Hippos, Hummus, and Our Hunger for Snacks
Will we still love Moo Deng when she's a tween?
Hi hi! This week, we’re taking a winding path from baby hippos to hummus. There’s also a round-up of the best gadgets for apple picking and baking (Tis the season!). If you’re looking for a menu for outdoor autumnal entertaining, I’ve got you covered there too. And, in a new feature I’m calling “This Just In,“ you’ll find a review of Little Sesame’s Pumpkin Chili Crisp Hummus.
Next week, I’m kicking off a 4-part series on grains. I took a deep dive into local, heirloom, and artisanal grains for a story that will be coming out in the October issue of Richmond magazine, and as is usually the case, there was a lot more to the story than what I could write in 1800 words, so I’ll share some of the bonus interviews, insights, and recipes here.
I’m thrilled to share my debut for Parents.com — The Adorable Science Behind Why Moo Deng Is Your Baby Now! For this assignment, I learned about a theory called Kindchenschema or Baby Schema, which explains why we feel a tender stirring in our guts when we behold a cute baby animal, such as the wildly popular baby pygmy hippo, Moo Deng, who lives rent-free on the entire internet’s FYP.
While covering a trending hippo wasn’t exactly on my freelance writer bingo card, what I love about this assignment is that it made me think differently about how we treat children. The concept of kindchenschema says that we’re hard-wired to want to give care to babies and animals with a certain set of characteristics (big head, big eyes, chubby limbs, soft skin). This is a function of evolutionary psychology that compels adults (and even other kids) to provide care for more vulnerable youth, thus continuing the species. Neat!
But what is implied by kindchenschema is that, when a child or animal outgrows those characteristics (or lacks them altogether), we’re no longer so compelled. In fact, as children march toward adolescence, I would say most adults are actively repelled by them. They’re louder, smellier, more autonomous — all things that make us, as caregivers, recoil. And that’s kind of a bummer because tweens and teens still need a ton of care and love; we’re just less obliged to give it to them.
So, I’m hoping that, by understanding how our brains work in regard to caregiving, we can be a little more sensitive to the needs of kids who have shed their baby fat but still need and deserve our love and support.
In non-Moo Deng news, apple picking season is here! I’ve been making an annual trek to Carter Mountain Orchard with my friends and their kids for the past decade, and I’ve figured out all the best gadgets for picking and cooking apples.
In How Snacks Took Over American Life, Ellen Cushing takes us through the evolution of the now ubiquitous little treat, showing how a generation of latchkey kids (today’s beleaguered adults!), the consolidation of grocery stores and ongoing churn of capitalism, and the rise of isolating habits like working from home have contributed to our current snack mania.
I found the article fascinating, especially in light of David Brooks’ essay, The Ultimate Happiness Diet, which describes that it’s not what we eat but how (ie. with others) that’s so important. Snacking, which (at least in the US right now) is typically done alone, is the opposite of the kind of communal dining that so effectively connects people to each other, so not only is the food itself often less than ideal from a nutritional perspective, it also perpetuates our ongoing societal loneliness. We snack because we’re lonely, and we’re lonely because we snack.
These days, the top three places/occasions when I find myself snacking are at the pool, when I’m making dinner, and on a road trip. Road snacks keep us going merrily on our way and are non-negotiable for my family, so I loved this IG post from Delish about the ultimate road snack combo. Mine’s the holy trinity of Doritos, Snickers, and Diet Coke; what’s yours!?
Rosh Hashanah is next week, and I’m grateful to last-year Stephanie for writing a menu that I will probably use again in its entirety for this year’s celebration. It includes a round challah sprinkled with dukkah, a celery salad inspired by The Four Horsemen, whole trout wrapped in fig leaves, and apple sticky toffee pudding. If you don’t happen to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, this would be a great menu for an early fall dinner party under the stars.
This Just In: Little Sesame Pumpkin Chili Crisp Hummus
As promised, I’m going to start sharing reviews of the products that brands send me, and for the first one, I’m going with Little Sesame’s Pumpkin Chili Crisp Hummus, a collaboration between the DC-based hummus brand and chili crisp darlings, Fly By Jing. I’m a huge fan of Little Sesame’s original hummus as well as the Preserved Lemon and Caramelized Onion varieties, so I was delighted to try this one.
What I Loved: Before even tasting this hummus, I loved the fact that Little Sesame chose to go pumpkin without going full PSL. Combining sweet, earthy pumpkin and fiery FBJ chili crisp, which brings its own warming spices to the party, makes perfect sense. I was happy to find that Little Sesame delivered on that promise, with a well-balanced, completely unique take on a category that’s gone off the rails.
What I Would Change: No notes on the product itself; I just wish it was a little easier to find in stores (and I’m sure Little Sesame does too). I believe you can snag it at Whole Foods, but otherwise, you’ll have to shop online.
What To Do With It: I enjoyed this hummus with pita chips (I like the thin ones) as well as the big, fluffy pita Little Sesame sent; but I’m quite excited to try it in a take on Dan Dan Noodles. If I can make that happen before I eat the rest of the tub, I’ll share it on Instagram.
Thanks so much for reading!
xox
SG
IN DANDAN NOODLES THATS ABSOLUTE GENIUS
Diet Coke and Peanut M&M’s, obvs. The peanut satisfied both savory and sweet for a twofer!