Forkful Issue 6: Indulgence
To indulge is to be shameless in the excitement and variety that food can bring. To indulge is to throw yourself into joy. It’s only fitting that for a place with such a strong food identity like Melbourne, accessing these kinds of food is no difficult feat.
Indulgence is often the antithesis of what others tell us to do. We’re encouraged to get up early and eat right and exercise often, to work hard and long and without protest. It’s a gruelling cycle that leaves very little room for fun. But food should extend beyond its capacity to fuel us. It can comfort and excite. Surprise. Satisfy.
The late, great food critic Jonothan Gold championed the exploration and diversity of food, writing about the people who created and fed and loved food in all its forms. We eat because we have a desire to connect. We meet and talk over food, vow that we’ve never had anything better.
And that is where the beauty of indulgence lies. It demands nothing of us except that we enjoy. In a world so hell-bent on productivity and progress, it allows us the space to exist within a single moment. To be a little bit reckless and a little bit free.
Throughout this magazine you will salivate, rush to make bookings, be forced to reckon with your ideas of what indulgence means, and hopefully understand that food, above all, is best when caution is thrown to the wind.
Load up your plate and leave your self-restraint at the door. Indulge a little.
CONTRIBUTORS
Emma Bocevski (she/her)
Emma Bocevski is a proud foodie and even prouder to be the one that her friends ask for recommendations from. She is a Master of Writing and Publishing student at RMIT University and the creator of Emma Reviews Food, where she writes about, marvels at, and eats a lot of food. Her favourite strange food combination is pizza shapes and Nutella (promise it’s good).
Taylor Connell
Taylor Connell is a non-professional author and lover of the written word. Passionate about fantasy and science-fiction, Taylor enjoys writing, editing, and seeking inspiration everywhere in the universe.
Nicci Langford (they/them)
Nicci Langford is not a foodie but does enjoy eating when it's cooked for them. Nicci is currently studying a publishing masters at RMIT University. One of their favourite food combos is Nutella and strawberry sandwiches and they absolutely hate anything orange and chocolate flavoured.
Sanskruti Mate
Sanskruti (Sans) Mate is an international student from India studying Writing and Publishing at RMIT University. She is a poet, writer and editor, always chasing new stories. She has a huge sweet-tooth—desserts are her forever mood-lifters—and yes, she unapologetically believes pineapple belongs on pizza.
Mallory Mills (she/they)
Mallory Mills is incapable of cooking anything that doesn’t come out of a jar or packet, but she loves to go out and have other people cook for her. She is pursuing a Master of Writing and Publishing at RMIT University and actually enjoys corned silverside. She loathes doing the dishes.
Eleanor Nguyen (she/her)
Eleanor Nguyen can only cook if she is given instructions or has made it at least four times. Sadly, even with instructions, she could not bake with a gun to her head (though this has yet to be tested). She does, however, have the blind confidence and hypothetical knowledge of that one guy who said he was sure he could swim; he’d read about it before. And that guy only nearly drowned, so he was basically right.
Riley Orange
Riley is an art writer and Instagram chef Julius Roberts sympathiser. Riley enjoys seasonal cooking with local produce and his favourite ingredient is rhubarb. Riley is currently studying Writing and Publishing at RMIT University.
Mahek Patel
Mahek Patel is a hopeless romantic, writer, poet and every baker’s worst nightmare. As much as she loves exploring new recipes in her kitchen, she is liable to burn it down. She is pursuing a Master of Writing and Publishing from RMIT University, has a horrible sweet tooth, an appalling tolerance for spices, and will die arguing that Ross and Rachel WERE ON A BREAK.
Jessica Walsh (she/her)
Jessica Walsh is an emerging painter-illustrator and fiction writer. If she’s not painting or writing, she’s probably eating. Jess is no stranger to the Melbourne food scene and you’ll often find her exploring new restaurants to avoid having to face her own kitchen.
