Food news antipasto

Writing for Vittles, Fenja Akinde-Hummel tells an interesting story about how people from her native country have been slow to embrace microwave ovens. Along the way, she dives into a bit of microwave history and why there are conspiracy theories about microwaves that include allegorical imagery regarding the turntables.

The inventor of the Basque cheesecake, Santiago Rivera, will be hanging up his apron this year, nearly 40 years after he invented a dessert that became popular the world over. Rivera was then a young barman who experimented with recipes during his off time, including with cheesecake. He ditched the crust and bumped the baking temperature to achieve the caramelized top layer that is the hallmark of the dish.

Back in 2020, Michelin added a green star designation for restaurants to rate them by their sustainability and climate efforts. Michelin recently said that the green star will be discontinued. In its place, will be a new platform called “Mindful Voices” that aims to “amplify the commitment of inspirational chefs, hoteliers, and wine producers.” We will find out more about this new platform in June, when the first Mindful Voices awards will be announced alongside the unveiling of Michelin’s new Nordic guide.

Richmond Magazine published a great story about Leni Sorenson, a chef and culinary historian who creates historical dinners in her rural Virginia home that include deep dives into the background of each dish, often drawing on vintage cookbooks. Sorenson also offers classes on canning, bread making, and other traditional skills. “Many folks today do not have a grandmother to turn to for cooking or gardening advice,” says Sorenson, but “it’s been my amazing good fortune to have more than 50 years of experience cooking and preserving food for my family and friends. So I’m that grandma!” She’s writing her memoir which is tentatively titled “Every Damn Day”.

What do you do if a cherished family cookbook gets stolen? If you are Ranie Saidi, you begin a quest to recreate your grandmother’s recipes from scratch. Once you have achieved your goal, the logical next step is to write a cookbook, which Saidi did. The Malay Cook traces his journey from Kuala Lumpur to London, through anecdotes and recipes.

Bagels and pizza made in New York City may taste a little different going forward. New York recently passed a ban on an additive that is found in flour used by most NYC bakeries. The additive is potassium bromate, which is already banned in much of the world. Potassium bromate is an oxidizing agent, “which reduces rest time for dough and helps ensure a stronger, chewier product.”

The Black Food & Wine Festival is coming to Napa, California – June 18 through the 21st. Learn more here.

Events added to our Calendar:

• Nelson German and Andrea Lawson Gray – Caribbean Cocktails
• Claudette Zepeda – Cooking the Borderlands
• Kitchen Arts and Letters – New York – Summer and Fall cookbook clubs added

Other articles to note:

• Why the refrigerator is bad for bread
• Bringing back flavorful food
• Tomato growing tips from an expert
• A cookware battle moves to the front burner
• June 2026 Great Big Cookbook Club Summary (updated)