The crumbs of May, 2025
And a giveaway celebrating the 100th edition of What’s Cooking.
Hello! I’m Celine and I write about books, cooking, gardening and surviving life in the city with a wild heart. Subscribe, for full access to all my content. Very happy to have you here, either way.
Here we are, almost halfway through the year. Time sure does fly, when it wants to.
You may have caught the news, where the Chicago Sun-Times (of Never Been Kissed fame) made a itty bitty mistake, publishing a summer reading list generated by AI.
This isn’t the main issue however, or why they were caught out. More so that most of the books on the list don’t actually exist. Fake news at its finest.
It’s funny, but it’s also quite scary too. Journalism has been changing, some may say dying, for a long time. It’s hard to know what’s real and what isn’t real, with the gatekeepers of fact-checking having been slowly eroded by first, the Internet and now, an artificial intelligence that is literally making things up as it goes along.
But. Humanity have always been storytellers and I hope that the advent of AI won’t change this fact. I hope we continue to own storytelling, as something that is unique to our species. To value human-generated stories and ideas.
And with that, let me segue to my next bit of news.
100th edition of What’s Cooking
One hundred editions of What’s Cooking with Celine has hit inboxes around Australia and the world.
This seems worth some kind of celebration.
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of AI-produced rubbish, and we’ve only just begun. I want to read books, articles, essays, memoirs penned by people. And support them where I can.
If you value human-generated content, quite simply, do your best to support it. I’m offering 20% off a year-long subscription for the next week. Normally $60 AUD.
Get access to all posts, exploring themes such as life without a smartphone, nature connection, hiking field notes and my yearly diarised ‘cleanse’.
No AI-generated content here and definitely no fake book recommendations, I promise.
I’m also running a small giveaway, open to subscribers free and paid (so long as you’re based in Australia). Find the finer details at the end of this newsletter.
What was cooking in May
Important question. What’s your favourite type of soup?
I’m currently cooking my way through a few recipes, trying to determine which one I like best. I’ve previously shared my own pumpkin soup recipe, but potato and leek is also a top contender. And cauliflower and turmeric is pretty good too. It’s a hard choice.
Soup is also an easy way to combat possible food waste. Take all your limp, on-the-edge-of-deterioration veggies, sauté them with onion, celery and carrot, throw in some garlic, herbs, bay leaves or turmeric and pour in a few cups of veggie or chicken stock (preferably homemade). Simmer for half an hour, remove bay leaf if using, and blitz or blend. Top with seasoning and serve alongside warm bread and butter. Yum.
You can save your bread pieces up in the freezer, spread them along a baking tray and cook for around 10-15 mins at 275°C. Chop ‘em in a blender or cut up with a knife. You can smear them with garlic before cooking, then cut them up large, for delicious homemade garlic croutons to add to soups.
In terms of eating out, the two nicest meals this month were had in Brisbane/Meanjin, during a short and sweet trip to Queensland (my first since 2011).
I headed into the West End of the city to dine at Ippin. Ended up going with one of their set menus, which was delicious. My one complaint is that the plates were coming out very slowly, with about a twenty-minute wait in between. Fine if you’re eating with someone but a bit tedious if you’re on your own. Thank goodness I had a book with me, always.
I also enjoyed a lunchtime haloumi souvlaki at Greek restaurant Greca, overlooking the river, with a non-alcoholic sparkling to boot. Catching the ferry there only added to the appeal. Brisbane is nice and I look forward to heading back for a further nose around in the future.
What was booking in May
Melbourne Writers Festival ran during May! Always very exciting. I was stoked to get along to five different events. Highlights were hearing Torrey Peters talk about her new book Stag Dance (and getting my copy signed, in green ink nonetheless) and attending a panel featuring Mariana Enriquez (author of A Sunny Place for Shady People), and Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta (co-authors of Feast While You Can), about monsters and hauntings. I currently have copies of all these books, between my obsessive borrowing and buying, and look forward to reading them all.
Books read
I finished 14 books this month and a lot of them were really good (including a few new releases from beloved authors). Here’s a selection. There’s a few, so I’ll try to keep the blurbs short!
Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth
I had no idea one of my favourite authors Emma Jane Unsworth had a new book coming out, until I saw it on the shelf at Avid Readers in Brisbane/Meanjin. Slags follows ‘the last of the party girls’ 41 year old Sarah, as she roves around Scotland in a campervan with her sister Juliette, the person who knows her best. Interspersed is the first-person perspective from teenage Sarah, fifteen, wild and in love with her teacher. It’s funny, humbling and heartbreaking, all at once. The staff at Avid Readers and I also agreed that slag is a word that needs to be brought back into the lexicon – in an empowering manner, of course.
Human/Nature: One Life in a Wild World by Jane Rawson
I’m a longtime fan on Jane Rawson’s writing – her previously published novel A Wrong Turn at the Office of Unmade Lists is one of my favourites ever. Rawson moved from inner-west Melbourne to the Huon Valley in 2019, in an attempt to connect with nature, as a person who very much feels at home in the city. Human/Nature contains her musings on humanity’s increasingly fractured relationship with nature, and the consequent effect on both the planet, the creatures we share space with, and our own psyches. Something I spend a lot of time contemplating, so this book hit all the right notes for me.
