We’ve chosen a few food-related articles and Instagram feeds that are endlessly informative and satisfying. Some of them remind us of the dishes we sampled in “Somewhere South.” Others offer an update on the restaurant industry’s efforts to get back on its feet as COVID-19 remains a prevalent part of our lives. All of them are fun, welcome distractions from our day-to-day routine.
Read: Vietnamese Barbecue Is the Healthy Flavor-Packed Meal You Can Make at Home
Publication: Thrillist
There are so many different types of barbecue that we could not have explored them all in the “How Do You ‘Cue?” episode. If you need a little help venturing outside your own barbecue box, check out Kat Thompson’s recent Thrillist article profiling husband and wife duo Jimmy Ly and Yen Vo. Although they were born on opposing coasts, both identify bò 7 món (a traditional 7-course Vietnamese barbecue) as a central childhood memory.
Read: Is It Safe to Eat at Restaurants Yet?
Publication: Eater
This article poses the question on everyone’s mind. And by the time you read this, there will be plenty more articles that address the same question from entirely different perspectives. As coronavirus cases continue to rise, restaurants are beginning to open. This article posits a series of relevant questions including the million dollar one: “Even if you can go to restaurants, should you?” No matter which side of the many-sided argument you find yourself, this Eater article is a timely read.
Read: Food52: Travel
Publication: Food52
Any article that can transport us to remote parts of Italy, Paris, or anywhere other than our own four-corners, we’re here for it. Peruse the travel section of Food52’s blog and click on any article to let your imagination wander past these stressful times.
Feed: Joe Kwon’s Cook-Alongs
Handle: @joekwon80
You probably know Joe Kwon as the member of the Avett Brothers who plays a mean cello (while standing up!). But, since COVID-19, he has been hosting live cooking demos via his Instagram stories with some of his (and our) favorite chefs. Kwon and his wife, Emily, invited Vivian on to make what she called “party rolls for crazy times.” On subsequent live streams, he recruited the culinary skills of chef and musician Cheetie Kumar (who was featured in the series’’ pickle episode) to create a recipe she called coconut chili lentil crisp shrimp which boasted a flavorful, spicy crunch. Tune in to see who he cooks along with next.
Feed: Thérèse Nelson, Black Culinary Historian
Handle: @Blackculinary
A self-described “chef, writer, and steward of Black culinary history,” Thérèse Nelson recently took over Vivian’s instagram account as part of the #sharethemic series where popular white chefs shared their platforms with Black chefs in an effort to center underrepresented culinary voices. Nelson uses her own Instagram page to champion products she endorses, foods she loves, and give voice to African American perspectives in food culture. What she calls a secondary goal of her site is “to serve as a direct rebuttal to the pervasive and misguided narrative that suggests because traditional media coverage excludes Black chefs, we don't exist.” Also, head over to Afropunk’s Instagram stories for Nelson’s regular conversations with Black activists, scholars, and chefs about “The Politics of Food.”
Feed: Baxter Miller, the eyes of eastern North Carolina
Handle: @baxmiller
Baxter Miller describes herself as a “photographer with a heart for stories.” Born and bred in eastern North Carolina, Miller is the visual mastermind behind Vivian’s forthcoming second cookbook, “This Will Make it Taste Good.” Miller’s stunning landscape photography often appears in Our State and Southern Living magazines along with other digital and print publications that benefit from her eye for detail and beauty.
