Mapo Tofu Wins the Day

Good morning. Andrea Nguyen is in The Times this week with a delightful exploration of her decadeslong fascination with mapo tofu, the fiery, fragrant specialty of Sichuan Province in China. Years of eating and reporting have led her to a bulletproof recipe for the dish (above) and, more recently, to the courage to use the…

The Gender Reveal That Doesn’t

Whatever happened to secondary sex characteristics? You know, those shapes and appendages we develop after puberty as an anatomical signage, an aid to evolution. Kardashians aside, the cultural appetite seems to be waning not only for visible gender difference but also the exaggerated tell. This is perhaps one of the reasons behind the continued success…

The Glorious Absurdity of Paris Fashion

It was the giant floating dachshund spaceship that did it. It drifted over an expansive Art Deco coliseum — site of the 2132 Lunar Games, an intergalactic extravaganza supposedly taking place 239,000 miles from earth as men and women in 50 shades of intricately worked sporting whites flew the flag of hope — to close…

Get to Know These Black Bridal Designers

Black bridal designers have been at the forefront of innovation in the bridal fashion industry for years, yet many of them have failed to receive the recognition that they deserve. Most famously, when Ann Lowe, a Black woman who created gowns for debutantes and society brides, designed Jacqueline Bouvier’s gown for her wedding to John…