year since Ross and I moved from Europe to New England, but last Summer was focused on finding an apartment, furnishing it, getting to know Boston a little, etc. Now we have Satoshi (our car) and a beautifully decorated home, so there’s space to go explore.
So far, we have been enjoying oyster tours, lots of seafood eating by the coast and picking our own fruits in local farms. There’s more to come (July and August will be perfect for blueberries and peaches), but I have loved our spontaneous trip to a strawberry field.
With these strawberries Ross took (mostly him as I was busy documenting everything…), I made a beautiful strawberry and lavender galette which recipe will be this week’s newsletter.
I have also been busy setting up my freelance photography and writing business, pitching brands and magazines… To the point it has become very overwhelming at times. Having to learn it all from scratch in a country that is new to you is a lot. But I am grateful to this platform and newsletter because it pushes me to go research on oysters, strawberries and other local produce so I can write about it. And at the same time, I get to have a lot of fun doing it.
I had no idea there was a national month of baked beans! Thank you for the mention Elisabet. So kind of you!
The snack plate idea is so terrific — and how my kids eat almost every night!!