FROM THE EDITOR
I devote a lot of my free time to attending events around New York City Filling my evenings after work with ambient chatter made all the more worthwhile when supplemented with delicious bites Most of these are climate-focused; however, lately Iâve been sprinkling in other kinds of events to diversify my mix It was at one of these new additions, a co-working session with a group of incredible, talented women in the consulting, marketing, and advertising industry, that a discussion took place, the conclusion of which was explicit: you cannot believe everything you read on the internet, especially when it comes to what you see in advertisements One woman shared her experience as an intern where she was instructed to tell blatant lies in her advertising campaigns: âPyrex doesnât break!â, âPlastic is safe!â, etcetera, etcetera
Already prone to feeling the boulder of guilt and pressure strategically placed on consumers to bear the burden of the state of our world, I turned to the refuge of my journalâs pages to coax myself back from the brink of an existential crisis the
As I kneaded the thoughts on what to do, what we can believe and trust, if a âtruthâ exists, and what is even real between my hands, an answer gently tapped my temples: art and connection Now, those are two things we can depend on being pure and true I donât mean art in the sense of buying and selling, but the art we create without monetary intentions Poems, plays, music, and stories Things that come from a deep place within us, spark emotion, restore faith, connect us to our souls, and act as catalysts for our joy as creators and artists, for that is what we all are, whether we are aware of that fact or not
So this second-anniversary issue is devoted to stories and art, whether culinary, literary, or visual Each medium is a mode of transconnection (if there is anything Iâve inherited from my father, it is the tendency to make up words), a way to connect with other people across various backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and ages
In these times of uncertainty, fear, overwhelm, and overstimulation, it is all the more necessary to return to the basics of our humanity Lean on a friend or family member, share a meal, a song, a story, or this digest Pick up a book Or a flower Connect with yourself Connect with others With nature Despair can be dissipated through the depth of connection
I hope you enjoy this issue celebrating two years of digests Thank you for being here Until next month!
With love, light, and gratitude,
Eleonora Fogg EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
eleonora@svvl net
Publisher Michael Ennis
Drax Digest is published monthly by Drax Publishing, LLC Don t hesitate to contact us with your ideas for future issues at eleonora@svvl net! Editor-In-Chief
Eleonora Fogg
MOTHER EARTH
A Poem by Drax Digest Editor, Eleonora Fogg
It was once by a riverbank
I saw a woman, both young and old
Illversed to the ways of man
The plagues of our time
Poisons of our world
War
Tragedy
Famine
Manmade systems
Designed to feed greed
Fuel ignorance and
Prosper hate
Oh darling, do you know
This is a woman who loves you so
Though your person is unknown to her
Her heartbeat of ocean waves and drifting clouds
Skips with love for you and yours
Skirts that form mountain folds engulf her limbs of branches
Eyes holding stars, dolphins, and hummingbird wings
Gaze thoughtfully at thee
Enveloping you in a gentle wave of safety
Spider webs gracefully lacing her lashes
Iridescent scarabs adorn her ears
Hair, isles of corn, smelling of pineapples and snow
Lichen decorating her collarbone,
Plum marmalade dripping from her lips
Butterflies escaped,
Her voice, the gentle flutter of their wings
Mixed with lightning and honey.
A wild thing
An ugly thing
A beautiful thing
Gunfire
Pierced the air
All at once, her steps faltered
Her peace shattered
Plastic fractals littering the ground
The last falcons escaped their nests in her hair
Mares and stallions followed suit
Her breath, once a source of life, seized
Erupting in fits of soot, ash, smoke, and flame
The rusting dust of death
âOh, my poor darling
What have you done to me?â she wept
Tears of gold, silver, and crimson diamonds
Suffocating every orifice of song
Toads escaped her throat
Wasps and spiders fled her ears
Hurricanes whipped between her ribs
Tsunamis tore at her temples
Her mouth agape in agony
Deep red grape wine trickled from her sides
Her skin cracked.
