Hope you all had a happy weekend! I am now as sick as a dog and so am holed up in bed with a Tana French (thanks Jen for the recommendation, am starting with In the Woods), some knitting projects, and watching the new Agatha Christie on BBC. I’m hoping to be better by this weekend…

I made Nigella’s Italian Christmas Pudding Cake (which in my head I refer to as Italian Christmas Trifle) for dessert on the 24th. It was amazing, as ever.

Taxes are hurting London restaurant chains.

On not being from here, on eating in Melbourne, and on the importance of community, immigration and sharedness in food culture. This is a great read.

For Mom: the garden at Downing St.

A photo-series of the Mari people of Russia.

Some interesting reading on the hygge-craze.

A round-up of The Guardian Long Reads. I particularly love this story on Syrian food culture.

Words from Rachel Roddy.

If the holidays have stressed you out, try some easy yoga poses.

On creativity.

The season of Advent.

I’ve not done as much baking as normal for this time of year but this collection makes me want to be well again so I can get busy! Specifically, I want to make this chocolate gingerbread and these chocolate chip cookies.

The Spanish eat grapes at the beginning of the new year, for luck.

Lucky Peach has a series of articles on the state of fine dining.

A day in the life of Auschwitz today. This is a compelling short video of the often unseen side of memorials.

A collection of maps.

I read The Innocents this weekend. It was an easy, enjoyable read about community and love, and the sacrifices we sometimes make in order to have one, the other, or both.

Hope you have a rest-filled week! x