Greetings friends.
Much time has passed since updating you via this channel of communication. In truth, I haven’t had much to say. The past year and a half has been one upheaval after another. Fear as to whether or not life - as I once knew it - would resume again overtook my mind while confronting our collective, existential predicament (i.e. COVID-19) on this planet. Yet autumn is upon us, as it always is at this time of year. “Shoulder seasons” get a bad reputation as intermediaries to summer and winter. As the climate faces sharper extremes, I find the comparatively mild tendencies of autumn and spring allow more space to think. A clear head creates intentionality. And then new projects can begin on more stable ground.
Now, perhaps more than ever, food and drink have stood out to me as reliable sources of comfort and joy. While last year was certainly a big year for home cooking, 2021’s process of reopening of the economy reinforced how pleasurable someone else’s culinary gifts can be. There is so much joy in a freshly poured cup of espresso paired with a flaky croissant; the perfect bottle of wine recommendation; a comforting meal at your neighborhood haunt; a big night out with your buds you haven’t seen in months. These experiences are human-driven touchstones of our society. And there’s a story behind each and every person who makes us who we are.
Thus I’m starting a new project, “The Prix Fixe Podcast”; a weekly storytelling platform showcasing the new voices in the food and beverage industry.
While “great” art hangs in stasis on museum walls for ticketed clientele, gastronomical creations are ephemeral and arguably mirror more about culture. I am endlessly fascinated by the people behind the curtain - these seekers on a quest to tap into your emotional core via your taste buds. Who are they? What makes them tick? Why do they do what they do? What has been their emotional journey? While I am new to the podcasting format, it is an area I am eager to explore. My hope is that this new storytelling medium allows for discovery of creativity made by people I find interesting in one way or another.
I encourage you to listen, subscribe, and share the first episode with guests Issamu Kamide and Andrew Lardy of Wonderwerk House of Fermentation, who make disco-inspired, dance floor-ready wine you’ve been looking for. You can find it on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts.
Cheers.
-Jordan
Other things I find interesting:
Dune. Go experience it in an IMAX theater if you can.
The Stunning Grandeur of Soviet-era Metro Stations a New York Times photo essay from Frank Herfort.
Ken Layne’s Desert Oracle. What a joy it is to read this book after a recent desert excursion.
Squid Game. Have you heard of it?
Live music. It’s back and better than it was the last time you experienced it. Get out there!