Introduction to “A Perfect Note: Café Jacqueline and The Art of the Soufflé”
Deep in San Francisco’s storied North Beach neighborhood, Jacqueline Margulis has been making soufflés for her café’s customers five nights a week for more than 40 years. Welcome to our story—and mini-documentary—on the only restaurant in the U.S. that specializes solely on this challenging but famously scrumptious symbol of French cuisine.
Film by PHOEBE RUBIN
Story by TODD OPPENHEIMER
Cuba’s Harvest of Surprises
More than two decades ago, a Cuban farming revolution that had nothing to do with ideology bore a bounty of fruit. What could the U.S. learn about sustainable agriculture from its much smaller neighbor?
By CHRISTOPHER D. COOK
Listen to “The Glass Builder”
Ann Morhauser started with nothing but debt in a tiny glassware studio in Watsonville, a coastal community in central California. Now her work is in stores across the country—and in the Smithsonian. What is her secret to artisanal success?
Listen to “The Hidden Powers of a Sheep”
Not only is wool unusually cozy and durable, but its creators (the sheep) can help regenerate the soil, along with the world’s drying, fire-prone landscapes. The good news: a wool revival seems to be underway.
The Hidden Powers of a Sheep
While the fashion industry continues to produce more and more clothing made from synthetics, with all their harmful effects, we’ve ignored the wonders of wool. The material is natural, durable, and endlessly renewable; more important, its creators (the sheep) can help regenerate the soil, along with the world’s drying, fire-prone landscapes. Fortunately, a wool revival seems to be underway.
By JUDITH D. SCHWARTZ
Listen to “The New Sign Painters”
The commercial signs of yesteryear, which were all painted by hand, offer a kind of beauty, personality, and longevity that today’s industrial signs have been unable to duplicate. While exploring what’s left of the old sign-painting traditions, we stumbled upon small but lively seeds of revival.
Metalsmith Forges Opportunities for Black Women Artists
Within an arts ecosystem that often marginalizes people of color, Karen Smith found a nontraditional path to becoming a metal artist. Now she’s inspiring women like her do the same. Karen Smith’s website bio opens with a deceptively straightforward tagline: “I am a Black woman artist.” This declaration feels radical, not because of any explicit…
Listen to “The Perfect Pen”
Fountain pens have always served as the quintessential combination of beauty, tradition, and dexterity. But did you know they’re also tools of environmental consciousness? Join our tour of the fountain pen’s history, infinite varieties, and remarkable powers. With tips for shopping and maintenance.
Listen to “The Lost Art of Traditional Bow Hunting”
As interest in hunting with a bow and arrow has risen, much of the gear has gone high-tech. Meanwhile, a small band of purists like Gabriel Miossi have turned to a traditional Native American weapon: the stick bow.
