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JustOneCookbook.com features a recipe for Vegan Dashi, a plant-based Japanese soup stock made from dried shiitake mushrooms and dried kelp. The recipe includes step-by-step instructions as well as suggestions for how to use the finished dashi. via Just One Cookbook

Bon Appétit writer Kelsey Borovinsky reviews Blue Bottle's new instant espresso, finding its quality surprisingly high thanks to the freeze-drying process. via Bon Appétit.

Food52 presents 12 gift ideas for the food lovers in your life. via Food52.

Jason Kottke compiled a list of the best books of 2022, featuring fiction, nonfiction, and cookbooks.

America's love for spicy food exploded in the 1990s, with super-hot peppers like the Red Savina habanero leading the way. via Saveur

Jason Kottke recommends checking out Tom Whitwell's annual list of 52 interesting facts he learned in 2022, covering topics from airport bathroom demographics to the impact of sports on asylum applications.

Jason Kottke shares a media diet documenting the movies, shows, books, and podcasts he consumed during a seven-month sabbatical. via kottke.org

Venkatesh Rao's essay argues that AI has advanced to the point of matching the writing ability of mediocre humans, kicking off a series exploring the concept of "mediocre computing." via Ribbonfarm Studio

Bill Gates reviews his favorite tennis book, "The Inner Game of Tennis," sharing its key concept that the sport involves an "outer" and "inner" game, impacting his approach to work and life. via Gates Notes.

Bill Gates reminisces about bonding with Paul Allen over Robert Heinlein's science fiction novels and shares why he considers "Stranger in a Strange Land" his favorite. via Gates Notes

Bill Gates shares five of his favorite books from a variety of genres including science fiction, memoir, biography, self-help, and science writing. via Gates Notes.

You can celebrate the 10th anniversary of "What If?" with a special edition coming November 2024 and available for preorder now. via XKCD