How I flouted a cardinal French gardening rule
It’s only a matter of time before some local wag tries to diminish my dominance
Spectator Life
An intelligent mix of culture, style, travel, food and property, as well as where to go and what to see.
The joy of preparing freezer jam
Enjoy summer’s fresh berries — but don’t forget to plan ahead
May 6, 2025
The oyster is your world
What other food could be so eloquent? What other food could communicate so much with so little force?
Tomato-gate: how I reclaimed my garden
Nothing beats befuddling my French garden neighbors each year with ridiculously early, cold-resistant tomatoes
The allure of edible petals
The loveliest cheesecake I’ve ever seen was lacquered in a strawberry glaze and decorated with rose petals
The highs and lows of Montana’s state fair
Despite what the Duchess of Sussex tells us, not everyone has access to fresh produce from a farmer’s market
April 9, 2025
The joy of French school lunches
I can’t wait to hear about what my grandchildren had for le déjeuner
The beauty and complexity of salmon
It is always welcome at the table, both in material and topical form
March 13, 2025
The small town in Ontario with a world-class chocolatier
There is no season that calls for chocolate more loudly than Easter
Why German-origin Americans keep quiet about their culinary contributions
The influence on food is so widespread, and has fused so successfully with American culture, that one might forget it is there
February 23, 2025
The Caviar Kaspia experience
I have spent some of my most memorable evenings behind Caviar Kaspia’s fabled doors
February 17, 2025
Why did Spain leave behind such terrible food?
If you must be colonized by the Spanish, make sure you have some of your own recipes beforehand
January 29, 2025
I can’t stand Stanley Tucci
He’s just too pleased with himself
January 24, 2025
Ship shape: Normandie, the biggest French restaurant of all
As a symbol of that way of life, no space on any other ship could compare with Normandie’s grand restaurant
November 21, 2024
How to host the perfect Christmas party
Things going wrong are an opportunity for the magic to happen
Catching my breath in Paris
The trip ended with oysters, scallops and steak tartare at Le Stella, a cozy neighborhood bistro, and a peaceful train ride home
Casa Bonita, the greatest restaurant in the world
How the South Park guys rescued a local icon of their childhoods and mine
October 21, 2024
Dining with the Chinese food pioneers of New York
‘I feel like New York is the city that is always exploring new things. If you have a new idea, you put it here’
Chicken soup for the souls: a feast for the dead
In Britain and Ireland, children and poor people would go door to door on November 2, singing and asking for soul cakes
September 12, 2024
In praise of Halloween food
It’s all about the candy
Culling cookbooks
I have never been able to give away any cookbook that either family or friends have presented to me with love
August 19, 2024
Carbonara in the land of the free
After one too many menu substitutions, is the customer always right?
Baked Alaska has become more accessible than ever
Where are the risk-takers of yore? This is far too safe, hardly a gamble at all
July 18, 2024
Pavlova: a dessert inspired by the Dying Swan
Where the Dying Swan is about nature and spirit terribly at odds, delicious and beautiful food literally keeps body and soul together
June 17, 2024
Iron clad: good cooking’s most essential metal
Here the ancient actually beats out the modern
Venezuela’s arepas are a godsend
The older the budare is, the better. Or so says my mom
How to make the perfect clafoutis
Difficult to pronounce. But oh-so divine and easy to make
May 15, 2024
Summer flavor pairings
How do we work out which foods go together?
May 13, 2024
Eating my way around Helsinki
The city’s established and rising culinary stars are making a special kind of magic
