One Whopper Jr., Hold the Toy

In the climactic scene of “Toy Story 3,” Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the crew narrowly escape death when a remote-controlled claw lifts them from an incinerator just before flames engulf them. Now Burger King is set to enact an alternative ending — collecting, sorting and chopping up hundreds of thousands of tiny…

Thanksgiving at War

Good morning. Here’s something worth thinking about as we zoom inexorably toward next week’s feast, toward family and friends, the warmth of the kitchen, the buzz of the dining room: America has been at war for the past 18 years. Next week will mark the 19th Thanksgiving during which service members and civilians have celebrated…

How to Throw a Romantic Greek Dinner Party

On a recent fall evening in Red Hook, Brooklyn, the sky was shifting colors quickly, from blue-gray to violet, and then swiftly, it was dark. Assembled in the verdant courtyard of the ceramist Cassandra MacLeod’s studio were the friends of the chef Mina Stone, who last week opened her Mediterranean-inspired restaurant Mina’s at MoMA PS1…

The Real Heart of Thanksgiving

Every November, celery performs countless tasks: It perfumes the holiday turkey, lending moisture from the inside out; it’s the backbone of the stock in gravy; it adds bite and vegetal flavor to stuffing. But rarely does this tireless Thanksgiving staple get any thanks. “It’s hard to make it the center of the spectacle, but on…

Linens for the Holiday Table

All cooking (but especially holiday entertaining) calls for well-made kitchen towels and napkins. These generous linen oblongs, 25 by 18 inches, in bright colors like turmeric and crimson, can be on duty at the sink or the stove. Use them to wrap warm rolls in a basket or as generous napkins for guests, especially at…

Meet the Bookmobile’s Cousin

The Brooklyn Public Library runs a wealth of programs, among them the Cookmobile, which offers free cooking classes for high schoolers, particularly in neighborhoods where fresh ingredients are in short supply. A compact 5-by-3-by-2-foot unit funded by the Bklyn Incubator, the Cookmobile is fitted with a sink, induction cooktop, convection oven and enough cooking utensils…