Thick obsidian oozed
Pitch humans were so desperate to claim
Too stubborn to lose.
Bombs exploded between her breasts
Quakes brought her to her knees
She lay, bleeding, on the river bank.
Each drop, a gift of poppies
Manâs assault finally ceased.
The nearby quarry inquired about her health
Though her breathing labored,
Her lungs began to creep with moss.
Doves returned to coo in her voicebox
As crickets and frogs reclaimed their place in the crook of her arm
Her tears of release tasted of sweet persimmons.
Foxes licked her wounds
As mangroves rebuilt her bones
Eagles flew back into her eyes
Butter cups and primroses intertwined in the cracks.
DRAX PUBLISHING
It was there on that riverbank,
lay a woman young and old
A mother ten times over
Who learned the ways of man
The plagues of our time
Poisons of our world
War
Tragedy
Famine
Manmade systems
Designed to feed greed
Fuel ignorance and
Prosper hate
Despite these cruelties
Used to abuse her being
That which brings the gifts of life
Her earthly nature found a way to nurse her ills
And restore the vibrance she once knew
By taking hold of hardships with hands of ivy, She silenced violence with the lush greenery of spring, She calmed Heatâs rages with soothing breaths
Interlaced with soft ice.
She doesnât hold your inflicted hurt against you
For her power lies in gentle reclamation
Lightness and adoration
Though her healing heart does ache
At the thought of your darling eyes
Glossing over with the fog of ignorance
Corrupted clouds of greed,
And heavy shadow of hate
It was on a riverbank
There stood a woman, young and old
The golden sphere arose
Its beams basking her in light
Where she taught new ways of people
The beauties of our time
Wonders of our world
Peace
Joy
Abundance
Human systems
Designed to feed those in need,
Cultivate harmony, Nurture bliss, Craft circularity,
And grow love
To make a world
We didnât have to wait to create.
Drax Fine Art
Bisa Butler is an American fiber artist celebrated for her striking quilted portraits that bring Black history to life Using fabric as her medium, she transforms historical photographs and personal images into stunning, colorful tapestries that honor the stories and identities of Black individuals
Born in 1973, Butler was initially trained as a painter but shifted to quilting to merge fine art with textile traditions Her work reimagines famous and overlooked figures through intricate layers of vibrant fabrics each carefully chosen to reflect their personalities, emotions, and cultural roots
Butlerâs quilts have gained widespread recognition and have been showcased in major institutions like the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Her art challenges traditional narratives, celebrating Black life, resilience, and beauty in a medium historically associated with craft rather than fine art
Through her innovative approach, Bisa Butler stitches together not just fabric but a powerful, redefined vision of history
Drax Productions
Send us your votes for your favorite pet films and TV shows for our next issue! Just send your submissions at eleonora@svvl net
Burr Hall Farm
The farmâs most successful endeavor is our honey, which we harvest from our 45 hives, which house over 3 million bees These millions of tiny, incredible forces of nature collectively yield about 1,000 pounds of honey per harvest! The autumnal honey is particularly special Due to its potency and high content of knotweed the thick deeply dark amber liquid is revered as chef s honey since the flavor profile is significantly more robust, making it an excellent addition to a chefâs cooking tool belt
Last year, Chef Yann of Bread Story used our chefâs honey for Bread Storyâs honey cakes in a fantastic collaboration between two of The Drax Groupâs businesses Do you have a chef in your life? Well, keep an eye out, for our honey will soon be available to purchase online and would make a perfect gift to any culinary wizards you know!
