Unlocking Food Memories
Join this new meetup group for st0ner gardeners
At Friday’s Big Spicy hash pairing dinner, I witnessed a beautifully deep “Ratatouille” food memory unlock in real time. A physical jolt as a wave of memories floods into consciousness and transports us to a core childhood memory.
G placed a Panipuri carefully into his mouth, closed his eyes, and chewed. As the crispy puffed dough ball filled with spicy tangy sweet chutney burst on first bite, his body physically convulsed as if his soul was pulled into an invisible time travel warp.
That jolt was the memory of his grandmother’s Panipuri. His eyes twinkled with happiness and elation, a wide grin spread across his face as he regaled us with stories about memories of his grandmother’s food.
At our Lunar New Year Dumpling Workshop, guests unlocked memories from their grandmas, families, and traditions. There are many ways to fold dumplings, from traditional Jiaozi, potstickers, gyoza, mandu, zhong, ravioli, samosas, and even empanadas.
Seeing all the different styles mixed together and enjoyed equally without criticism or commentary about what’s proper or traditional was so freeing and quintessentially American.
That connection with our past and reclaiming it to make it our own is the beauty of being a third culture adult. Our hazy childhood memories of traditional foods are combined and mashed up with different cultures, which creates a whole new wave of food trends, recipes, traditions, and chosen families.
Vol. 45 // In this Issue
Binge Watch List
Gardening Club
Introducing W**d Underground
Save the Date
Event Roundup
Binge Watch List
Getting high af late at night and watching shows about food is probably punishing because goddammit it makes me so hungry, but it also inspires me to get out of here and travel the world.
For my own sanity, I’ve been disconnecting from the stress-inducing facist-fuckery by immersing myself in episode after episode of luscious food porn. Driven by their own food memories and calling to preserve culture and tradition, these chefs, artisans, and creatives are blazing their own path forward.
Here’s what I’m watching lately:
Street Food: Asia – must watch: Singapore episode
Chef’s Table: Noodles – must watch: Nite Yun Cambodian food episode
Flavorful Origins – must watch: Potato episode
Midnight Asia – must watch: Tokyo, Japan episode
Watching these shows remind me how we’ve become so far removed from the basic survival skills our ancestors mastered. Like growing, cooking and preparing our own food and medicine. Rather we buy and order everything that arrives at our doorstep in convenient, neat plastic and cardboard boxes.
I’m so guilty of this myself and also struggle to participate less in convenience capitalism. I write this to hold myself accountable and encourage others to actively making incremental changes to buy less and nurture the kind of community we want to live in.
The price of food is about to increase significantly, and all our favorite cultural foods and tastes of home are about to get slapped with hefty tariffs because of fascist-fuckery.
The systems are broken and are no longer serving us. What can we do about it?
Neighborhoods and communities should be planting fruit trees and community gardens. Open and facilitate more community centers with free food fridges, pantries, and upcycling centers. Encourage community resource sharing. Plant food and medicine gardens. Shop local, buy food and w**d from small farms. Join your local Buy Nothing Group. Host workshops and teach each other how to grow, do, and make things.
Communities growing their own food has always been a societal movement for independence and freedom.
I recently learned about an Asian Vegetable Club hosted by Choy Commons, a non-hierarchical cooperative of Asian-led farms in New York. YES. More of this!
Gardening Club
Pink buds burst from my peach tree and filling the sky with cotton candy pink clouds, which means spring is here. The garden beds LA Homegrow setup last year are bursting with lettuce, kale, snap peas, pansies, and violas. Seeds from forgotten, dried out stalks of c*nn*bis are popping up from the mulch into a tiny green sea of microgreens all over the garden.
It’s still too early for planting w**d, but now is a good time to order seeds and get supplies. If you’re growing outdoors sun-grown this season, April through June is the perfect time to start seeds.
Official LA Gardening Club
Calling all home grow enthusiasts in Los Angeles! Have you always wanted to learn how to grow or meet friends who enjoy the art of gardening while gardening?
Weed Underground is social club and meetup group in Northeast Los Angeles to connect people in the neighborhood who love w**d and gardening in a welcoming, friendly, and inclusive environment. Organized by Willy Christie who is an expert home grower, friend and fellow Cornerstoner.
It’s free to join! Members offer and participate in knowledge and resource sharing, plant and seed swaps, and wholesome anti-capitalist social merriment. Plus, access to a private Discord community where members can interact digitally outside of in-person gatherings. Make friends and grow plants!
Come join us at our first meetup. We’re making seed bombs with native wildflowers and hemp seed at the March 30 event I’m hosting with Grow It From Home. More info on how to pre-order seeds, seedlings, and RSVP coming soon.
Sunday, March 30 – Seed Pickup Party (Northeast Los Angeles)
At Creature’s Plant & Coffee from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 1 - Plant Pickup Party (Los Angeles)
tbd location (most likely Tansy in Burbank)
SAVE THE DATE: UPCOMING EVENTS CO-HOSTED BY YOURS TRULY
3/23 - Budist Sessions: Blue Dream Tasting Party, a curated farm-to-table w**d and food tasting experience exploring the legendary strain. I got Blue Dream seeds donated for the gift bags! | Los Angeles
4/19 - Bad Asians, Comedy and Tasting Show: 420 Edition with special guest Jenny Yang, co-hosted by Mogu Magu. Celebrate the infamous high holiday with a gathering and comedy show with your fellow rebellious “bad” Asians. | Northeast Los Angeles
tbd Spring - Pink Jesus Ice Cream Social is back! We’re partnering with Sonoma Hills Farm to show off and first tastes all the new 2025 collabs with Humphry Slocombe ice cream, Kiva Lost Farm, and more! Highlights from last year’s ice cream social. | Northeast Los Angeles
Paid Subscribers: Your invitation to Blue Dream Tasting Party is coming to your inbox later this week!
HIGH-ly Recommended Events
3/7 - Herbal Underground, an elevated speakeasy event hosted by Jamie Evans, The Herb Somm. | San Francisco
3/9 - High Tea at The Studio Lounge elevated high tea celebrating Women’s Month with a modern Korean spin by chef and “Big Dip Energy” cookbook author Alyse Whitney. | West Hollywood
3/15 - Holi Beach Party celebrating the Hindu festival of colors to honor the arrival of Spring. Rangoli and arts, snacks, herbal refreshments, and sunset bonfire. Wear white. | San Francisco
9/20 - Hall of Flowers Festival, an open-to-the-community event with brands, retailers, live entertainment, speakers, food, rides, games and art installations. | Santa Rosa
Maybe this year I’ll be able to get some peaches before squirrels, birds, and rats eat everything.
XOXO, Christina W.
