Food & Writing Sites for September 2025
Saturday, August 16, 2025
The hottest part of summer is, traditionally, an unproductive period for creative people. As a rule, we find it too easy to just kick back and doze in the season’s fragrant breezes.
There are, as with most rules, some exceptions: performers at outdoor music venues and painters of the plein air variety (‘though high-brow galleries aren’t showing much contemporary plein air paintings these days, so their efforts might be in vain). We live almost exclusively in a modern technological world, and Nature—as a subject, alas—is not-so-much in fashion.
Soon, as Summer cools down, the harvest season will be upon us. With longer and cooler nights, even the most sluggard artists and writers will gulp a second (or third) cup of coffee, and get back to work.
Nonetheless, even in the heat of August, we’ve managed to continue publishing via Substack (speaking of “modern technology”). Since the last issue of these updates, we posted:
“What Baseball Could Have Taught Me...” on sport and pedagogy;
“Java Jump-start…” coffee and writing;
“Life Imitates Art & Vice Versa…” for the love of reading;
“Fifty-one Years Ago This Week...” another excerpt from a work-in-progress;
“Oysters and Saltpeter,” indulging an indelicate subject;
“Bulls**t,” a kind of book review;
We also added a story, “Dating/Data,“ to Unbelievable: A Modern Novella (the Extended Edition), and wrote a smaller story, “Life is Undependable,” with no specific plans for its distribution.
You can, should you choose to, follow us on Facebook (where, among other things, we post a LOT of photographs) and Twitter. Still more of our online scribbles can be found at A Quiet Little Table in the Corner and other Substack pages. There’s even an Amazon author’s page, that includes food writing and anything else we manage to get into print.
Paul Erdos once wrote, “A mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems.” He should have proposed a more general law; one which would posit the same for all kinds of writing. It’s no accident that “coffee” appears so often, here (including in these Anglophone selections from On the Table’s culinary quote collection:
Coffee: Induces wit. Good only if it comes through Havre. After a big dinner party it is taken standing up. Take it without sugar—very swank: gives the impression you have lived in the East. King Edward VII of England
A PROCLAMATION FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF COFFEE HOUSES: Whereas it is most apparent that the multitude of Coffee Houses of late years set up and kept within this Kingdom... and the great resort of idle and disaffected persons to them, have produced very evil and dangerous effects; as well for that many tradesmen and others, do herein misspend much of their time, which might and probably would be employed in and about their Lawful Calling and Affairs; but also for that in such houses... divers[sic], false, malitious [sic], and scandalous reports are devised and spread abroad to the Defamation of His Majesty’s Government, and to the disturbance of the Peace and Quiet of the Realm; his Majesty hath thought it fit and necessary, that the said Coffee Houses be (for the Future) put down and suppressed... King Charles II of England
Moderately drunk, coffee removes vapours from the brain, occasioned by fumes of wine, or other strong liquors; eases pains in the head, prevents sour belchings, and provokes appetite. England’s Happiness Improved (1699)
There is no cure ‘gainst age but it. Alexander Pope (on coffee)
Gary
September 2025
PS: If you encounter broken links, changed URLs—or if you know of wonderful sites we’ve missed—please drop us a line. It helps to keep this resource as useful as possible for all of us. To those who have pointed out corrections or tasty sites (this month we’re tipping our virtual hat to Deb Perelman—thanks, and keep them coming!
PPS: If you wish to change the e-mail address at which you receive these newsletters, or otherwise modify the way you receive our postings or—if you’ve received this newsletter by mistake, and/or don’t wish to receive future issues—you have our sincere apology and can have your e-mail address deleted from the list immediately. We’re happy (and continuously amazed) that so few people have decided to leave the list, but should you choose to be one of them, let us know, and we’ll see that your in-box is never afflicted by these updates again.
