Some other UK food Substacks you might enjoy...
Plus an exciting announcement about a live event! And a few interesting products and a bakery competition you might like to know about!
I’ve never chosen a “word of the year” before.
Towards the end of last year I realised that at the core of what brings me joy and runs through most of my work - and something that had been lacking for me in 2023, through my own choice, mostly - was connection.
So that’s my word for 2024 and, as
wrote recently (it’s also one of her words-of-the-year 😁), it’s about connection with other people and with yourself, society, the seasons and, for me, it’s also about connecting other people to one another and to brilliant businesses.The thing I’m especially excited about for 2024 is connecting more with people (and with more people!) in person and facilitating other people connecting.
I mentioned already I’m planning to run more in-person events in 2024.
I’m excited to let you know the first of these will be a re-launch of my podcast - also called The Next Delicious Thing - with a live recording on Saturday 16th March 2024!
This will be the next in the series of deep dives into baked goods that I started in 2022 (with
on Hot Cross Buns in March and with Felicity Cloake and Calum Franklin on Mince Pies in December).But this time live!
With the audience getting to eat something too!
The first live podcast will be on CROISSANTS and I’ll be joined again by Felicity Cloake (Guardian “Perfect” columnist and author of One More Croissant for the Road) and by
.I’m sure you can tell why they’re joining me but I’ll be telling you properly when tickets go on sale.
I am SO EXCITED.
So far all we’ve done is confirm the date and (central London) location so tickets are not on sale yet, but please mark your diaries.
Tickets will be offered first to paid subscribers of this Substack in early February.
I really hope to see some of you there! (There are only 40 seats in the venue, otherwise I’d love to see all of you there!)
I am still in Melbourne as I write. I’m planning to do a round up of all of things I’ve loved here after I return to London later in the month. In the meantime, I thought I would share with you some other Substacks I think are wonderful that you might like to add to your digest.
And…
It turns out there are also a few delicious things I wanted you to know about, first:
If you are in London, Birley Bakery are offering £500 in baked goods for one lucky winner
on my friend ClerkenwellBoyEC1’s Instagram.
£500!
I thought you might like to know about it. If you win make sure you try the vegan tropical patisserie, the brownie and the double baked chocolate and almond croissant.
With £500 you’ll be able to try everything and report back to us here!
Exciting new pantry products available across the UK
Gorgeous Ryan Riley and equally fabulous Kimberley Duke have launched a co-developed range of 7 products with Holland & Barrett that I’m excited to try when I return.
If you know anyone who is experiencing a reduced sense of smell (and therefore flavour experience when eating) then please let them know about this. It’s a common side effect of chemotherapy and, of course, of long COVID, too.
Ryan’s latest book is also out tomorrow: Small Pleasures, Joyful Recipes for Difficult Times. (That’s an Amazon link, you can also find it here at Bookshop.org.)
Chocolate that might be available wherever you live
The bean to bar chocolate I’ve tried and enjoyed in Australia on this trip, that you may be able to find as bars wherever you live in the world are:
Silver Street (NSW) (thanks
!)Bahen & Co (WA)
Cuveé Chocolate (VIC)
Hunter & Gathered (VIC)
And here are the promised British Food Substacks I think you might also love:
If this list doesn’t all make it into your inbox you can click through to read it all at https://jenniferearle.substack.com
Please do add any others that I’ve missed in the comments!
Here goes…
Every Monday
puts an incredible amount of time and effort into summarising the food and travel sections of all of the major weekend papers on her Substack , including links and even road testing some of the recipes. This is God’s work, in my (lapsed Catholic 😅) opinion!It’s completely free.
Her Substack
is the perfect accompaniment and community for anyone who wants to start using or get more out of a pressure cooker, including a guide to which one might be the best for you. It’s definitely helped me use mine more.What is a Ghost Writer?
A ghost writer might also be known as a “collaborator”. It’s where an experienced writer writes on behalf of someone else, usually after spending some time with them to be able to take on their style.
Ghost writing can be a case of taking someone’s written or recorded notes and making it easier and more enjoyable to read, or it can be written completely independently of the person whose name ends up on the book.
There are definitely “authors” who’ve never read the book. I have heard stories of the preamble to recipes being entirely created as well, which is a bit sad.
has an interview with ghost writer Kathleen McGurl who wrote Millie Bobbie Brown’s debut novel, which I enjoyed reading last year (the interview, I haven’t read the book - should I?):
As well as recipes, Sue also shares some of the behind the scenes of being a food journalist and author.
You’re likely already following brilliant food writer
and her recipes and escapades in France at .I used to attend Thane Prince’s cook book club with Catherine, Kate, Debora and Sue and I can confirm they’re also all kind and fascinating humans to spend time with in person.
I met
on a press trip in Italy in 2016 when she was working on Jamie Oliver’s Magazine. She now edits M&S’s food magazine and lives in my neighbourhood.Another genuinely lovely person, her Substack
is a short and useful weekly recommendation of something to cook that’s actually accessible for a busy person, especially parents.It’s seasonally appropriate with twists and cheats and product recommendations, too.
Many of you came here from
’s recommendation for this Substack and I’m so grateful.Even knowing you probably all know and are subscribed already, I’d hate to not mention his fantastic Substack
in case one of you doesn’t already know of my dear friend and winner of the very first series of The Great British Bake Off (The Great British Baking Show).It boggles my mind sometimes how one person can do all that Edd does and be the great friend that I know him to be. I am deeply suspicious that he and Simon are secretly triplets. Edd’s recipes are creative and - importantly - work perfectly and are delicious. Plus his photography, writing and videography are all a joy to consume.
Given it comes high in the global food Substack charts, you’re unlikely not to have heard of
and her brilliant Substack (and one of my guests on the first live podcast in March!).Her fantastic number of subscribers allows Nicola to dedicate herself full time to her passion for analysing, experimenting and reporting on variations in methods and ingredients across the baking spectrum.
If you’re a paid member you’ll join a large and active community of amateur and professional bakers, as well as receiving more detailed posts and weekly baking challenges. Her weekly free newsletters are still worth signing up for to expand your baking knowledge and to have well-tested recipe repetoire.
Even if you never bake, Nicola’s writing is a dream to read!
Every month
shares recipes for a full dinner party at . As a food stylist as well as recipe developer, the accompanying photography is beautiful. Another gorgeous writer, too.Obviously
! Again by having so many paid subscribers, the team at Vittles can support their writers (currently paying £800 per piece) to spend the necessary time researching and reporting on topics that reflect genuine diversity. I especially love the restaurant suggestions across London and beyond that aren’t just the ones with big PR machines behind them inviting the newspaper restaurant critics and influencers. I also really love how much I learn from the scope of contributers that are beyond the bubble I need to get better at not solely living within.I was subscribed to
before she switched over to Substack and always enjoyed reading her recommendations and recipes for food and drink.Here are some more UK Food Substacks I’ve only just subscribed to, but that should probably be on your radar and I’m excited they’re on mine:
by , host of Desert Island Dishes. One simple dish you can cook for dinner - once a week for paid subscribers and once a fortnight for free subs. by former MOB chef. by . by by by Jordan Ezra King by Over to you in the comments:
Are you excited by any in particular?
Have I missed any you already love?
Any non food or non UK food substacks you love and would like to shout about here?
I’m subscribed to a LOT of others that don’t fit the brief of UK food substacks, perhaps I’ll share some of those with you another time?
Sending love and sunshine that I hope reaches you from Oz,
Jen xx
Absolutely love this!
Oh well this has made my day. I'm very honoured to be included alongside writer I so much admire. Thank you, Jen