I had such a positive response to my first newsletter, thank you. It took one year to get 50 Patrons and one day to get 300 Substack subscribers. I think I made the right call.
Some of you have been with me since day one, some of you started following a few days ago. Celestial Peach does tend to present as an eclectic buffet, but there is a method to my madness. Substack will be a new house for informal writing, so scroll on to get to grips with the current spider map…
ICYMI
Since 2018 Celestial Peach’s tagline has been ‘eating for longevity, chewing on identity’.
I started by using food as a method to explore longevity (quality > quantity); interrogating not just the what, but also the how of eating. Early on, I realised that commensality is a non-negotiable part of health; it helped me to heal and maintain relationships with family and community. My role in community building is now clear: I hold space for others to also create that sense of personal wellbeing.
Then there is the ‘chewing’. To date I have published over one hundred conversations with Chinese diaspora and other experts, chewing on topics that I personally find interesting, as have many others. I believe that what I put out there helps us to co-learn and co-grow, essentially by asking better questions.
Asking questions led me to research and write my ambitious opus An A-Z Of Chinese Food, which is three essays away from completion. Be assured that T Is For Tofu is not about how to cook it. In it, I use food as a language to explore Chineseness.
There’s my more reflective writing too, which might be described as poems. I never saw them that way; I think I just benefit from writing poetically. (Mainly to avoid spilling into 6,000 word essay territory.) The words come during my calligraphy practice, which itself has helped me to connect with Chinese language and philosophy, and in turn made me reflect on existential issues: ageing, family, life and death. One day perhaps I can publish a book of these calligraphic meditations.
What will you get in your inbox?
Roughly equal parts eating and equal parts chewing. Mostly free content, some paywalled.
Research and inspiration with food as the language. Exploring Chinese/Sino-adjacent food cultures as a method of inquiry into identity and connection. Generally I like to consider food via different disciplines, and vice versa. Expect to find language, arts, history and pop culture thrown in.
Original writing. Short, mid- and not-too-long form. Ruminations, digestions, regurgitations.
Special projects. Such as the interview-based cabbage zine Asian Slaw Alliance, which you can get a taster of if you click below…
Thank you for your support.
With warmest wishes,
Jenny Lau
Looking forward to this!