We talk a LOT about food in Geeks & Grounds. I mean, the whole concept of this club was inspired by the atmosphere and love of coffee shops and cafes! That's because for me, and for many people, food isn't simply a means to gain energy. What we eat and how we prepare it reinforces our sense of self and who we connect with.

When a game comes out that not only explores cooking as a central mechanic, but also uses it to dive into the bittersweet ways to connect to our families and larger cultural identities through food, you can absolutely be sure that this will be a G&G title. Which brings us to...


Many of you (correctly) guessed that this month's brew was going to be Venba[venbagame.com] by Visai Games!

The launch date for Venba was yesterday (July 31st) and that lined up so perfectly with the start date for our August pick, it felt like a sign.

I personally have been so excited for this game, I also just wanted to have an opportunity to get all of you to play so I had folks to chat about the game together. 😁 Thank you in advance!

More seriously, this game will provide us a jumping off point to talk about some topics very near and dear to my heart:

• Food, and how the foods we prepare - and how we prepare them - establish and strengthen our identity
  
• the struggles of being first generation in an immigrant family and/or part of a diaspora identity (diaspora meaning "separated from your homeland or the homeland of your family heritage)
  
• How telling specific stories can lead to universal truths

As always, be sure to check out the playthrough guide[www.geeksandgrounds.com] for ALL details about this month's brew, including content warnings and notes, the timeline we'll be using to play, and where to find the game itself.

And, of course, if you haven't signed up for the weekly newsletter, visit https://www.geeksandgrounds.com to make sure you stay in the loop with everything happening in this digital café!