This month we are discussing a book of essays that could be described as a “literary potluck”.

My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings was edited by actor and writer Zosia Mamet (fellow fans of the series Girls will remember her as the character Shoshanna).

We both loved this collection of short stories about food and all the feelings we attach to and around how we cook and share meals. And it sparked a conversation covering sad food vs solitary food, cooking your way back to life after grief, joy toolboxes, reclaiming custody of problematic foods and whether really good food can be enjoyed in a vortex or do you need the whole package (ie atmosphere, time and company) to enjoy a meal (we’re definitely in the latter camp).

Plus, as always, we answer a listener letter with a book and cooking ‘prescription’.

We hope you enjoy this episode. Thank you as always to our producer Kristy Reading and to Smith and Jones for generously allowing us to include your beautiful song Small Town Woman at the beginning and end of this episode.

All the links to everything we mention, recipes, and book recommendations will be sent to our lovely subscribers later today. If you’d like to become a paid supporter of Something to Eat and Something to Read for $5/month and receive all of the above plus more, please click here. Thank you so much.

Germaine and Sophie x

We acknowledge that the land on which we work and live is the traditional land of the Wiradjuri Nation (Sophie) and the Gadigal of the Eora Nation (Germaine). We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all First Nations people.

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