Now that I’ve shifted focus on The Culinary Saijiki and how I want to use this site, my goal is to get in the habit of providing monthly updates about how my various creative projects are going. These updates will cover Culinary Saijiki manuscript developments, both of my tea projects, as well as miscellaneous activities. Of course, it’s the end of March, so this initial update will focus on the work I did this first quarter of the year.
Thanks to Mark for being the first person to contribute to the Earl Grey wishlist I have! The Winter White Earl Grey has arrived and is in the tasting queue.
The Culinary Saijiki
After a slow start, I’m happy to announce that I’ve finally started working on the manuscript regularly. January and February were rough (my dog died in January and I had bronchitis for most of February), but as we’ve moved toward spring I finally have the focus and energy to dive into the book manuscript.
Here’s what I’ve worked on in March:
Updated the database of culinary haiku three times per week.
Organized writing and research lists to make sure I don’t miss any important primary or secondary sources.
Rereading old blog posts to turn into supplementary essays.
Developed a tentative book structure. (Which will probably change, but it’s a start!)
Begun adding poems according to the structure.
I also had the idea that this book should include recipes. While this is a reference guide and not a cookbook, it seems like a culinary-oriented book such as this should include some recipes. On the other hand, it might make the book too long. Maybe I should do recipes as a supplement? What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let me know!
Tea Projects
I currently have two ongoing tea projects. The Earl Grey Year began on January 1st and will run through 2024. The challenge is to taste 100 different Earl Grey blends and blog about my impressions. At the end of this, I want to have a thorough understanding of this famous tea, and be able to create my own version.
My Tea Pairings began on a whim in September of last year. I try to make new episodes on Mondays and Saturdays, but that’s not always feasible. This is more of a fun project I work on when my schedule allows.
The Earl Grey Year
So far this year, I’ve tasted 29 different Earl Grey blends, and written 6 blog posts. If you haven’t seen those on my Threads or Instagram accounts, here are the links:
The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics
The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals
The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics
The Earl Grey Year Part 4: Greens and Tisanes
The Earl Grey Year Part 5: Cremes and Special Variations
The Earl Grey Year Part 6: Classics and Florals
Tea Pairings on YouTube
While the aforementioned struggles of January and February slowed down my recording schedule (okay, Mardi Gras season didn’t help), I’ve recorded 12 tea pairing videos this year and posted them across various social media sites. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this project, I keep a playlist here: YouTube Link.
Here’s also a rundown of the pairing videos I’ve made so far this year:
Fortnum & Mason Afternoon Blend + Chevre, Fruit, and Cashew Roulade
Simpson & Vail Glen Lochey + King Cake Cinnamon Roll
Parlour Tour Wind-Down Custom Blend + Norwegian Crispbread with Brie
Barrels of Winter Fun Custom Blend + Crispbread with Cheddar Spread and Scallions
Reindeer Fuel + Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mardi Gras Celebration Custom Blend + Celery Stuffed with Cheddar Spread
Wunda-Full Winter Custom Blend + Tahini-Swirled Brownies
Fortnum & Mason Queen Anne Blend + Date and Roasted Chicken Salad Tea Sandwich
Cove Tea Co. London Fog Tea Bomb + Plussed-Up Hunter’s Sandwich
Adagio Brigadoon Breakfast + Peanut Butter Barley Cookies
Tea Shop Yogurta + Chipped Beef Cheese Ball Sandwich
Eat Me In St. Louis Podcast
One of the things that has helped me adjust to life in St. Louis is the city’s fantastic food culture. I’ve become particularly enamored of the various fish fries that take place at churches and American Legion posts during Lent. This year, I had the opportunity to appear as a guest on the Eat Me In St. Louis podcast and take hosts Nick, Travis, and Francie to one of my favorite venues.
Listen at the podcast website: Website link
Listen on Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcast Link
Listen on Spotify: Spotify link
Coming Up
I’m excited to be hosting a haiku reading with my friend Ben Gaa on April 23rd at 7:30 p.m. We’ll be reading at Protagonist Cafe in Soulard, which has pastries, coffee, and wine for you to enjoy. They also have a wide swath of used books for you to peruse and buy before and after the event. (But don’t blow your whole literary budget . . . Ben and I will be selling our books as well!) Protagonist doesn’t really have the setup for a livestream option, so unfortunately, out-of-towners are out of luck this time. But I’ll be looking for livestream event opportunities in the future!
Thanks for reading! I hope you’ve enjoyed this look into my creative life in the first part of the year. I certainly enjoyed writing it! And I’m excited to see what April brings, especially with a little travel thrown in the mix!