The Bluff by Joanne Jenkins
I read a few great thrillers this month too, of which The Bluff was the best. Lawyer Ruth Dawson moves to the small town of Myddle, taking up the position of local lawyer for an old friend. A teenager disappears. A well-liked local man is murdered and his wife is MIA. And the local constable is hopeless. Layered and twisty, it’s not only a cracking mystery, but an excellent study of small town Australia personalities.
The Knowing by Madeleine Ryan
And from a plot-driven book, to one where not much happens. Camille is commuting from regional Victoria to the city, heading to Armadale for a day spent working under her toxic boss Holly. She’s plagued by period pain and realises she’s forgotten her phone. And it just happens to be Valentine’s Day. If you’re one for in-depth character studies and quirky ones at that, The Knowing is for you.
Colony by Annika Norlin (translated by Alice E. Olsson)
A book club choice that I ended up really enjoying. Colony follows Emelie, suffering from burn-out in the city, to rural Sweden, where she happens upon a group of people living outside society, in an almost cult-like manner. The writing (or translation) is beautiful, reading almost like poetry at times. Extra points awarded for a truly gorgeous cover.
Sightlines: A Conversation with the Natural World by Kathleen Jamie
I love nature writing, although author Kathleen Jamie is not sold on the idea that this book of hers falls under that category. Maybe more a mix of nature writing, travelogue and science writing, Sightlines takes you on a journey from Iceland, to mainland Scotland, to the island of St Kilda, among other destinations. Jamie is a poet and her prose is exquisite. Another book club read, but I loved it immensely.
Currently reading and listening to:
We Do Not Part by Han Kang (audiobook)
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (ARC)
The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan (library book)
Keep up with what I’m reading in real-time on The Storygraph.
Books bought
Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth
Human/Nature: One Life in a Wild World by Jane Rawson
Always Home, Always Homesick by Hannah Kent
I Want Everything by Dominic Amerena
On the Calculation of Volume: I by Solvej Balle (translated by J. Haveland)
The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling by John Muir Laws
River of Shadows by Rebecca Solnit
Plant profile: Lilly pilly
If you’re new here, let me introduce you to this section. I’m conducting a monthly examination of common edible ‘weeds’ and wild foods around us.
Lilly pilly is an Australian native plants. If you live in suburban Oz, I’m sure there’s one growing near you.
Sometimes known as the Australian cherry, the berries are edible and come in an array of colours. Like many local native plants, many people aren’t aware you can eat the fruit, which often end up wasted, smooshed into the ground.
Harvest the berries when they are fully ripe. This usually occurs in late summer or early autumn. You can gently pick them by hand. They can be eaten fresh (they taste a bit tart and also sort of like apple), used in jam, or to make pies and desserts. You can also pickle them, for use in salads.
When foraging any wild plant, consider the honourable harvest. This is where you introduce yourself to the plant, and ask if you can take a portion of it. If it yields, it’s acquiesced. If not, maybe it doesn’t want to be harvested just yet and perhaps that’s something worth noting and moving on from.
And as always, be safe. Avoid plants growing roadside and check with local council about their use of pesticides. Make sure you wash everything thoroughly and properly, removing any soil and bugs that may be clinging to the plant.
The safest bet is usually any ‘weeds’ growing local to you, so long as your soil is okay to eat from. I’ve heard that berries are generally fine, as the plant will divest itself of any harmful chemicals in its efforts to produce the fruit.
Next month we’ll be covering a ‘weed’ I fully intended to grow safely in my own garden, thanks to its nutritional benefits – purslane.
In case you missed it
A post I didn’t plan for and simply felt prompted to write, summing up some books that lingered long after reading.
A bit of a summary of everything I’ve learned about urban foraging so far, and how to begin extending your own knowledge.
Always wondered how you could craft the perfect cooking routine? Your questions, answered.
And a review of The Artist’s Way that led to some general musings on the importance of art and creativity in modern life.
Giveaway!
To celebrate 100 editions of What’s Cooking, I’m running a small giveaway. I’ll be posting out a copy of I Want Everything by Dominic Amerena to one lucky reader. It’s very much a ‘Melbourne’ story, which is one of my favourite sub-genres.
To enter, you must be based in Australia and subscribed to this newsletter. The competition is open to both paid and free subscribers.
Update: The giveaway is now closed.
And don’t forget there’s 20% off yearly subscriptions for the next week. Get it while it’s hot.
All right, that’s all the gross marketing business over.
Chat again soon. ‘Til then stay well, well-fed and especially well-read.
-Celine
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Read past crumbs:
As this edition contains notes about wild foraging, I must state that I am not a nutritionist, dietician or any sort of medical expert. As with any kind of urban foraging, proceed with caution and consume at your own risk – What’s Cooking with Celine cannot take responsibility for any reader becoming ill after eating wild food.
Most links in this missive will take you to YourBookstore.io. This very handy website allows you to shop and support independent Australian bookstores. Give your local some love, or request a copy from your nearest library.
Brilliant 100th newsletter! I love your book list, your adventures in foraging, and possibly most of all, your impeccable taste in soup. Here's the next 100! :D
Happy 100 newsletters!! I'm very excited for the next 100. And I love how many books you take travelling with you!