Welcome to winter, Switzerland! Thankfully, the days are now growing a bit longer... #Winter #Photography #Nature

There are no shortcuts 💯

My morning kingfisher pal was in a posing mood today... #BirdPhotography #Kingfisher

Tickling my appetite...and definitely something to make for the holidays!

An Italian chef and friend once told me, “Panforte isn’t meant to be perfect. It’s meant to be a present…an offering that brings smiles.” I’ve carried that philosophy with me ever since...and in many ways, all cooking benefits from that kind of simple wisdom.

I made panforte again — mainly for sharing. That mix of warm spice, citrus, and toasted nuts settles into the day and refuses to leave. The result is compact, chewy, quietly confident on the counter. A small gift that never fails to produce a smile. #VeganFood

I came across this small herd of chamois in deep snow outside Zermatt. Chamois leather has a long history, but tradition doesn’t automatically translate to necessity. There are plenty of options now that don’t involve reducing creatures like this to texture and utility. #Vegan #Nature

I'm thrilled I was able to photograph a kingfisher in flight... #BirdPhotography

Another deserving bird-of-the-day winner...a female kingfisher pausing after a meal!

This experiment turned out much better than I expected. A pesto-walnut braided bread...I believe it now belongs in my vegan baking repertoire. #VeganFood

It is extremely disrespectful...you're right, zero effort. This used to be the norm, and it's sad to hear that it still happens. Fortunately, most serious restaurants take the time to respect dietary choices.

Hello Great Spotted Woodpecker...you're looking very nice in the afternoon light... #BirdPhotography

Murdering innocent people and sexually abusing women gets you the FIFA peace prize? This world is upside down and collapsing...

The only bad writing is the writing that doesn’t happen. Start now. Fix it later.

I hadn't realised the key to cooking like a True Italian™ is to live in London for 30 years and be a convicted criminal accused of workplace harassment. Every day's a school day.

It doesn't feel right to have my internet experience depend on a single company... that keeps crashing! What in the hell is wrong with @cloudflare.social?

Panforte is my kind of holiday cake… mostly because it refuses to act like a typical cake. It’s dense, chewy, packed with nuts, fruit, and spice—it feels like someone compressed an unmistakable Tuscan vibe into a single slice. #VeganFood

I frequently see robins when I go for a walk nearby… they always lift my spirits and make me smile! #birdphotography

It doesn't get any clearer than this 🧵...

Yikes...burrowing like ticks is an uncomfortable image... "Contrary to popular reports, DOGE has 'burrowed into the agencies like ticks,' government sources tell WIRED." www.wired.com/story/what-i...

I thoroughly enjoyed watching 6 pairs of common merganser (aka, goosander in Eurasia) cruise the waters in the lake near my flat. They have seriously impressive, serrated bills...and a lovely plumage. #BirdPhotography

Connecting the dots in the Hernandez pardon is simple. As president, he was a strong proponent of special economic zones that enabled projects like Próspera. Próspera is backed by Pronomos Capital, a venture capital firm funded by Thiel, Srinivasan, Andreessen... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pr%C3%B...

I'm still thinking of Johnnycakes. They remind me how often simple foods carry us when life is heavier than we’d like to admit. I have a few of those dishes in my own past…nothing fancy, just tasty food that kept me moving. What about you? #VeganFood ICYMI open.substack.com/pub/veganwee...

Johnnycakes fed settlers, soldiers, enslaved people, and whole regions…then somehow became a forgotten dish in American history. I wrote about their long, unremarkable journey and included my modern interpretation... #VeganFood

Good morning from my kitchen window in Zürich...

