Letter of Recommendation: Ginger Gum

A few months ago, on a Megabus ride into New York from Philadelphia, my assigned seat was the front row of the bus’s upper level, providing an overwhelming panoramic view of the pavement ahead of us — like one of those 3-D IMAX experiences, except instead of being about volcanoes or sharks, it was about…

A Perfect Cheese for Raclette

L’Etivaz is a type of Swiss Gruyère that’s made according to more traditional, higher standards than regular Gruyère, and it’s sold in a number of better cheese stores. James Coogan, the cheese buyer at Eli’s Manhattan food market, says the cheese made in 2018 (the latest available) — nutty, earthy and with a slightly fruity…

At Dulceria, Chilean Cookies and Other Delights

In a now commonplace career switch, Daniel Minzer abandoned banking for baking. “I wanted a career change, and I have a passion for food,” said Mr. Minzer, a native of Chile. His Dulceria New York City, a new brick-walled bakery as narrow as a breadstick, features Chilean confections, notably alfajores (sandwich cookies). “Chile has great…

A Single Pot Irish Whiskey Comes to America

As Irish whiskey becomes increasingly popular, climbing back up toward to the top-selling position it held 100 years ago, new distilleries are opening at a fast clip. One of them, Teeling Whiskey, established a distillery in Dublin in 2012, and now its first spirit made entirely in the city is available. Other Teeling’s whiskies, which…

Flavorful Bites in a Virtual Reality

One rainy afternoon, I floated over a galaxy of egg yolks and spiky gumball tree seeds, and plucked a fork-shaped constellation from the asteroids. In this constructed world, my hands looked red as I reached out to grasp at a small ball: a piece of real food, rendered in the digital cosmos. As I chewed,…

A Food Historian Discusses Italy’s Motor Valley

Modena, and its surroundings in north-central Italy, are known as the home of balsamic vinegar and Massimo Bottura’s highly esteemed Osteria Francescana. But in some circles, the region is famous as “Motor Valley,” where high-end cars, like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati and others, are manufactured. The food historian Francine Segan will discuss dining and driving…