Wellness+ Studio
Fitness at Wellness+ Studio is going strong! The studio and its incredible founder, Eva Peña, have been gaining more and more publicity With an interview with influencer and founder of PURIST magazine, Christina Cuomo, and several recent features in Verywell Fit, Wellness+ Studioâs community, reach, reputation, and press portfolio are rapidly expanding We love to see our businesses thrive and help people along the way
Left Page
Top: Broom Jumpers, (2019) by Bisa Butler
Bottom: Photo of Bread Storyâs honey cake with Burr Hall Farmâs honey
Right Page
Photo of Wellness+ Studio interior upon entry
BREAD STORY
Le Chausson Aux Pommes
If y aux Pom g on
a so p p y g pp hy
Let's visit Saint-Calais in 1580 A plague epidemic overtook the city People were scared as they were facing death with little hope for life Food was hard to find, and everyone was locked inside for weeks In the abbey, the monks had locked themselves in, too, praying for the end of the tragedy They promised to celebrate a Mass every year if the Lord would put an end to it
The plague ended up decimating two-thirds of the population But their prayers seemed to work, as one day, the epidemic miraculously ended As promised, the following year, the monks hosted a Mass in honor of the miracle For the occasion, the chatelaine, Madame de VendĂŽme, made an early version of the apple turnover and distributed it to the population
Since then the pastry has become a symbolic product of Saint-Calais Every first Sunday of September bakeries would sell apple turnovers to commemorate the end of the epidemic and celebrate the first distribution made by the chatelaine
Every era has its epidemics, hopes, and celebrations Though its remnants not entirely gone, we find little ways of celebrating the end of the 21st-century pandemic, like enjoying the fine dough full of applesauce baked to perfection that we call le chausson aux pommes
A Brief Story of le Chausson Aux Pommes | A Bread Story [Edited]
WJVL FOUNDATION
How a Runaway Dog Became the Hero of New Orleans
February 17th, 2025
The New York Times recently published a heartwarming article about Scrim, a little runaway with coarse, creamy West Highland white terrier fur who escaped euthanasia in New Orleans Dodging trains and bullets (very literally) and surviving on food intended for stray cats Scrim is a repeat offender escape artist
âHe is about 3 years old, weighs 17 pounds and has coarse, cloudy fur And for several months, he had much of New Orleans looking for him With each foiled capture or implausible escape, his fame grew and so did his reputation He became an almost mythical figure, too savvy and swift to contain
His saga has inspired tattoos, murals and Mardi Gras floats Some have held him up as a renegade, choosing freedom over the comforts of domestic life Scrim, as so
over the comforts of domestic life Scrim, as someone along the way named him, is also a living, panting embodiment of the spirit of New Orleans: He like the city kept on going despite it all â (Rick Rojas, 2025)
Scrim is now safely in the hands of Michelle Cheramie, founder of Zeusâs Place a non-profit animal rescue in New Orleans, but not without a long string of adventures and additional escapes along the way Now, Michelle zealously ensures that all doors and windows are intact to prevent any of Scrimâs future Houdini-inspired impulses
Who knows if he has truly settled down or if heâs plotting his next little adventure in New Orleans
Read the entire story here!
âScrim, as someone along the way named him, is a living, panting embodiment of the spirit of New Orleansâ Emily Kask for the New York Times
Drax Productions
Empowering Artists and Inspiring Audiences
Asparagus Quiche
Recipe by Christopher Varroux-Renaud
Makes 4 Servings
Ingrédients:
1 box puff pastry
1 bunch green asparagus
4 eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups grated gruyere cheese
Whole grain mustard
Chives, finely minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash the asparagus and cut the bottoms off. Boil them for 10 to 15 minutes, then submerge them in an ice bath strain, dry, and set aside.
2 Add eggs, milk, and heavy cream mix in a mixing bowl until fully combined. Add the cheese and mix again. Line a tart pan with parchment paper.
3 With a soup spoon spread generously the whole grain mustard all over the bottom of the pastry dough. Save a few whole asparagus and cut the rest of them into bite size pieces. Add the chopped asparagus to the cheese mixture and then pour it all over the dough Finally, add the chives and place the whole asparagus nicely on top Your quiche is ready to go in the oven
4 Bake until nice and golden The quiche is cooked when you insert the tip of a knife in it and it comes out clean which should be about 30 minutes Let it rest and cool off for at least 20 minutes before slicing
5.Enjoy :)
