Gift Guide (Reading List)
In this free issue of the Sourced newsletter, we’re sharing gift guide showcasing the work of Sourced contributors and interviewees.
Hello and happy end of the year! Things are winding down and we are taking a moment to reflect on the people who have believed in and helped make Sourced what it is today.
On Monday 6 December we hosted our final event with e5 Bakehouse for the year. It featured a horchata tasting, a rice ‘fortune telling’ and a congee bar with a variety of toppings. We also asked attendees to bring a bag of rice with them to start a discussion on the rice we love to use and the questions we have about rice in all of its forms. Because rice is one of the most requested items at food banks, we also donated the rice brought that evening to Hackney Food Bank.
It is really important for us to have Sourced function as a place to gather both information and community and this event really felt like that vision coming true.
In the spirit of community building, we’ve decided to compile a ‘gift guide’ that showcases the work of Sourced interviewees and contributors. We love their work and we know you will too!
Most of these product links are to Amazon as our audience is international but we encourage you to find independent retailers that deliver to your location!
Recently we had pastry chef and author Anna Higham interview farmer Tom Maynard of Maynard’s Fruit Farm. Anna’s is debut cookbook The Last Bite follows fruit through the seasons. Not only are the recipes delicious, the book is also full of great ‘building-block’ recipes to help you develop your own
Author Doug Bierend wrote a piece on compost for Rot season and was also kind of responsible for rot season after his interview with Anna about his book In Search of Mycotopia.
Arielle Clark, founder of Sis Got Tea, answered The Ten for us this year and was interviewed for Zac Gomez Jone’s piece on sober queer spaces. Her Kentucky-based tea shop is set to open on January of next year but you can buy their tea blends and other merch online. The teas range from classic blends for your regular cuppa, herbal healing and blends inspired by desserts like apple pie and banana pudding.
Cattle farmer, writer, and producer Nicola Harvey also contributed to Rot season with a piece on the perfume of rot which reflects on her interaction with the soil on her own farm. Harvey’s debut novel Farm: The Making of a Climate Activist looks at her journey as a new cattle farmer and to revolutionise farming from within. A compelling personal story for the climate activist (or climate-crisis denying nemesis) in your life.
Author and fermentation educator Dr Julia Skinner did a guest paid newsletter back in August where she shared a few recipes. Chloe also interviewed Julia about her new book Our Fermented Lives. The book details the history of fermentation and the communities that develop around them. It is part history book, part cookbook, perfect for a seasoned fermenter looking to understand the rich history of the craft or a beginner interested in learning the basics.
If you’re looking for a gift that keeps on giving, consider a subscription to M.A.S, the Mezcal Appreciation Society from Sin Gusano Project. The project’s founder Jon Darby shared his love of mezcal and the ethos behind the project in this interview.
Baker and educator Andrew Janjigian spoke with Chloe about baking for wheat season. He is the mastermind behind the substack newsletter Wordloaf and an incredible pocket manual, The Bread Baker’s Pocket Companion, which would make a great stocking stuffer for bakers of all levels.
Alicia Kennedy spoke with Chloe for wheat season about vegan baking. Her book No Meat Required: The Cultural History and Culinary Future of Plant-Based Eating will be released in August 2023 but is currently available for pre-order. Make this one a gift to yourself, and to the author as pre-sales are hugely impactful! We’ve been anticipating this book’s release since it was announced and can’t wait to read it.
Mark Byrne, founder of Good Vodka, shared his answers to The Ten with us, and you can buy some of his (very) Good Vodka for the martini lover in your life.
Baker and author Dan Lepard shared a history of cinnamon and some baking tips for us during Cinnamon season in this two-part series. His books are a delight to cook from and you really can’t go wrong with any of them.
Writer and author Sejal Sukhadwala shared her recipe and words for our first video Onion Pakora Weather. Her debut book The Philosophy of Curry is the tenth of the British Library Philosophies series. Beautifully designed, consider a set as a gift.
Learn about Kimbula Kitchen’s Kithul syrup from Kimbula Kitchen’s founder Chanchala Gunewardena in interview with Anna . Made from the flower of the fishtail palm, this Sri Lankan favourite has endless applications.