The Frankenpastry era continues

Dominique Ansel's Cronut - released in 2013 - was likely the spark of the pastry mashup that continues to proliferate at bakeries around the world, but the roots go back a bit further. In 1996, NYC pastry chef Maury Rubin created a pretzel croissant that predates the Cronut by more than a decade. However, the rise of the internet made… read more

Pretend private chefs become a TikTok trend

There is no shortage of content creators who are (or were) chefs, including private chefs. But some 'private chef' accounts are playing fast and loose with the concept of 'client' - calling their parents, significant other, and even themselves the client. Food and Wine explains why this can actually be a way to break out of cooking doldrums. Food and… read more

Food news antipasto

This week's food news recap is a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short. We start with Tucker Shaw (of The Bittman Project) who has surprising uses for a packet of yeast (subscription required). Add it to cake, banana bread, and other baked goods, where it adds an intriguing flavor and contributes to the texture as well. London’s Borough Market… read more

From basic to bougie

One aspect of food history that fascinates me is how certain items can be considered trash food in one era only to be exhorted as gourmet in the next. This holds true for many items: lobster, ribs, chicken wings, pork belly, and even caviar. Why do these items climb from peasant food to high dining fare? Sometimes the driving force… read more

What’s really in that can of pumpkin

Unlike the pumpkin in Disney's classic tale Cinderella, the contents of the cans of pumpkins in your pantry will not transform into a coach to carry you to the ball. Some people even claim that what's in the can isn't pumpkin at all, it's squash. Food writer Kimberly Holland wants to set the record straight, and says that the substance… read more

Will one of these be the next “it” ingredient?

Like any fashion, ingredient fads come and go. For a while, tajín could be found on everything, and before that, miso had its moment. Flavor and the Menu takes a look at six ingredients that might just be the next breakout star. Noor’s black lime tofu from Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage and Noor Murad The article breaks… read more

Food news antipasto

The Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland updates its online guide monthly, adding recommendation based on its inspectors' travels. It recently added 24 new restaurants to its listings, including locations run by Aiden Byrne, Adam Handling, and Tom Kerridge. In 2026, Michelin plans to host the live launch of its updated guide in Ireland for the first time. Speaking of… read more

Apples, apples, everywhere

In my neck of the woods, autumn has fully arrived (after a lingering warm spell), with crisp morning air and blazing color on the trees. This time of year - between the oppressive summer heat and the blistering cold of winter - has a lot going for it, including the flavors of autumn, especially apples. If you live near an… read more

Why you either love or hate candy corn

It's the time of year when one of most polarizing foods is either proudly displayed or avoided like a creepy uncle. The food, of course, is candy corn. Whether you are a fan or think it is disgusting, Serious Eats explains that there is a scientific reason for the extreme opinions people hold about the candy. Invented over a century… read more

Food news antipasto

Lay's brand potato chips (crisps) recently launched a bold new look for its packaging, but it wasn't a flashy new font or logo. Instead, the new bags prominently feature an image of a potato. Lay's did this because, according to research the company conducted, more than 50% of people did not know that Lay's potato chips were made from actual… read more

Food banks brace for increased demand

Demand for food bank services has been increasing in the past several months while contributions have decreased, putting a strain on organizations across the United States. Food insecurity affects nearly 1 in 7 US households and 1 in 5 US children. With grocery prices high and continuing to rise, prospects for a decline in those numbers is not likely. Making… read more

When homemade isn’t good enough

There are so many things I can make at home that are better than even a top-shelf brand - mayonnaise, chicken stock, sandwich bread, salad dressing, all sorts of cakes, cookies, and desserts. Yet there remains a white whale that I seemed doomed to chase for eternity, never finding a way to make it better at home: pistachio spread. Homemade… read more

Recipes ‘to die for’

Cherished family recipes are often handed down from one generation to the next. Occasionally someone takes a recipe to the grave with them, but others do the opposite - quite literally. There is a phenomenon of people remembering their loved ones through their special or favorite recipes by inscribing the same on their gravestones. Rosie Grant, the creator behind @GhostlyArchive,… read more

The top 25 cocktails of the past 25 years

You can find well-crafted cocktails in nearly every corner of the world these days, but the state of cocktails prior to their renaissance at the beginning of the century was fairly dismal. Sickly sweet concoctions meant for getting you drunk were the norm; finely crafted drinks that offered layers of flavor were rare. Things changed starting in the 2000s, with… read more

How do you clean mushrooms?

