These Ingredients Deserve Your Attention

I used to think that paprika and parsley were just for show — nothing more than powdery red dashes on creamy deviled eggs, and verdant speckles breaking up the brown monotony of beef stew. Pretty, but expendable. I understood the herbal intensity of parsley when I tasted whole leaves mixed into a butter lettuce salad.…

Room for Everyone at the Table

This article is part of a series on Visionaries. The New York Times selected people from all over the world who are pushing the boundaries of their fields, from science and technology to culture and sports. Steve Palmer has opened dozens of restaurants over the course of his career. He knows how to coax the…

How to Eat Alone (and Like It)

When the ancient Roman politician Lucius Lucullus noticed his night’s menu looking dull, he gave instructions to his cook to prepare a lavish, multiple-course feast. When the cook asked what type of guests to expect, he responded with indignation: “Dost thou not know that today Lucullus dines with Lucullus?” For Lucullus, meals were more than…