— the new sites —
(Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection at University of California at Riverside)
Espadín: The Surprisingly Short History of Mezcal’s Most Prominent Agave
(Brian Alberts’ VinePair article traces the history of one species’ success)
Everything but the Bar Mat: The Gnarly History of the Jersey Turnpike Shot
(Pete O’Connell’s account, at VinePair, of a libation that could make anyone a teetotaler)
Food and War: Recipes of Survival, Resistance, and Power
(Vanesa Miseres, at The Recipes Project)
From Bucket of Blood to Bloody Mary: 8 Iconic Cocktails That Once Had Different Names
(Pete O’Connell, at VinePair, on evolving names—and ingredient lists—for familiar libations)
Great Plant Breeders
Part 1: Ed O’Rourke, the Fig Wizard
Part 2: Allan Norden, Mr. Peanut
Part 3: Floyd Zaiger and Stone Fruits
Part 4. Harold Fogle & the Rainier Cherry
Part 5: George Waldo, the Berry Breeder
Part 6: James Moore & Better Blackberries
Part 7: W. Carroll Barnes & the Cucumber
Part 9: Calvin Lamborn & the Sugar Snap Pea
Part 10: George J. Raleigh, Lettuce Savant
(David Sanford Shields’ continuing exploration of the scientists who developed our crops)
Growing Buzz Around Ancestral Wines, The
(Bojan Pancevski’s article, in The Wall Street Journal, on the trend to utilize ancient wine varietals)
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Judge a Rosé by Its Color
(Olivia White at VinePair)
How Chartreuse Finally Made It Big (Again)
(Aaron Goldfarb’s VinePair account)
How Millions of Pounds of Maine Lobster Make It From New York to China
(Sarah Laskow follows the money for Atlas Obscura)
How the Tomato Created the Potato
(Laura Baisas, in Popular Science, on cross-pollination that happened nine million years ago)
How Women Shaped Human Evolution Through Food Processing
(Karen L. Kramer’s article in Sapiens)
Indigenous Origins of the Maine Lobster Bake, The
(Ann Pollard Ranco’s steamy account in Atlas Obscura)
Roman Fish-Processing Facility at Tel Dor, Israel, A: Reinterpreting the Roman “Purple Dye Factory”
(new evidence that the site was not manufacturing Tyrian Purple, but garum; article in International Journal of Nautical Archaeology)
Science Says This Is the Best Way to Grill Steak
(as reported in Inverse)
(according to Jan Whitaker’s blog, Restaurant-ing Through History, it was much ado about “soup”)
When Mezcal Was Moonshine: Oaxaca’s Unofficial 1980s Prohibition
(Brian Alberts, on Mexico’s suppression of agave beverages, at VinePair)
Why this Alcohol Was So Popular During Prohibition
(the odd success of bathtub gin)
— inspirational (or useful) sites for writers/bloggers —
10 Clever Dessert Recipes from WWII Rationing
14 Old-Fashioned No-Bake Desserts People Still Love Today
14 Telltale Signs a Recipe’s a Winner
30 Vintage Photos of Fast Food Restaurants Over the Years
1000 Words of Summer
Editing Week, Part 1
“A Yorkshire Pudding Like a Dishcloth”: How Did British Pub Food Get So Grim?
Actual Best Beer Cities in the United States, The
America the Tasty 2025: Comfort Food from Every State
Are Restaurant Cookbooks Back?
Being Creatively Resourced Is Like Building Up Your Food Reserves for the Future
Cheap Sandwiches from Around the World That Everyone Should Try
Cookbooks—A Resource to Study Food History
Dianne Jacob’s Take on Cookbooks and the Stories We Tell Through Food
Dicing an Onion the Mathematically Optimal Way
Extra Ice Please: A Cool History of the 19th Century Ice Trade
Food Documentary that Would Kill on Delta, A
How an M&M Sparked the Search for the Next Perfect Peanut
If Wine Is Poetry in a Glass, Then Writing About It Must Be Poetry on the Page
Lost Art of Taking a Long, Boozy Lunch, The
Morality of Restaurant Criticism, The
Nation Flags Made from that Country’s Most Iconic Cuisine
Permission Workbook, The: Why Do You Want To Write The Story?
Review: Chefs, Restaurants, and Culinary Sustainability
Re-visiting Old Cookery Manuscripts as Books for the Present. Two Approaches
Right Way to Pronounce “Gyro,” The
Should You Post about Politics or Keep Quiet?
