Lemon tarts and literary therapy for navigating this raggedy moment in history
Welcome to installment #56 of GetSomeJoy’s Daily Breakfast Situation, your weekday check-in with recipes, joy-flavored stories, and wellness tools.
What’s better than vanilla, lemon, and chocolate tarts?
Free vanilla, lemon, and chocolate tarts. The surprise and joy of unexpected deliciousness makes the mouthparty more magical. See also: free oxtail and impromptu mouth hugs.
Last night, a barista at Bakerie on Albany Ave in Crown Heights gave Andrew Ricketts and I a trio of tarts when we stopped in for coffee shortly before closing. Vanilla, lemon, and chocolate. Unlike my gym-going amigo Andrew, I do not believe in dessert denial, so I gave them all a loving, happy home. No tart left behind.
The vanilla tart was aight.
The chocolate one was good.
But that lemon joint, she was the star. Sweet, tangy custardy goodness baked inside a crispy, buttery, cookie-like crust? I’ll take 37, please, and thank you.
By the time I got to her, I had moved past the polite forking straight to the handheld bustdown. I cussed and moaned my way through every chew of that four-bite adventure.
After floating back down from the clouds, I started searching for tart recipes.
I might use this Mini Lemon Tart recipe by King Arthur Baking to keep the party going because I need to be able to eat those motherfuckers by the fistful.
I deserve.
Tonight at 8pm EST on Twitter Spaces, I’m talking to writers and family caregivers Terryn Hall and Julian Long about the balance of pouring into ourselves while caring for family members.
Join the conversation right here.
A few things to moisturize your spirit:
- Sanger Durand Bernarr took us behind the scenes of his newest video, “Melody.”
Your comfort zone is a beautiful place. But nothing grows there.
- In an insightful essay for Zora, Je’Niece McCullough (Bernie’s Daughter) explores the meaning and absence of safety within one’s family.
For some of us, family houses and sustains our abusers who are protected by the enablers who allow, excuse, or encourage the abuse, expecting us to accept negative treatment.
- Round two: Come write about feelings with me this Sunday in the first session in GetSomeJoy’s four-part writing series, “Literary Therapy: Caregiving, Shame, Self-love, and Recovery.”
“Literary Therapy: Caregiving, Shame, Self-Love, and Recovery” is an interactive four-part experience harnessing the cathartic power of writing and vulnerability to center joy, foster connection, and cultivate tools and strategies to cope and thrive during this raggedy moment in history. Get info and register here.
- Get into the latest episode of the Let’s Get Back To Queer podcast:
Welcome to “In the Sanctuary,” a spiritual kiki hosted by producer Shannon Joy. In this first installment, Shannon sits with her good good girlfriend Pastor Prosecco as they discuss his evolution from religion to spirituality, the peace that passes understanding, and “intentional hedonism.”
Okay. Dassit.
Come back tomorrow for more breakfast positivity.