One of the most persistent kitchen myths is that if you wash mushrooms, they will absorb liquid and get soggy. Food scientists tell us that isn't true, but many people still clean mushrooms only through dry methods like brushing or using a clean kitchen cloth. The Guardian recently put the question of how to clean mushrooms to a panel of… read more

Move over bananas, there’s a new sheriff in town

For decades, bananas were the most popular fruit in the United States. It makes sense because they are easy to transport, store relatively well, and most kids like them. However, a new fruit now reigns supreme - at least in Google searches. A new report by Gourmet Gift Baskets ranks mangos as the number one searched-for fruit in the US.… read more

Food news antipasto

Carla Hall fans who were dismayed when she was taken off the Holiday Baking program on Food Network now have a reason to celebrate: the chef and television host will be appearing in Gordon Ramsay's baking competition show, Next Level Baker. Hall joins Ramsay and Candace Nelson in the series, which airs on Fox beginning December 4. In other Gordon… read more

Is this Le Creuset diss merely clickbait?

Writing for Grub Street, Tammie Teclamarian has declared that Le Creuset has gone from being useful to tacky and is, in a word, "cheugy". First things first - a definition: Cheugy is an American neologism coined in 2013 as a pejorative description of lifestyle trends associated with the early 2010s. This aesthetic has been described as "the opposite of trendy" or… read more

Food news antipasto

It has been a few years since we wrote about the Internet Archive's extensive cookbook collection, and a recent article reminded me about this amazing (and free) resource. Many of the older works have been scanned and are available for download in several formats including Kindle and PDF. The books aren’t limited to U.S. or English language publications. The archive also… read more

Penny pinchers won’t give up their butter

With prices on a seemingly endless climb, people are tightening their belts and closely watching their budgets. One food item that isn't being cut? Butter, especially high-end, boutique butter. The Los Angeles Times reports on an ultra-spendy, $60/pound butter that sells out within minutes in online flash sales, while The Guardian brings us the story that specialty butter sales in… read more

Food news antipasto

Value grocery chain Aldi is starting a complete revamp of its private label merchandise. The move comes after extensive customer feedback, placing the Aldi name front and center. Many items will also feature the nicknames that customers have given the product, such as Red Bag Chicken. Aldi has also met its goal that every Aldi-exclusive product will have reusable, recyclable,… read more

Is cereal technically soup?

The easiest way to start an argument among food lovers are the questions about food categories or definitions. Is a taco a sandwich? Are ravioli dumplings? Let the fight commence. Over at Food Republic, they are currently arguing about whether cereal is a soup. Rhubarb, ginger & strawberry soup from Green Kitchen Stories by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl While… read more

The rise and fall of “foodie”

Jaya Saxena, former correspondent at Eater, has had her last byline on the website and boy, is it a doozy. Saxena dives into the formation of "foodies," how the term has transformed in the past quarter century, and what it looks like today. She explores this history in parallel to - and driven by - the rise of food television… read more

A new definition of bread bag

Reducing food waste just got fashionable - as in items to wear and/or to hold. At the fashion website Dauphinette, you can find Toast Bags, Croissant Minaudière, a Bag-uette, and more items made from real, surplus bread. Dauphinette collaborated with Yukiko Morita at Pampshade to create these reimagined 'bread bags'. The Croissant Minaudière and Toast Bag at Dauphinette The bread… read more

Food news antipasto

We start out this week's review with the passing of two very different culinary figures. The first is Marian Burros, cookbook author, food columnist for The New York Times from 1981 to 2014, and former Washington Post food editor, who has died at age 92. An Emmy award-winning television host, Burros became famous for her plum torte recipe, which was… read more
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