Host Vedant Akhauri welcomes author, Julie Seyler, about her part memoir, part recipe book, Gluten for Punishment: Just Desserts for the Heartbroken, Lovesick, and Jilted.

Explore Julie's journey as she analyzes three decades of dating through inventive dessert analogies and baking analogies. Learn about the inspiration behind her book, which utilizes her experience as a classically trained chef, and how her personal blog, Two-Bit Tart, evolved into a food blog.

This episode delves into the six dating stories that formed the basis of the book, touching on relationships described as romantic, poetic, intense as well as toxic. Julie shares insights on the process of putting her relationships under the microscope, discovering a surprising pattern, and including funny stories and pallet cleansers to make the journey relatable.

The conversation also covers the changing dating landscape from the 1990s to 2020s, the importance of collaboration with an editor and illustrator, and how cooking can be healing and a form of moving meditation.

You can find Gluten for Punishment on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, bookshop.org, and at independent bookstores.

Content Warning: This episode discusses material related to toxic and narcissistic relationships, including personal experiences with manipulation. Julie's book does not sugarcoat anything and discusses uncomfortable things and situations she had been in. Listener discretion is advised.If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow us on Instagram @letstalkmediava.