I’m Hugh, food journalist and author of The Wallfish Journal, a newsletter helping the good people of Somerset (and bad ones too) make more informed decisions around what they eat and drink.
The, er, What-fish Journal?
Wallfish. It’s an old Mendip dish of snails cooked in cider. It relates to Somerset, its lost or forgotten culture, and more specifically its food and its qwerks.
Well done to those who also noticed the play on words in reference to a certain American daily newspaper. You’ll notice this publication’s name often appropriately shortened to ‘the WFJ’.
Who’re you?
Hugh Thomas is my name. I’m a food journalist, having previously written for some of the big names like The Guardian, The Independent, and Time Out – but have mostly given up on that in the interest of better serving my local community. How very altruistic.
On those lines, I also founded Frome Food Network in 2021, and am the Somerset Farmers Market co-ordinator for Frome.
By the way, when you don’t spot any grammatical errors, it’s likely because the WFJ’s in-house sub-editor Jess Lawrence has attacked it.
What on Earth makes you think a hyperlocal food publication is a good idea?
As I carried out a food research project for Frome Town Council in 2021, it quickly became clear if locals wanted to know more about the food produced around them, there wasn’t a go-to resource for it.
The Wallfish Journal shortly thence emerged and, in August 2023, evolved from covering purely Frome to covering the whole of Somerset (as I ended up covering much of it anyway).
Ultimately, the WFJ seeks to help locals make more informed decisions around – and an improved relationship with – what they eat and what they drink.
What kind of things do you publish?
Just about anything, as long as it’s to do with food or farming in the locality – from how a dairy farm is reviving a cattle breed bordering on extinction, to the relocation of Somerset’s best fried chicken. Others include:
The story behind Frome’s most popular sandwich [Issue 40]
How a local veg box scheme is helping end rural homelessness [Issue 29]
Why a locally-made sourdough loaf costs £4.50 [Issue 4]
Under the hood of the UK’s ‘best restaurant’ [Issue 45, paywall]
Somerset farmed venison versus Somerset wild venison [Issue 62]
The ‘grain to glass’ philosophy of Somerset’s newest brewery [Issue 65]
And all this for free?
A free subscription gets you, on average, one story in your inbox a month.
For 100% of the WFJ experience (including fortnightly stories, opinion, recommendations, and such), it’s £3.50 per month, or £35 for a yearly subscription.
Not only does this get you more original insight into Somerset’s food environment, and into the mind of someone somewhere near the front of it, it’s the best way to support local food journalism and ensure its continuation.
Cheers then,
Hugh
Small business supporters
Speaking of valued contributions, the WFJ thanks the following indie Somerset businesses and organisations for their support:
Social enterprise and veg box scheme Root Connections: rootconnections.co.uk
Want to join them on this list? Email hello@hughlthomas.com or sign up for a Small Business Supporter subscription.
