PicoBlog

I can’t be the only one who gets random but very strong urges for a simple slice of cake. When these cravings hit, I don’t want anything too fancy - no layer cakes or buttercream or ganache please. Just a good thick wedge of homemade cake. This Everyday Cake, named so because it doesn’t require any occasion or reason to be made, is the kind of cake you work your way through over the course of a few days, each time accompanied by a giant mug of tea.

Happy Sunday! It’s time for another edition of the Animation Obsessive newsletter. The plan goes like this: 1 — on the universal influence of anime. 2 — the animation newsbits of the week. 3 — Satoshi Kon on a film’s parts versus its whole. New here? We publish Thursdays and Sundays. Paying subscribers receive both, but it’s free to sign up for our weekly Sunday issues. Get them right in your inbox:

Hello and welcome to Gossip Time, a weekly guide to the stars by Allie Jones. Today, I’m bringing you a very special collaboration with of the perfect newsletter Hung Up. Hunter and I met in a Google doc to discuss the (insane) breaking news that Taylor Swift and Matty Healy have broken up already. Take it away, Hunter: ncG1vNJzZmifn6jAqrzToqSeZqOqr7TAwJyiZ5ufonyxe9OasKWnomLAuLXFrWSmmaSpxm60xJqjsmWSp7Kit9Sp

Catherine, the Princess of Wales, underwent planned abdominal surgery Tuesday, according to a statement released by Kensington Palace. The surprise news — including that she would be recovering in a hospital for the next 10 to 14 days and be off royal duties for another two to three months — made headlines around the world. Below, a summary of everything that has been reported so far, including more on the timing (and what royal appearances have been postponed or canceled) as well as past royal hospital visits.

A once obscure Amazonian sauce, tucupí has become a buzz word in Latin American culinary circles over the last few years. While awareness about this sauce made from yuca (aka cassava or manioc) has spread, the understanding of what it is and what it represents to people in the region remains limited. From the otherwise toxic form of a relatively neutral ingredient, yuca, some of the most incredible flavors have been coaxed by indigenous communities throughout the Amazon for generations.

Hi friends. The sixth (!) year of #1000wordsofsummer starts June 17. Are you getting excited? I have been feeling all your positive energy online. And I am absolutely thrilled by this year’s list of contributing authors. I really think something extremely special is about to happen this year. I’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions below and I am leaving the comments open if you have another question. (Please use this specifically for questions only, if you don’t mind.

Dear friend, After three years of baking, I’ve finally discovered the techniques and ways to bake a fool-proof Japanese souffle cheesecake that has a beautiful top, will not crack while baking and rising, and will not deflate (much at least) after removal from the oven! Japanese souffle cheesecake is also known as Japanese cotton cheesecake or just Japanese cheesecake. It is a hybrid between a regular cheesecake (Basque or NY Style) and a chiffon cake.

Well, wasn’t last week’s newsletter a massive letdown? I felt bad ruining your Thursday by being a Debbie Downer, so to start this week’s newsletter, I’d like to share with you some positive beer-related things that lift my spirits: I went to a brand-new brewery in Beacon this weekend and the beer was absolutely delicious and the place was packed with people. Pillow & Oats Brewing should be on your list if you head up the Hudson.

McLane is a distributor who sits between powerful suppliers and customers. As a consequence, it commands very low margins, as low as 1% pre-tax at the time of Berkshire’s purchase in 2003. BRK bought the company from Walmart for $1.5 billion. How can a 1% margin be representative of a good business? In a word, turnover. At the time of purchase, McLane had annual revenues of $23 billion. A 1% margin on that level of sales translated into $230 million of pretax earnings, and a return of 15.