Small mercies

A sweet new recipe, 90s nostalgia in a novel, and a ground-breaking TV show to make you laugh

This week I’m sharing a cultural recommendations round up along with an exclusive new recipe for Date, Cashew and Ginger Energy Balls (pictured above). If my writing resonates, please consider supporting my work by upgrading to become a paid member.

As the war in Iran and across the Middle East goes on — plunging millions into poverty, destroying vital infrastructure and accelerating climate change — I’ve found it hard, in all honesty, to focus on much else. This Substack has, in recent weeks, inadvertently become a kind of war diary, and I’m afraid, dear reader, the entries are getting bleaker.

At the time of writing, the US is contemplating sending ground troops into Iran (what could possibly go wrong?), Trump and Hegseth claim regime change has already happened (which is like me claiming I’ve redecorated my house because I replaced the dining table chairs), and one of the primary war aims now seems to be to open the Strait of Hormuz (which, notably, was open before the war started).

Meanwhile journalists spend hours trying to decipher the words of the Orange Man as if they have ever had any coherence or clarity, while Iranians inside the country face greater repression, and Israel declares it is permanently occupying southern Lebanon. I’ve been trying to find a silver lining in any of this but the only silver around seems to be lining the pockets of those who have been using insider information to place bets on the war.

So, what to do? There’s only so much value in describing how awful this all is, so instead I’ve been trying to punctuate my days with meaningful interactions — something made much easier by having a two-year-old to care for — and take small bouts of escapism through food, friends, films and other forms of art. Because life, somehow, continues alongside all of this.

With that in mind, I hope you enjoy the cultural recommendations that have got me through this month, plus a new 10-minute recipe for Date, Cashew and Ginger Energy Balls — naturally sweet and gently spiced with cinnamon, orange peel and vanilla — that provide a quick burst of energy and comfort when a proper meal feels out of reach.