dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson Podcast

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my forty-third newsletter, with the title On the return ferry. In it, I read aloud reflections on the meals I ate on a ferry from the Netherlands to the Essex coast, and give eating notes for nine breakfasts. News and Events I am speaking to Nyla Ahmad at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on 17th August – tickets here – https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/rebecca-may-johnson-kitchen-confessional The UK paperback of Small Fires will be published on 1 September, with a new afterword and recipes. Tour details coming soon…! Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my forty-second newsletter, with the title Fischbrötchen in Lubmin. In it, I read aloud reflections on a trip to the Baltic coast, and give several recipes – for a BLT salad and a meal with Piedmontese peppers. News and Events I am speaking to Nyla Ahmad at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on 17th August – tickets here – https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/rebecca-may-johnson-kitchen-confessional The UK paperback of Small Fires will be published on 1 September, with a new afterword and recipes. Tour details coming soon…! Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my forty-first newsletter, with the title Canteen on the Stena Hollandica. In it, I read aloud reflections on a trip on a ferry from the UK to the Netherlands and eating notes. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my fortieth newsletter, with the title No Exit at the Supermarket. In it, I read aloud reflections on supermarket doors and eating notes from a trip to Paris. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirty-ninth newsletter, with the title ‘Out of Order’ in New York. In it, I read aloud reflections pie, coffee, and bathrooms in New York, and an instalment of eating notes from New York. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirty-eighth newsletter, with the title Two Dishes at Home. In it, I read aloud reflections on two dishes cooked at home with recipes, and my seed purchases and plans. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirty-seventh newsletter, with the title Killing the Vibe at the Dump/Barriers to Entry. In it, I read aloud reflections on a new regime at the town dump, menus, recipes, and eating notes. You can also listen on Apple podcasts and Spotify. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirty-sixth newsletter, with the title A small pot of cream. In it, I read aloud reflections on cream, two recipes and eating notes. You can also listen on Apple podcasts and Spotify. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirty-fifth newsletter, with the title In the bar. In it, I read aloud an account of visiting the bar at St John in London, several recipes, and eating notes. You can also listen in Apple podcasts and Spotify. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirty-fourth newsletter, with the title In Paris; At the dump. In it, I read aloud an account of a meal in Paris, a trip to the town dump, a recipe for smoked haddock with a rich sauce and steamed vegetables, and eating notes. You can also listen via Apple podcasts and Spotify. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirty-third newsletter, with the title Columbo in Rome. In it, I read aloud an account of a TV dinner with Columbo, eating notes, listening and reading notes. You can also find it on Apple podcasts and Spotify. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirty-second newsletter, with the title Holiday Salad. In it, I read aloud some diary entries about eating Rome, on cooking leftovers, and cooking ‘scarola in padella’, and share my eating notes. US listeners! You can now pre-order my book Small Fires, An Epic in the Kitchen. It is being released on June 6 this year! Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirty-first newsletter, with the title New Year Lentils. In it, I read aloud a diary entry about a morning in Rome, writer about cooking lentils from Rachel Roddy’s book Five Quarters, and share my eating notes. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my thirtieth newsletter, with the title May in October. In it I read aloud a diary entry about May in October on the allotment, a recipe for a comforting dish that brought about a useful regression, and eating notes. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is the audio podcast version of my twenty-ninth newsletter, with the title New Old Lunch. In it I read aloud a diary entry about a new old lunch, a recipe for one of the best pasta sauces I’ve made (pumpkin and roasting juices from a chicken), and eating notes from the week. I also shared a playlist for my book. *Exciting news!* SMALL FIRES, AN EPIC IN THE KITCHEN will be launched in the US from late spring 2023. You can pre-order here! You can read reviews of Small Fires in The Observer, The Sunday Times, the i Paper and The New Statesman. I read from it on BBC Radio 3, too! Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is my is the audio podcast version of my twenty-eighth newsletter, with the title Whisky and Peanuts. In it I read aloud a note whisky and peanuts, ask what a body is for, give recipes the meal of sausages in tomato sauce rice and pumpkin, and eating notes. My first book SMALL FIRES, AN EPIC IN THE KITCHEN was published just over a month ago. The book received reviews in The Observer, The Sunday Times, the i Paper and The New Statesman. I read from it on BBC Radio 3 last week. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is my is the audio podcast version of my twenty-seventh newsletter, with the title Fridges and Sweets. In it I read aloud a note on reading Moyra Davey, diary entries about selling sweets and Hagelslag, two recipes for one and many, and eating notes. My first book SMALL FIRES, AN EPIC IN THE KITCHEN was published a few weeks ago. It has received reviews in The Observer, The Sunday Times, the i Paper and The New Statesman if you’d like to read about it. