Food news antipasto

‘Tis the season for baking, and one item that many families enjoy this time of year is making a gingerbread house. Whether it’s cozy and rustic or elaborate and expansive, gathering around the table to assemble a gingerbread house is sure to create memories. If you are new to this pastime, Australian Gourmet Traveller has a primer on how to make a gingerbread house.

Would you pay $50 USD for eight strawberries? Plenty of chefs would, but only if they are ‘Omakase berries’. The latest rage in high-end dining in NYC, the berries wowed chefs with their flavor, sweetness and appearance. Omakase strawberries are about three times as sweet as supermarket berries. I’m skeptical, but I’ve yet to taste one. If you have, please let us know what you think about them.

Revered restaurateur Jiro Ono’s (Jiro Dreams of Sushi) extended chat on all things sushi shocked the industry and aficionados alike when it was first published in 1997. His restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro, has long been regarded as the best sushi restaurant in the world, but it recently lost its three Michelin stars. The reason? Not because the quality has slipped, but rather because it is no longer available to the everyone. “We recognise Sukiyabashi Jiro does not accept reservations from the general public, which makes it out of our scope,” a spokeswoman for the Michelin Guide explained.

Serious Eats is the sixth-most popular blog (although it’s much more than a blog) in the EYB Library. Well over 3,000 Members have Serious Eats on their Bookshelf. If you are a fan of the site, head over to Grub Street, which interviewed the founders and stars of Serious Eats and compiled an oral history of the site.