Curated, Winter 2026: Hygge-coded eats + treats I got this July

Edible things I bought as soon as the degrees dropped and I prioritised cosiness and comfort

When I started this Substack, I thought I would only be writing about writing. But I couldn’t commit to that because writing wasn’t something I enjoyed talking about all the time. I liked talking about it in the classroom, when I was workshopping the work of my students, and sharing insights I had gleaned from my practice and the work of others. But it was only a small part of who I was, because I was also someone who liked to cook and eat, but who wasn’t a food writer; and someone who liked to pick things out for her wardrobe, but who wasn’t a fashion person. I wanted a simplified, functional skincare routine, but was too low maintenance and indifferent to trial (and own) a lot of products; I liked to go to museums, but couldn’t necessarily engage in art criticism and interpretation.

I’ve always liked to read what people were up to: what they were obsessed with, what they tossed out in council clean up, what they had on their desk, what they were working on. I wanted my newsletter to feel like a conversation: like sitting down with a friend (I have friends in mind as I write it) over coffee, to talk about what we’d been up to. And that felt like a ‘lifestyle’ sort of newsletter. But I agonised over that too, because I was also becoming an increasingly conscious consumer, someone who didn’t want to plug things unnecessarily, and who didn’t want to fill her life with things or be responsible for someone else doing the same thing. When I tell you I think deeply about the right blue shirt I want to bring into my closet space, I mean it. But the more I thought about the things that make my face light up (finding a timeless jacket, discovering a lovely bakery, buying a fancy purse I saved ages for), the more I realised I wasn’t doing that here.

This is what I am trying to do now: chronicle my pursuite of a creative, well-edited life, the things I give my attention to, and the choices I make in order to be my most creative self. Which brings me to this new series, Curated, in which I regale you with the things I have consciously consumed, and in some cases, what I learnt from them.

This month, I share the things I have spent my money on to make this cold July a little more hygge and tasty.

What I bought:

Farmer Jo X Elizabeth Hewson Porridge

I love a bowl of winter porridge and while you’ll often find my baking my own fruit and mixing my own flavours, I could not resist the Elizabeth Hewson X Farmer Jo collab, mostly because I had no idea what a custard oat was. Interestingly, the smell of custard hits you as soon as you open the bag, but this was not a sweet porridge mixture and because it doesn’t come with directions, you’re left to your own preferences in terms of how you make it. I didn’t mind my first bowl, but I think I needed to put a little more effort to dress it up. While my usual bowl of porridge is something I can make a stellar breakfast out of, I expected this to do a lot of heavy lifting, and it turns out, it needed a hand.

Hey Darl Bars

I will often make my own muesli bars but when I came across this small biz making bars over in Byron Bay, I thought I would offer my patronage at least once. I purchased a pack of their dark chocolate and cherry bars and their lemon macadamia ones. Both were absolutely delicious and I know they’ll go a long way when uni classes are back and I need snacks for my bag.

Yorkshire Tea Malty Biscuit Brew

If you’ve read for a while you know my favourite tea is the Harney & Sons Paris tea, which I buy loose leaf. But sometimes I need something a little heartier (and am too lazy to properly brew from leaves) and Yorkshire Tea makes a good, strong brew. I love malt so of course when I saw this flavour while browsing the DJs food hall (a fave pastime), I had to purchase.

Gewurzhaus Glühwein Gewürz for mulled wine

I found this by accident in Canberra last year and I’m so excited to use it again this winter. I buy a super cheap red for it, and I love that it makes a delicious cup and does not need any additional ingredients (except fruit if you want it).

Mary Valley Food Co Dried Oranges

A purchase for all seasons, in that it goes in a mulled wine or a mocktail. I tried to be more economical and make these myself with a dehydrator my husband purchased many moons ago but I ate way too many of the oranges in just two days, so it turns out spending $60 odd dollars on a jar is actually the more economical choice because it shames me out of gluttony. These also stay way crispier than any other variation I have tried or made.

Uncle Stan’s Blackberry Jam (not pictured)

You’d think a jam is a jam but the moment I started drinking tea more regularly, I realised I needed to up my jam game. This is a 100% Indigenous owned-and-operated jam made from surplus fruit that would otherwise end up in landfill, and it tastes delicious. I love it on my scones and I love it on my toast and I love it on a fresh baguette with butter. I have not tried the other flavours and in all honesty I purchased this one because I love the book Pamela Allen’s Mr McGee and the Blackberry Jam but I have no regrets. It’s not too chunky and it’s not too sweet either, which I really need in a jam.

And what I didn’t:

The Flour and Stone Travelling Malty Brew Cake

When Flour & Stone, one of my favourite Sydney bakeries, announced their gateaux de voyage/travelling cakes many years ago, I was thrilled. I have purchased a few of these, both for myself and as gifts, over the years, so when they announced a bunch of new flavours, including a ‘Workaday Malt Loaf’ made with dried fruit, malt and treacle, I thought it would be a perfect winter treat. But, in the spirit of being sensible, I decided it would not be wise to be paying $90 for a cake I would eat by myself over tea, especially when the whole point of the cake was that you send it to someone else.