#5SmartReads- March 23, 2022

Sonal currently lives in BC, Canada with her husband, two girls, and her dog. Born and raised in Charlotte, NC, Sonal left her career in pharm and agriculture to pursue culinary arts and pastry at The Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. From there she has worn many hats as a business partner to her husband, stay at home mom, blogger by passion, and now freelancer for a wine consulting company and writer for several digital publications. She is currently studying for her WSET level 3 exam- a global certification in wine education.

Top 10 Most Popular Ukrainian Foods (Chef’s Pencil)

With Ukriane on our minds and in our hearts, I thought I would share something to continue to unify us all. We often talk about how food connects us which is why I’ve tried to learn more about Ukraine and its culture. One of my favorite ways to learn about a country is through food and I’m sure a lot of people can agree with me on this. Have you tried Ukrainian food? I haven’t- until now! I’ve had variations of borscht, varenyky, and holubtsi but never with Ukraine in mind. Deruny is a super simple recipe and a great place to start.

Holes The Size Of City Blocks Are Forming In The Arctic Floor (CNN)

Have you heard about this? Holes in the Artic floor? Ok- sorry to alarm you but this is news to me! My kids are currently obsessed with Octonauts so this article really stuck to me. Basically the Artic floor is developing sinkholes because of melting permafrost (frozen layer of the Earths surface, but in this case it’s underwater). Why does this matter? Normally permafrost melts much slower than what has been seen over a span from 2010-2019. The article touches on the hypothesis of the causes and its role in climate change.

Gro’s 2022 Watchlist: 9 Major Themes For Agriculture In The Year Ahead (Gro Intelligence) 

I have a friend that regularly informs me about how the price of dairy and food is going up. It’s become a topic of conversation every time I see him so reading articles like this often is now the norm, but also because my wallet is suffering! This article breaks down what to expect and how countries are reacting around the world whether it be through restriction on exports or reactions to weather disasters or predictions.

The Buying Guide: Stellar Values (Buy The Case)

Because I’m due to take my WSET Level 3 exam at the end of the month, I had to throw in some wine talk. Present day Sonal would have loved it if someone handed me a list like this. An affordable, diverse variety of wines from around the world with tasting notes and some pairings to go with it. I don’t think I made it through this article without drooling a bit.

‘Turning Red’ Spurs Debate About Double Standards In Film Criticism (NBC News)

Here’s the thing. I watched this movie alone and cried my ugly cries about the mother-daughter relationship before I read this review. I’d have to say that, while I was disappointed I couldn’t watch it with my young girls, ages 4 & 3 (We need something new to watch besides Encanto!), I enjoyed and cried over all the messiness that can unravel between a mother and daughter. Would I have found it unrelatable if I were my brother? Probably, but I don’t think it’s a movie's job to be relatable to everyone- hence why we all have our own taste. Read through for a devil's advocate perspective, but IMO I highly recommend it!