Omicron is spreading more than twice as quickly as the Delta variant in South Africa, scientists report.

ImagePeople waiting to receive a dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine at a clinic in Hillbrow, South Africa, a suburb of Johannesburg.Credit…Joao Silva/The New York Times Underscoring growing concerns about Omicron, scientists in South Africa said on Friday that the newest coronavirus variant appears to spread more than twice as quickly as Delta, which had…

A Smoky and Bright Pasta

Dinner always seems a little beside the point this time of year, which I fondly regard as cookie season. Why think about chicken when you could be daydreaming about hibiscus-ginger cookies, minty lime bars or chocolate babka rugelach? The brilliant recipe editors and bakers of New York Times Cooking have come up with 24 cookies…

Our Most Popular Recipes of 2021

Phew, it’s been a wild year, but New York Times Cooking readers still found their way into their kitchens. (Cooking is a great escape, and, despite the news, you do have to eat.) Simple, quick dishes like Ali Slagle’s five-ingredient cucumber-avocado salad and Hetty McKinnon’s cauliflower piccata dominated our list of most popular recipes, but…

He Was the ‘Buli’ to Her ‘Schmuli’

When Avital Epstein and Gal Cassif met six years ago, they quickly realized they had something in common: rhyming nicknames. His, “Buli,” came from childhood. Hers, “Schmuli,” was coined when she was an adult. Their friends loved it. “I tried to fight it,” Ms. Epstein said. “But no one listened. Now our close friends call…