Johnnycakes fed settlers, soldiers, enslaved people, and whole regions…then somehow became a forgotten dish in American history. I wrote about their long, unremarkable journey and included my modern interpretation... #VeganFood

My morning friend greeted me with enthusiasm today! #wildlife #kingfisher

In this week’s Buona Domenica, a Q & A w/the editors of The Talisman of Happiness, a new translation of Ada Boni’s compendium of Italian home cooking, first published in 1929. Plus recipes for Spaghetti con Cacio e Pepe, and Cabbage with Anchovy Sauce. buonadomenica.substack.com/p/on-the-tal...

The Scent of Polenta The scent of polenta carries centuries of survival and comfort. This week, I wrote about the smells, stories, and the simple dignity of cornmeal simmering over heat. #VeganFood

The Scent of Polenta The scent of polenta carries centuries of survival and comfort. This week, I wrote about the smells, stories, and the simple dignity of cornmeal simmering over heat. #VeganFood

That is a massive hard right shift in just 10 months - I think it's now time for the pendulum to swing left...

Such a worthwhile project... "Nearly 350 gleaning operations throughout the U.S. are reducing waste and increasing food security at the community level, supported by the National Gleaning Project, which provides policy and legal support to local efforts." civileats.com/2025/11/18/w...

A young cormorant seeking warmth on a chilly autumn morning... #BirdPhotography #Wildlife

Longtime gleaning operations are finding themselves especially relevant to their communities. About 31% of the food supply goes unsold or unused each year. At the same time, 13.5% of the population lives in food-insecure households. civileats.com/2025/11/18/w...

As a Swiss citizen, I am appalled by this decision and the deal the Swiss government made with the US... As part of the deal, drug prices in Switzerland will now go up in order to compensate for having to drop prices for Americans--that's some crazy shit...

Experts say its continued use will likely harm hundreds of endangered species, rendering some extinct. “There is just no scenario where this [decision] isn’t putting dozens of aquatic species in threat of extinction.”

Word of the Day is ‘catchfart’ (17th century): an obsequious individual who sucks up to the boss and always follows the political wind.

Some dishes don’t chase attention — they simply earn it. A slow Moroccan vegetable tagine is one of them...Hours, not minutes. Warm spices, not fireworks. A kitchen that smells like saffron and patience, simmering their way into memory. #VeganFood

The battle is on... Which one wins - the sun or the fog?

A crispy shell giving way to creamy rice and a fragrant filling of greens, capers, and herbs. Arancini with a Sicilian heartbeat, made plant-forward in my kitchen miles from the Mediterranean. #VeganFood

Crispy ginger biscuits that crackle with heat, then melt into deep butterscotch warmth. The kind you taste long after the crumbs are gone. #VeganFood

The garden gave everything — flavor, friendship, and a reason to linger. Now it’s vanishing beneath concrete, but its gifts remain. “Gifts from the Garden” is my reflection on the fleeting beauty of an urban garden, and the many memories left behind...

A dancing kingfisher spotted in Zürich... #birdphotography

Today is my personal holiday—my annual tradition of calling in well. Forty years on, calling in well is still one of the best decisions I ever made. What’s the best day you ever gave yourself? Link to story: veganweekly.substack.com/p/calling-in-well-my-personal-holiday

Tomorrow’s my personal holiday — 40+ years strong. One morning I realized I wasn’t sick… just too well to stay inside. So I called in well and walked out into my life. Have you ever made one choice that changed everything? veganweekly.substack.com/p/calling-in-well-my-personal-holiday

Ultra cute...

Way back in 2008, my partner and I made a video to show how we make and braid a Swiss Zopf – it’s had over 750K views, so we made a few people happy! These days, I replace the butter with rapeseed oil and the milk with soy milk to produce a vegan variation... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyiy...

Way back in 2008, my partner and I made a video to show how we make and braid a Swiss Zopf – it’s had over 750K views, so we made a few people happy! These days, I replace the butter with rapeseed oil and the milk with soy milk to produce a vegan variation... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyiy...

Always the perfect cure whenever I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed—bird photography. Yesterday, a finch, hawk, heron, and tree creeper, filled my heart with joy!