#5SmartReads - April 24, 2023

Abigail Koffler is the Brooklyn based writer behind This Needs Hot Sauce, a food newsletter and community. She's enjoys taking long walks with a podcast and is very excited for summer and her first ever trip to Canada.

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How Vodka Sauce Became An American Celebrity (Bon Appétit)

I love vodka sauce and I'm not alone. The creamy sauce is everywhere and there are so many versions of it, all with small tweaks.

My personal favorite is from Dan Pelosi (I use coconut milk instead of cream because I'm lactose intolerant). It's perfect every single time and the whisking is so meditative. It feels special but is also doable when you're tired. You can even buy it in a jar now.

No one can say exactly who invented the sauce, but one thing home cooks and chefs can agree on is that it's not going out of style anytime soon. I might need to make it for dinner tonight!

Peloton Instructor Leanne Hainsby Describes Breast Cancer Journey: “It’s Been A Tough Year” (People)

I'm an avid Peloton user and started doing their workouts on a yoga mat in 2020. Now, I have a bike and a roster of favorite instructors, one of whom is Leanne Hainsby.

When she announced her breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year, I was shocked and in awe. While no one should have to work through cancer treatments, she made the choice to continue teaching on the bike, always offering lots of inspiration and sparkle. I don't know how she did it. She also advocated for herself to get a diagnosis when the first doctor brushed her off, another valuable lesson.

I know her sharing this story will save lives and I am so relieved she's doing well and has a strong support system.

Inside The Black And Queer-Led Movement Of Regenerative Winemaking (them.)

So much of the wine industry is about prestige and scarcity and the team behind Kalchē Wine Company is doing things so differently.

This Black and Queer led company uses sustainable and regenerative practices to make wine out and support their community. It's also run by three friends, which I love. Wine is an agricultural product and so much work and time goes into making the beverage we drink.

The Kalchē team works in community to share tips, skills, and resources with other winemakers who share their ethos and I can't wait to sample these wines someday!

On Fusion, Forced Migration, And Somali Food (Eater)

This is a personal piece that also made me think about Jewish food traditions and how they've evolved.

Author Ifrah Ahmed writes beautifully about how Somali food has evolved in the diaspora and what the culinary scene is like in Somalia today. There's so much nuance but in both situations there are questions about authenticity, which is always a slippery term when it comes to food.

I loved this line from the end of the piece, "What has become clear is that there are millions of ways to belong to a diaspora and to live authentically within a culture."

I Turned Down A Future Of Work Job Because The Pay Was A Joke (A-Mail)

I've been reading Anna's writing since I first started freelancing and she is such an advocate for freelancers and the future of work. She was recently offered a job working on that issue that seemed like a dream. But the salary offer was ridiculously low, antithetical to the organization's alleged purpose.

So many purpose driven brands pay very low wages and the hypocrisy is frustrating. New York's new salary transparency law is helpful but more work is needed and no one should feel ashamed for demanding fair compensation for their (excellent) work.