RASA: Volume 1

New from Whetstone: RASA!

“Rasa” means quintessence; it also refers to the sensory experience of relishing a meal. In the pages of our first issue, you will find expressions of this commitment through deeply researched stories and nuanced photography from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.

This issue includes...

• "In Life and Death, a Fervour for Fish" by Priyadarshini Chatterjee with illustrations by Priyanka Pandit: The Bengali custom of Matsyamukhi--or the symbolic return to fish-eating after bereavement--is one among a complex web of cultural and religious customs in the Indian subcontinent that help communities navigate the landscape of loss.
• "A Hankering for Tal" by Ishita Dasgupta with photography by Emli Bendixen: Most prized for its luscious ripe fruit called tal--intensely sweet with a bitter edge--the palmyra tree is beloved for its many culinary uses across the subcontinent.
• "In Search of Sargassum" by Joanna Lobo with photography by Rebecca D'Costa: India has a rich biodiversity of seaweed, which is just beginning to find its way onto plates. Could it be a food of the future?
• Plus food poetry, gorgeous photography, and more!

Whetstone's Story: Since 2016 Whetstone has used food as a means of better understanding humans and the world. To date, we’ve worked with a team of global creatives representing over 80 countries. We believe that diversity isn’t just noteworthy, it’s what makes our work so essential.vWhen the gatekeepers are diverse, so too are the stories, its tellers, and their experiences. This diversity accelerates our collective knowledge and empathy. Whetstone is unequivocally and gratefully a better company because of it.

Founded by Stephen Satterfield: Since 2007, Stephen Satterfield has spent his career redefining food and beverage as means of organizing, activating and educating. He is the founder of Whetstone, a groundbreaking magazine and media company dedicated to food origins and culture from around the world. Prior to his career in media, Satterfield was a sommelier and social entrepreneur promoting wine as a catalyst for socioeconomic development for Black wine workers in South Africa. Satterfield is among the most prominent and respected voices in U.S. food media, and host of the critically acclaimed Netflix docuseries, High on the Hog.