recent columns
Advanced fat chewing
I’ve always enjoyed casual conversation and rarely been averse to chewing on a nice hunk of fat. But the expression “chew the fat” never resonated with me—until some mochileros showed me the phrase’s literal meaning. Mochilero means backpack, and the mochileros are a tribe of Argentine wanderers who camp their way across some of... »
Beet Surrender
Alain Passard, founder and head chef at L’Arpege in Paris, pulled meat from his menu in 2001 because, he announced, he wanted more culinary challenges. “One day I woke up and asked myself, ‘What have I done with a leek, with a carrot?’ Nothing, or maybe just 10% of what can be done with... »
The weaning of humanity
Mammals are named after their mammary glands, which developed as a way to feed their young. But only humans continue drinking mammary secretions after infancy — and no other species drinks the milk of another. Today, dairy consumption is at the center of several interconnected social, economic, and health crises. Maybe it’s time to... »
A New Garlic Season
Almost everyone loves garlic, but few look forward to garlic season with anything like the anticipation reserved for vine-ripe tomatoes or fresh peaches. The words “new potatoes” on a restaurant menu are often spattered with drool, but new garlic, full of juice, fire and living flavor, rarely makes it into print. This is too... »
Squash Blossom Cookery
Squash blossoms, breaded and deep-fried, are insanely delicious—which isn’t saying much. After all, you could deep-fry a breaded rat’s ass with tasty results. So it’s a shame that tempura-style is so often the focus when the conversation turns to squash blossoms. I think they’re better cooked in a way that highlights, rather than hides,... »
Slow Boat Cookin’
If you were shipwrecked on a desert island with only one food, what would you choose? Think survival. Only unprocessed, raw ingredients are allowed in this exercise — no energy bars or hamburgers. Call it coincidence, call it cosmic, call it luck, but if you really were trapped on a desert island, one of... »
The Slippery Silk Road
As China goes organic, American farmers and consumers get thrown under the bus. »
