Marmalade white chocolate pudding

phone brain, Ducksoup

it’s the perfect summer dessert

Food news of the week:

I finally found a well-filled pistachio croissant while taking a different morning walk route, at the cutest little Italian deli La Piccola Deli Pasticceria. Flaky, glazed, heftily-filled. Then there’s this gorgeous, well-salted buttermilk pudding brick at The Pelican, a place I’ve talked about endlessly already but their summery menu can’t be missed, especially this dessert. I talked about perfect dinner date spots in my previous newsletter, and today it’s all about the small plates at hip and cosy Ducksoup.

Science of the week:

There is a strong inverse link between the number of times you pick up your phone, such as when bored in a queue or commuting, and one’s ability to engage in deeper thinking processes, thus reducing analytical thinking skills overtime. It feels like my phone sometimes replaces my brain totally, as this article fleshes out. So if someone asks me something like ‘do insects sleep?’, I’ll try thinking of the answer instead of automatically ChatGPTing it.

Insight of the week:

My occasional foray into fiction has been revived with A Gentleman in Moscow. The protagonist is under house arrest in a luxury hotel for 30 years, and reading it brings to mind the fever dream that is (was?) Covid-19. Aside from some Russian history insight, and the elegant writing infused with quick humour, I’m left to think that when left to our devices, we are primed to reflect on our lives in unexpected ways. The protagonist's confinement mirrors the pandemic’s isolation, prompting introspection and a deeper appreciation for human connection and the small joys of daily life.

Recipe of the week:

The sad news this week is that I lost that bowl, there in the picture below. It was my beloved bowl and I have no idea where it went. Good news is that this recipe is stupendously simple and I’m re-making it today, you need hardly any ingredients!

Marmalade White Chocolate Breakfast Pudding (serves 1)