On a recent road trip through West Virginia with my sister Kim, I had a life-changing experience. This is somewhat hyperbolic but not entirely. Though I grew up in nearby Ohio, I hadn’t given the food of West Virginia even one moment’s thought. But I reflected quite a lot, as we weaved through […]
I’ve been working on a general piece about Paris for months now, largely because I suspected I’d have nothing new to add to what’s already been said about this grand place, and this made me reluctant to commit. Finally I realized this: despite the reputation that precedes the City of Light, I arrived there […]
My first impression of Strasbourg was one of ease, accessibility, and relaxation. Strasbourg, after the sprawl and bustle of Paris, was a welcome relief. I was staying with a friend who has an apartment in the central neighborhood of Petite France, so I was close to everything. From one side of the surrounding canal to […]
I’d eaten tarte flambée years ago, at a restaurant in downtown San Francisco that no longer exists (though I believe that space now houses Kokkari). It really made an impression on me, because it was unlike anything I’d ever had before. A thin crispy crust smeared with something creamy, covered with bacon and onions, and […]
My friends in Paris had warned me that true French éclairs* were very different from the ones I make, which contain a vanilla bean pastry cream lightened with whipped cream, and are dipped in bittersweet chocolate ganache. The classic éclair does double duty with its flavor profile: a chocolate éclair has chocolate pastry cream, a […]
My first trip to K’s Hamburger Shop was a momentous one imbued with confusion. In fairness, it doesn’t take much to stir things up at K’s because things are as they have always been and will forever be. A quick glance at the menu speaks volumes: fruit or vegetable jello ($1.25); biscuit and gravy […]
On a recent trip back to the midwest, we headed to Kentucky for a stint along the Bourbon Trail. I grew up in southwest Ohio and consider Kentucky part of my broader home turf, but as it turns out the Bluegrass state would likely take umbrage at that association. Kentuckians are very much Southerners, and […]
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