Soup and Seattle for Sasha Senal

A third-year writing/literature student at UCSB’s College of Creative Studies, Sasha Senal started her Indy food writing internship by jumping from vegetables to candy, covering Lompoc’s mobile farmers market last week and Menchaca Chocolates this week. Originally from the coastal redwoods of Sonoma County, Sasha was drawn to writing in preschool and further encouraged by her grandmother, a prolific poet and storyteller. 

“I could create whole worlds and fulfill my most implausible fantasies through simple manipulations of language,” she explains. “I still feel this way about writing, though what I choose to write has evolved with age, diverging away from sci-fi fantasy novels towards poetry and critical analysis.”

She’s excited to explore Santa Barbara’s culinary scene and strengthen her “journalistic muscles,” which she’ll keep flexing after college when she plans to move to Seattle. “I’m drawn to that state and can’t shake the desire to be there,” she said. “I want to explore its forests, taste its cuisine, and write of its culture. I think it will be an adventure.” 

Until then, you can find her on the trails. “Perhaps more than hiking itself though, I love returning home exhausted and making a big pot of soup for myself and loved ones,” she said. “Some of my favorites to make are borscht, matzo ball, and potato leek. I am a firm believer that soup can be a meal!”

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