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is my is the audio podcast version of my twenty-sixth newsletter, with the title Recipes in the lobby. In it I read aloud a diary entry about being given recipes when I’d been forgotten in a lobby, a new favourite recipe cooked after my friend Angela made it for me, and eating notes. You can also find the podcast on Apple and Spotify. My first book SMALL FIRES, AN EPIC IN THE KITCHEN was published just over a week ago. The book has received some wonderful reviews in The Observer, The Sunday Times, the i Paper and The New Statesman. Thank you for supporting the book! ***Bookmark and Poster Giveaway!*** Pushkin Press have given me 2 posters and 10 bookmarks to give away to people reading Small Fires. They have the beautiful marbled red background of the cover and say: COOKING IS THINKING. Share a photo of your copy on Twitter or Instagram stories tagging @Pushkin_Press or if you would prefer, email the pic to rima@pushkinpress.com with ‘small fires competition’ in the subject. We’ll choose winners and send the bookmarks and posters out. I am going on tour in the next few months, if you’re interested in these events tickets are available via the venues, which I will share via social media, or you can look up online. They’ll be lots of fun and I have some wonderful conversation partners lined up. Pieces published over the last week or so (free to read): On Not Cooking in Rome, in The London Magazine (lots of pizza!) On Appreciating Culinary Beef - and Tomato Sandwiches, in The Guardian Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is my is the audio podcast version of my twenty-fifth newsletter, with the title Lunch performance, with a baby. In it I read aloud a diary entry about a baby in a restaurant, recipes for salad and sorbet, and eating notes. My first book SMALL FIRES, AN EPIC IN THE KITCHEN is published today!! You should be able to find it in bookshops in the UK, or can order it online here (UK, US, & Europe). The book received some wonderful reviews in the last few weeks in The Observer, The Sunday Times and the i Paper, if you’d like to read more about it. Lots of events on the horizon all over the UK, too, so I hope to get to chat to some of you soon and a mini giveaway for people who have the book to be announced next week. Get full access to dinner document by Rebecca May Johnson at dinnerdocument.substack.com/subscribe

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is my Substack. After 24 newsletters (& audio versions) I realised that I need a short break. As I am going to be spending several days on a self-directed residency of sorts at a branch of IKEA this coming week, I thought I’d send out a newly recorded audio version of an essay about canteens I wrote a couple of years ago, with the text below, too. Originally published via TinyLetter in 2019. Back to regular weekly service in two weeks. If you’d like to pre-order my book SMALL FIRES, AN EPIC IN THE KITCHEN out 25th August with Pushkin Press, you can do so here (UK) and here (UK, US, & Europe). I Dream of Canteens Hospitality, Massness & Calorie Density Space There is a space for everyone. A space, a glass of water, and a plug socket. Chairs and tables and cleaned toilets. So many chairs so that no one is without one. Enough napkins to blow your nose or wipe your mouth. The chairs take different forms and there are chairs placed in designated areas (a praxis of positive discrimination). High and low chairs create a varied landscape and the opportunity to avoid eye contact if wished (privacy); low, brightly coloured plastic chairs are a good height for children; there is an area reserved for people who want to breastfeed without negotiating the uncomfortable gaze of uncomfortable men if they don’t want to. An adequately equipped counter allows people to warm up baby food or homemade food and this acknowledges that babies exist and that people who bring their own food exist and that these people need space to eat, too. Stacks of trays, clean and ready to use, are placed at the start of the queue for food. Some trays can be placed onto Zimmer-frame-like devices on wheels with shelves for trays so that people for whom mobility is challenging, or people with children, or people who need multiple plates, can lean on it while queuing and place food on it without having to bear the weight of the tray. Food is cheap. I can afford it and everyone else here can afford to buy it for themselves and their child without anxiety. There are no instances of that tightening around the throat when you do not have the money to buy food, but you are hungry and in a place that serves it. For those who have more money the price is a joyful novelty; for those who have less, the prices are a blessed relief that allows eating to take place. The food is as cheap as fried chicken shops and like the meals served in fried chicken shops the food here has enough calorie density to sustain a child or an adult for a good while. Most people put their used trays that are covered in crumbs and licked plates in the designated area for used trays, and pick up all of their soiled napkins. Most people do not leave the remains of their lunch on the tables, even though there are no signs telling them not to do so. Furthermore, there are enough staff so that too much rubbish never builds up and also, staff are not overburdened or racing around, stressed and exhausted. Time There is also time for everyone. No one is asked to leave and no one feels anxious about out-staying their welcome. Of course people do leave, but still, staying is not suspicious. No laminated signs about leaving or staying or eating food bought here or elsewhere are on the tables or the walls. Indeed, in the fine Western tradition of hospitality that dates back to Homer’s epics ~xenia ~ no one who is hosted here will be asked to leave and everyone will be fed and watered and allowed to wash without question. No body becomes abject and disgusting through staying and crossing over an ambiguous but clearly defined boundary of time and space (at least not during opening hours). Such provision allows the existence of privacy in public, that is, if privacy is defined as the ability to be present without being suspected of anything. The causes of suspicion in London in 2019 are principally, to have no money, along with the...