Letter from the editor

Dear Readers,

I have a confession to make: I don’t cook very much. And yes, I am the editor in chief of a literary magazine about the power of food. In my defense, I’ve spent the past several years in college, stressed about my various assignments, workstudy tasks, and part-time jobs. When I have free time, I often choose to spend it curled up with a book or catching up on my Netflix shows.

Yet, I’ve always loved reading about food—in poetry, fiction, and yes, even cookbooks. I enjoy writing reviews about restaurants I try. In written pieces, I find the sensory details of food to be the perfect seasoning, whether the intention is to repulse or to delight. What food someone likes or dislikes tells us so much about who they are as a person and where they come from.

Of course, I also like to taste food. I think you’ll find that this issue contains a smorgasbord of offerings—a melting pot of sage wisdom. Yes, you will find scrumptious pieces about silky fudge and fruity cocktails, but you will also find a poem about working at a diner during the pandemic, and essays about food as medicine—or food as revenge.

I am so proud to play a part in elevating and disseminating the work of these incredibly talented writers from all paths of life and at varying phases in their careers. Sage Soup strives to explore the diverse experiences of people whose lives have been influenced by food, and by doing so, unify the most fundamental of human needs. The inception of Sage Soup is also timely, as during the pandemic, many of us have found comfort in family recipes, or in trying new bread recipes.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Hannah Lang for her delectable illustrations. I’m constantly amazed at her talent (and how she can make sardines look appetizing to me). Thanks to her, I needed to take snack breaks while inputting her art into this issue.

This is a new venture, one that was meant to be a stand-alone project. But, there’s a chance it might keep cooking…my apologies for all the food puns. For now, thank you everyone for joining me on this journey, and I hope you’ll dig in—there’s a lot here to digest.

Bon appétit,

Erika Skorstad

Publisher / Editor in Chief
Sage Soup Literary Magazine

Erika Skorstad is a professional writing graduate from Champlain College, as well as an editor, writer, and narrative game designer. She finds inspiration from dark roast coffee and even darker mysteries. Her work has been published in Marathon Literary Review, the Burlington Writers Workshop’s Cold Lake Anthology, and Levitate Literary Magazine.