in good taste, vol. 86: favorite things
the books, meals, newsletters, and recipes I liked best in 2022
One thing about me is that I am a sucker for a year-end recap. I love “best of” lists, gift guides, anything that gives me a little glimpse into someone else’s taste. A few of my own favorites from 2022 are listed below, as this is In Good Taste and presumably you’re here for that sort of thing.
Readers will note these are my personal favorites of the year, not necessarily from the year. And as ever, your mileage may vary. I’m willing to bet that Google will penalize me for the sheer number of links in this edition! Oh well!!
ASSORTED FAVORITES OF 2022
The Library: I doubled-down on reading this year, especially fiction. As they say, having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card. My library system also lends passes to places like the zoo and the puppetry museum! Highly recommend the library. Bonus: Atlanta locals may enjoy this soothing YouTube playlist of tours through Fulton County’s libraries.
Books:
The Country Life, Rachel Cusk: this one spurred a yearlong fascination with Rachel Cusk. She is one of those writers like Annie Ernaux or Sally Rooney whose style is just up my alley, so use that as a reference point.
Great Circle, Maggie Shipstead: This is the novel you want if you think lady pilots, big sweeping narratives, Alaska, bootleggers, and 2020s Hollywood couldn’t exist, at once, in one book.
Seven Steeples, Sarah Baume: A novel by a poet can be frustrating or breathtaking; this book is the latter. It puts to words the entire notion of earthy cottagecore, the feeling of a damp day, of sitting in a dark chilly room with a fire nearby. This is the best way I can describe the experience of this book. I think about it constantly.
Honorable mentions: Black Cake (Charmaine Wilkerson), Agatha of Little Neon (Claire Luchette), The Vanishing Half (Brit Bennett), A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce (Massimo Montanari), Love in a Cold Climate (Nancy Mitford)
Dining, Fine and Otherwise: It’s been quite a year for food, here and elsewhere. Atlanta has lost and gained some treasures, and I’ve been able to explore a bit outside of the 404 in places like Chicago, SF, and back home-home in Tampa. Some notables:
Atlanta: pasta primavera at Gigi’s, our neighborhood heroes; natural wine dinners at Little Bear
Chicago: mezze platter at Beatnik on the River x Muzz vermouth at GoodFunk wine bar, boquerones at MFK.
San Francisco: Kombu-cured halibut and steam buns at Good Good Culture Club, the whole Chez Panisse experience, a hilariously tall pile of shoestring fries at Zuni Café
Tampa/St Petersburg: Lamb ragu at Baba on Central, txakoli at Book + Bottle
Internet Writing: I may have skimped a bit on the content this year, but plenty of Substackers have not! These are just a few you should follow (that will only occasionally paywall you, if they do):
Food: Buona Domenica by Domenica Marchetti, Time Travel Kitchen by Jolene Handy, The Fresh Letter by Erica Adler, Come Como Kiki by Kiki, Ruth Talks Food by Ruth Stroud, Dash of Prosecco by Sinù Fogarizzu
Drink: Last Call by Brad Thomas Parsons; The Mix by Robert Simonson, Everyday Drinking by Jason Wilson
Pop Culture: Hung Up by Hunter Harris, I <3 Mess by Emily Kirkpatrick, Gossip Time by Allie Jones, Lorem Ipsum by Margot Boyer-Dry
Advertising + media: Strat Scraps by Alex Morris, [SIC] Weekly by Ben Dietz, ZINE by Matt Klein
Generally good writing: Meditations in an Emergency by Rosencrans Baldwin, Book Chat by Marg Moon, Pithy Outcomes by Maya Kosoff
MY TOP 3 RECIPES OF 2022
Which 3 did I find myself coming back to again and again?
Happy holidays and new year! We’re off to Palm Springs for Desert Christmas!
Hi Emily, it was so lovely to read your end of year round-up and discover that I got a mention. What an honour! Have a wonderful break and a great 2023.
I love a good year-end recap too, and yours is a fun read, Emily! Thanks for including me and for your eclectic list of favored reads and eats. Happy, healthy holidays to you and yours!