There’s a Big Difference Between Barbecuing and Grilling Meat
Tragedy of Umami, The: When Depth Becomes Default
U.S. Drinking Rate at New Low as Alcohol Concerns Surge
Vintage Desserts People Loved In The 1970s
What’s Behind a Michelin Star?
Why Boredom Is Good (for Writers)
Why Should I Keep Doing Creative Work When It Isn't Paying the Bills?
Why You’re Probably Pronouncing Bologna Wrong
— podcasts, et cetera —
Cheese that Changed Everything, The: The Food that Built America
(an app for searching in, and keeping track of, your own cookbook collection)
Jim Gaffigan: Decaf is Unamerican
Julia Child’s Key to Cooking (but Also Life)
Mezcal’s Untold Past, Soaring Present, and Fragile Future: Part 1
Modern Marvels: Cheese's Glorious, Gooey History!
Mold Behind Brie Cheese Could Face Extinction, The. Can We Save It?
Most Dangerous Fruit in America, The
Paula Whyman: In the Weeds: Writing, Identity, & Belonging
Reasons Why American Breakfasts Are the Way They Are
Why the Tudors Loved Capons (and Avoided Roosters)
— changed URL—
On Pleasure, Food, and the Moral Meaning of Flavor
— that’s all for now —
Except, of course, for the usual legalistic mumbo-jumbo and commercial flim-flam:
As an Amazon Associate, this newsletter earns from qualifying purchases made through it. These include our own books (listed below), and occasional books mentioned in the entries above. If you order anything via those links, the price you pay is not increased by our commission.
Occasionally, URLs we provide may take you to commercial sites (that is, they’ll cost you money to take full advantage of them), or publications that have paywalls. We do not receive any compensation for listing them here and are providing them without any form of recommendation—other than the fact that they looked interesting to us.
Your privacy is important to us. We will not give, sell or share your e-mail address with anyone, for any purpose. Ever. Nonetheless, we will expose you to the following irredeemably brazen plugs for our own books:
The Resource Guide for Food Writers
(Hardcover)
(Paper)
(Kindle)
(newsletters like this merely update the contents of the book; what doesn’t appear here is already in the book)
The Herbalist in the Kitchen
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food And Drink Industries
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
Human Cuisine
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Herbs: A Global History
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
Sausage: A Global History
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
Can It! The Perils and Pleasures of Preserving Foods
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
Sauces Reconsidered: Après Escoffier
Terms of Vegery
(Paper)
(Kindle)
How to Serve Man:
On Cannibalism, Sex, Sacrifice, & the Nature of Eating
(Paper)
(Kindle)
How to Write a Great Book
The Digressions of Dr Sanscravat: Gastronomical Ramblings & Other Diversions
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Ephemera: a short collection of short stories
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Prophet Amidst Losses
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Future Tense: Remembrance of Things Not Yet Past
(Paper)
(Kindle)
The Backstories: As retold by Gary Allen
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Tabula Rasa, Baby: (Not Written in Stone)
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Unbelievable: A Modern Novella (the Extended Edition)
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Noirvella: The Extended Edition
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Hot Hot Hot/Risky Business
(Paper)
(Kindle)
The Long & Short of It: A Miscellany
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Beer Taste & Other Disorders
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Galloping Gourmand: A Culinary Collection
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Inedible: Cruel & Unusual Foods That Moms Used to Make and Inflicted on Young & Innocent Palates
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Substack Lightnin’: Volume One, The First Year
Substack Lightnin’: Volume Two, Second Year
Substack Lightnin’: Volume Three, Third Year
Here endeth the sales pitch(es)...
...for the moment, anyway.
______________
The Resource Guide for Food Writers, Update #299 is protected by copyright and is provided at no cost, for your personal use only. It may not be copied or retransmitted unless this notice remains affixed. Any other form of republication—unless with the author’s prior written permission—is strictly prohibited.
As the author of this page—being a real living person—I have not used AI for any purpose (beyond routine spellcheck). Nor do I permit the use of any of its content for training of AI systems, or in the generation of AI content.
Copyright ©2025 by Gary Allen.
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