“To be trans and outside is something beautiful we can share.” — Kaija Xiao
Our Summer issue is all about specialty foods: Gentle Time Farm (@gentletimefarming ), a queer and trans-led vegetable farm in Old Chatham, is growing more than just East Asian crops—it’s nurturing the belonging, ancestral ties, and care that connects us.
Story written by Jasmine Arielle Ting (@jasminepting ) / Photography by Jessie YuChen (@thelescook )
Co-owned by Kaija Xiao and Salt Wang, Gentle Time is rooted in cultural reconnection and food sovereignty. Their devotions turn garlic chives, gochujang peppers, and ginger into nourishment for friends, family, local restaurants, and food pantries across New York. Over 75% of their harvest is distributed through mutual aid—free of charge. This farm is home to the Asian diaspora, queer resilience, and land stewardship that heals.
PLUS MORE INSIDE
“The Willowmakers” by Megan Despres (@biscuitwoodfarmny ) featuring @willowbrookbasketfarm , @sandra.kehoe.5 , @willowvalefarm
“Specialty Food Goes Beyond the Pantry” by @kathleenwillcox featuring some of our regions’ icons: @harneytea , @bjornqorn , @viaravioli , @ithacahummus , @yesfolk
Link in bio!
The neighborhood of Binondo in Manila is home to the world’s oldest Chinatown, and to the longstanding tradition of Filipino Chinese cuisine. For a taste of Filipino Chinese food, head to the link in bio for @jasminepting ’s grandma’s maki mi recipe. 🍜
݁˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚🫖 “brewing beauty” for Leaves Vol. 5, First Flush. art by the talented Heather Klinkhamer ༘⋆✿ Grab a copy of this gorgeous book at @raazitea !!
Many thanks to my editor @alizarae .✦ ݁˖ my sources @zoeyxinyigong@tshopny@thebetterlisa@drinktheqi ⋆˚✿˖° and @arj for making such a project a beautiful reality in PRINT 📰
Adoption, competition, and an inferiority complex pit Fillipina journalist, Jasmine Ting, against her twin — leading to years of distance. But her twin's motherhood has brought them back together. More at the link in bio.
#SpreadTheJellyMagazine #PersonalEssay #Twins #Motherhood
My warm welcome to Queens (literally one 7 train stop away from Grand Central). @takumenlic@takuparlor is a special place, especially since two of my best friends (henlo @joycedl + @uplikerussell 👋🏼) first took me within my first couple of weeks in my new borough. Since then, more comforting meals at my fave modern izakaya followed, including an unforgettable evening with @ai.vivas 🍜
Thank u @resy@deannating for letting me wax poetic about my love of this noodle (+ ice cream!!) spot, and endless thank yous to @taenyc212 for unlocking something truly special from within my story!!
Ilocos empanadas, a regional Filipino street food from Northern Luzon, Philippines, have somehow become the latest viral food obsession. Its social media fame is probably in large part due to its ultra-crunchy, bright orange rice flour shell. Many food content creators drive for miles for empanada drops from the nearest home cooks-turned-empanada entrepreneurs, and quite a number have knocked on Alyssa Price’s @ijustbecookin door for this very reason. Last time she checked, there were around 4300 people on her email list.
“It’s been one of the most challenging recipes that I’ve developed, worked on, and learned,” Alyssa says. “But also the most rewarding, because, funny enough, this is the one food item that now I’m known for, which I feel so blessed for.”
Alyssa spoke with @jasminepting for @abovethefolddumplings about the challenging process of making Ilocos empanadas, how she makes them her own, and an exciting forthcoming pop-up at Titi’s Empanadas @titisnyc . Read the full interview, out now on our newsletter, via the link in bio! And don’t forget to hit subscribe to learn more about all things dumplings, and to meet other dumpling makers from all over the world.
The “WORLD BEST APPLE CAKE” claim is bold, but after having my first taste, I really don’t think anyone should contest. Elias Makhoul has been slinging out these cakes out of Mystic Muffin for over 30 years now, which absolutely makes him an expert on how to keep the cakes moist on the inside yet crunchy on the outside. “Make sure to remove the wrap as soon as you get home, so it doesn’t get soggy,” Elias advised me, after plopping the whole sheet of practically-fresh-out-of-the-oven cake atop a cardboard base, and bundling it up in clingwrap. I followed his instructions, immediately allowing the warm apple cake to breathe the second I got home.
Earlier that day, I had called ahead and Elias said they were officially closed for Family Day. But then he said he was at the shop baking whole cakes anyway, and I could pop by and get one if that’s what I wanted—I had a moment of internal panoc but said yes. When I came to pick it up, he graciously opened the side door and let me take a BTS peak at his operation. I had my reservations about the whole cake, since it was just myself and my bf celebrating his bday. But at $25 CAD for the whole sheet, how could I refuse? Ladies and gentlefolk, we demolished the entire thing in four days. 🍎
2025 was full of side quests and surprises… I’m grateful for the pleasant ones (including the impromptu portraits in the first and last slides taken by @simon.te )
January – Guess who was in Beat Bobby Flay’s holiday 2025 episode?
February – @joycedl got me hooked on barre3, and it’s been a great thing for my health 🫶🏼 + finished up A2.1 at L’Alliance
March – NYC Half Marathon
April – Finally!! Some journalistic fieldwork/ reporting out in the real world after so many years of Zoomnation. TY @ianela.vl for coming with me and driving 🥹 + first Verge byline ever (me?? reporting on tech???)
May – Defeated @alextang514 for the first and only time at Reversi
June – I’ve always been shy about my baking/cooking, but thought it was worth trying to join the community for a good cause. Cake Zine and OLCF gathered local bakers to bring food for community fridges + to share
July – Nerded out on TASTE and IG about my love for restaurant postcards 💌
August – Last-minute trip to Boston + launched @lifetwoways with @pam.combate + got Sundae @the_doodle_sundae to be social at the dog park!!
September – Tribeca Grill opens for one night only + you may have seen familiar hands in a bank ad 👀
October – Miraculously earned Bobbert’s @don.bobberto love and affection in the 3 weeks we had him 💕
November – Surprise shoots with SAVEUR are the best + did not expect to win any kind of award for my professional work
December – Strange and wonderful bird (a hooded mergancer) on a snow day
