Weekly A to Z, August 31st.

The recovery one. 🤒

This week’s newsletter was brought to you by lemon mint, Liquid IV, and Soule Soup broth.

Unfortunately, Eric and I were (sadly) ahead of the usual “everyone flies back and gets sick” trend in the UAE. Both of us caught a nasty bug (not COVID)—high fevers, aches, and exhaustion. In a weird way, this was the perfect week to be unwell. With a loaded month ahead, I felt lucky (?) I could take the time to look after myself. However, the liminal quality of the week was strange, as I’ve not had a forced “time out” from work/life in years. Stay safe out there, friends!

Links, please.

• How did I miss this coverage of Pitfire Pizza? YouTube

• You know my 36 Questions, get ready for more conversation starters. Prevention

• A viral pancake increases sales by 50%. Plate

• How can brands align with consumers’ mental energy around food? Food Navigator

• Similarly, get out of your food rut. Self

• All you need to know about the pop up promo poster. Taste

• What’s the deal with beans on toast? The Takeout

• Middle East tourism surges, hotel construction sees an all time high. Skift

• Highly interested in this Aperol merch. Food Beast

• And this Cider Donut Daquiri. Wine Enthusiast

• And this frozen Negroni. Robb Report

• I also want to stay at this Polly Pocket Airbnb. My Modern Net

• It’s true, we all love picky tea. Daily Mail

• Very into this Jello packaging. Dieline

• At a stage in my life where I just want fancy, expensive soap. Hotel Lobby

• Here’s what happens when you eat spicy food. Delish

• Why Irish bar names must include a name. Food & Wine

• How much cheese is actually good for you? WSJ

• Who approved this? Instagram

• Doritos…in space? Delicious

• Very interested in corn stock. Taste

• Yes, I want to try an everything seasoning crouton. NYT

• Will we ever shut up about Caesar salad? Probably not. Taste

• Here for this social media trend. Rolling Stone

• How well do you know global food delivery? Rest of World

• What you need to know about osmolality certification and hydration. Food Navigator

• Hotels making money off the non-paying guest. Hotels Mag

• Please do not try these TikTok food trends at home. Food & Wine

• Now ready to travel to the other Portland (the airport looks incredible). Sunset

Favorite dishes in August? Some tough decisions! Chef Himanshu’s new scallop dish at the Gucci Osteria collab definitely gets a mention, as does the incredible pimento cheese and bacon sandwich from Fred’s Meat and Bread, and I’ll finish with the double-decker devilled egg from Crown Jewel. An honorable mention goes to the always fabulous Crown Jewel punch and the caramel cake from Caroline’s Cakes (I’m still thinking about it). What were some of your favorite plates this month?

This weekend? A final bit of resting while I pack for Bodrum. Then, flying to Bodrum! It’s my first time in the city (and I welcome any recommendations).

Next week? Catch me at Maçakızı and the Bodrum Edition. There are some Michelin stars and excellent meals in my future. Best of all? I’m joined by some of my very favorite foodies on this adventure. Follow me on my socials for all the events.

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C.

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Archives of the Weekly A to Z can be found here.