Happy Halloween everyone!

Pugs in Halloween outfits. (My Halloween treat to you.)

An initiative at Chatham University in Pennsylvania that is all about food.

I want to make these cookies on the weekend.

Risk of developing mental illness is rife amongst PhD students.

I love this phrase, ‘come home for dinner’. Dorie Greenspan on a Parisian dinner gathering. And her celebrations for New Year.

In the same magazine as Dorie, Gabrielle Hamilton on dinner parties. I love her writing.

The complicated question of ambition. A really interesting read that provided much food for thought for my weekend.

Food, books, and emotions. I love this video of Kate Young talking about her new book The Little Library Cookbook. (On my Christmas list if anyone fancies getting it for me…)

“Most food writing is aspirational, but Colwin’s food writing was reachable.” A little essay on Laurie Colwin.

Organic farming in Cuba.

Baked rice pudding. I am going to make this so I know for sure whether it is really better than my stove-top one.

When I spend my weeks transcribing interviews and focus groups, as I have been doing this past week, I tend to listen less to pretty much everything. Away from work, my mind relishes the silence. I walk to yoga listening to birds rather than podcasts. On my first post-knee surgery jog (!!!) I just had Sarah Millican in my ear telling me when to run and when to walk, as part of the Couch to 5k app I’ve downloaded on advice from my physio. The exception I made in the week was to listen to The Shepherd’s Life while I cooked in the evenings. I really think everyone should read this. It describes the life of a Lake District shepherd through the seasons, explaining their relationship with the land, with the sheep and with the communities that live there. I enjoyed the stories of working with sheep dogs, of showing sheep (you all know I love an agricultural show), and of working across generations to move sheep down from the fells. If you’ve ever wondered where spring lambs come from, or the wool in your jumper, or just have no idea about farming, you should read this book!

A history of class and cookbooks.

A collection of love poems.

Have an excellent week! x