Weekly A to Z, June 11th.
Weekly A to Z, June 11th.
The one with disclosure discussion (and accidental dining with royalty).
I started the week on such a high note. On Saturday afternoon, I got together with a number of other foodies to pit kilos (!) of sour cherries with Zahra, who turned in our efforts to jam (which we were able to take home), and a beautiful drink she used to enjoy in her childhood.
On Sunday, I attended the media preview of the BOCA x Gin Mare dinner, featuring dishes from Fabrizio Fiorani and drinks from Patrick Pistolesi. There were a number of highlights, but Chef Fabrizio’s beautiful desserts really called attention to how far chefs in Dubai could go in this category. And yes, I’ll be dreaming of the ‘real fake peanut’ for some time. Check out an overview of the evening here. #invited
Monday saw some deliveries, including Lotsa Lazy Cakes, who have partnered with Naomi D’Souza for a special dessert box (the red velvet is a highlight). And newly launched Kitch-In sent an absolute boatload across their range of restaurants, representing a number of cuisines, including Gigi, Jimoto, Seoul Sister, and Apola. Of everything I tried, the cauliflower souvlaki was my favorite. #gifted
On Tuesday, I was over to L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon for lunch. In good company, I was impressed, and I’ll be dropping a full review for subscribers shortly. My best advice would be to go for the business lunch special, AED129, and then decide if you’d like to commit to a more substantial meal. Here’s a quick capture of our lunch. #invited
From late Wednesday, a conversation started earlier in the week by Liam (of EatGoSee) regarding transparency in reviews and paid partnerships sparked some attention. Long-time followers will know I always try to disclose my invites, gifted items, collabs, or ads, but I realize I could do much better. As I don’t have nearly the followers of some of the larger accounts, I’d love more industry best practices from those at the top. Instagram, as a platform, makes it very easy to use the ‘in paid collaboration,’ or at a minimum, just tagging things #invited or #gifted which makes followers aware of what’s going on. This is all to say I’m not going to stop accepting invites, especially as I see my role as a (self-proclaimed) KOL and as part of a restaurant or hotel’s marketing approach. I’d love to know your thoughts on this topic! Please feel free to comment below.
The rest of the week was spent focused on my manuscript (page 156 out of 214).
Links, please.
The history of the Cheez It. Smithsonian
What happened to the condiment island? Defector
For all my Moulin Rouge! fans. The Guardian
Pasta, but make the shapes good for shipping. Laughing Squid
Should I order a DIY rainbow bagel kit? The Kitchn
The art and science of being lucky. Shondaland
Some foodie summer reads. Bon Appetit
This shirt speaks to me. Bonfire
Viral views at Sauce Diner. #sponsored TikTok
What are the worst things to order at Starbucks? The Takeout
Dreaming of Portugal. Remodelista
If you like charts, here’s how the American diet has changed. Flowing Data
Did this hit a little close to home? Maybe. The Atlantic
I want these fancy notecards…for reasons. Publicide
Maybe your dream book club is at the library? Electric Literature
How Texas became an influencer haven. Vice
Foods named for where they are from. Matador Network
Who actually pays for credit card rewards? Vox
Exactly how do you tie a knot in a cherry stem? The Takeout
Is drunkenness actually good for art? LitHub
Carbon minus the carbs. The Takeout
A chilled weekend, but trying to decide if I want to sneak out for an easy lunch on Friday or Saturday.
Next week is also fairly low-key, with some meetings I’m optimistic about, as well as trying out newly launched Carna.
If you enjoy this newsletter, consider telling a friend, purchasing my books, subscribing to my podcast, or buying me a coffee.
C.
