The Preserve Journal #1
With its simple premise that seasonal produce is at the heart of sustainable eating, The Preserve Journal is perhaps the perfect quarterly publication.
From ‘Hygge’ to ‘Ikigai’, lifestyle buzzwords surround us. So much so that ‘sustainability’ is often dismissed as a fad, rather than as the imperative environmentally friendly practise it ought to be. Luckily, The Preserve Journal has arrived from Denmark to help. The design has all the hallmarks of a sauerkraut-obsessed, olive-coloured hipster bible, but don’t be fooled; it’s a genuinely useful read. Each issue aims to equip its readers with small but impactful changes that can be implemented in the season ahead. Moreover, the paper it’s printed on is recycled, so no green-washing here.
Opening with a poem, this first issue of The Preserve Journal covers Autumn/Winter. Rather than inspiring dread about the fast-approaching freezing mornings and bare trees, the journal gives its readers something to look forward to. It’s full of advice from those in the know; at the heart of the journal is a DIY guide to fermentation (below), pages of globally sourced recipes that use cheap, seasonal and sustainable vegetables. It’s an incredibly healthy way to eat, and the pickling process means the veg lasts longer too.
The Preserve Journal manages to avoid all the elitist cliches that so often go hand-in-hand with guides to conscious living. It is no secret that organic food can be more expensive, and that restaurants that prioritise the aesthetics of sustainability have a reputation for serving up small plates with large price tags. The Preserve Journal is not urging its readers to frequent these establishments.
In fact, Matthew Orlando, head chef at Amass Restaurant in Copenhagen, is interviewed on page 82 about this very subject (above). He explains his frustration with the majority of restaurants that co-opt the language (both verbal and visual) of sustainability, but then go and ‘post photos on Instagram of a pumpkin soup’ (read: out of season).
Elsewhere, there are some lovely think-pieces; highlights for me include a double page spread dedicated to the art of foraging mushrooms and seaweed, musings on the power of community and communal eating, and an especially thought provoking mini essay on biodiversity and bee-keeping.
As well as these interviews and articles, The Preserve Journal is full of real, practical tips; it is an invaluable asset to any kitchen bookshelf. The issue ends with a poem for spring – exactly the kind of gentle, optimistic approach that will ensure the longevity of this publication.
Founder: Michelle Skelsgaard Sorensen
Editor-in-chief: Margaret Yarcia
Design: Marie Dossing