The Beat #20: The Sourdough Boule, Tulum Mexico, Dining Greenhouses and Noodles!
Guest contributor Darren Namaye of Ideas on Purpose
Creative Director, Greg Chinn of The Local Brand Co.
The Sourdough Boule
Ah, the ubiquitous boule! The feel-good hit of the pandemic, this crusty, crackly, golden ball of joy got a lot of us through a lot of difficult times. Now, as we enter the season of baked goods and carbs, we look again to our friend to get us through some long days. Some of us share starters and bake from scratch, some started our own businesses, some celebrate sourdough’s long history, and some of us just love to devour them.
Tulum, Mexico
Perched on the Yucátan Peninsula, facing into the Caribbean, Tulum is a city of wonders. With gorgeous beaches ranging from resort-pristine to rugged, it has become a magnet for luxury tourists from around the world. Major cenotes and the Sian Ka’an biosphere preserve bring adventurers and nature lovers. And the clifftop ruins of a Mayan city offer notable architectural wonders from a pre-Colonial civilization who kept the Spanish at bay for nearly a century. With well-preserved temples, civic and private buildings, it is a beautiful and sobering destination for those who seek the grand contexts of history.
Dining Greenhouses
During the first spring wave of European COVID restrictions, the restaurant at Amsterdam’s Mediamatic art center premiered the most whimsical and well-designed answers to pandemic dining. Their serres séparées, or separate greenhouses, provided cozy private greenhouses for diners to gather safely. These little jewel boxes allow diners to safely enjoy chef Tommaso Buresti’s dishes along with views of the Oosterdok and the NEMO Science Museum.
Noodles!
From the Silk Road to the grocery aisle, the evolution of the noodle is in many ways the evolution of modern worldwide civilization. Recorded as early as the third century CE in China and the fifth century in Israel, this starchy staple traveled the world in large part thanks to Genghis Khan (and, of course, Marco Polo). From angel hair to ziti, we love our Italian pasta, while noodles from Asia come in a glorious variety, made from buckwheat, rice, egg, kelp, tapioca and more. It’s an egalitarian food, source of haute cuisine and a cheap and easy source of nutrition for us regular folks throughout history.
