Technique
Tuile: The Edible Roof Tile
That crisp curved shard on a fine dessert is a tuile — and making one is a race against cooling.
Restaurants
Every Plate at Once
Your whole table's food lands together, hot. One person you never see makes it happen.
Food Culture
Don't Flip the Fish
At a Chinese table, a whole fish is never flipped. The reason isn't the fish.
Cultural Drinks
The Water in the Whisky
The few drops of water some whisky drinkers add aren't a compromise at all.
Wine
The Bottle the Palace Keeps on Hand
A royal crest does not mean "best." It means something quieter: supplied, kept, and returned to.
Food Culture
Resting the Steak Doesn't Do What You Think
The rule is useful. The story behind it is not quite true.
Wine
Why Wine Sleeps on Its Side
What looks like storage is really a form of care.
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Essays on restaurants, wine, rituals, and the culture of taste.