The Masters of Food & Drink
In the peak of summer, what’s better than a slow-cooked meal, cold beer, and fine ice cream? To answer that question, we’re revisiting some of our favorite masters of food and libations. We begin with three: Paula Wolfert, who introduced the West to the magic of old-world clay-pot cooking; the boys of Method Beer, who are pushing the limits of alcohol science; and Andrea Soban, a master gelatiere from gelato’s birthplace–the mountains of Northern Italy.
Inside Khari Baoli: India’s—and Asia’s—Largest Spice Market
In the heart of Old Delhi, a bustling market street called Khari Baoli serves as the home of Asia’s—and perhaps the world’s—largest spice market. Along both sides of this street sit heaping mounds and baskets of turmeric, cardamom, coriander, and all the other spices that give Indian cooking its distinctive, complex flavors. The vendors on…
Written and photographed by LAURA FRASER
The Secrets of an Italian Gelato Master
Gelato, it turns out, is a very different creature from ice cream. And there is a reason that the best gelato tastes so creamy yet still light, so balanced, so indescribably perfect. The secret—according to master gelatieri Andrea Soban of Valenza, Italy—involves patience, exceptional ingredients, and a fine-tuned knowledge of food chemistry.
Story and photography by ERLA ZWINGLE
Rum’s Revenge
In Brooklyn, a former nuclear engineer borrows from the Caribbean’s traditional methods of distilling rum, reviving America’s first spirit in the process.
By BRYCE T. BAUER
Paula Wolfert and the Clay Pot Mystique
A gastro-scientific investigation of why cooks believe food tastes better (note: much better) when it’s cooked in a ceramic pot. Tour guide: Paula Wolfert, the legendary queen of American clay-pot cooking.
Written by TODD OPPENHEIMER
Photography by CLAIRE BLOOMBERG
The Drought Fighter
On a frigid, eight-acre farm just outside downtown Sebastopol, Paul Kaiser has devised a hyper-intensive form of organic agriculture that is grossing more than $100,000 an acre. And, he believes, saving the planet at the same time. Yet a number of farming experts see trouble on his horizon.
By TODD OPPENHEIMER
Other Topics In This Theme
How Far Can Beer Science Go?
Where else would you expect to find a band of techno-scientific beer geeks except in the industrial side of San Francisco, Ground Zero for start-ups? Join our fermentation correspondent as she travels to the outer edges of beer flavors with the boys of Method Beer.
By GRACE RUBENSTEIN
Spoonism
“How I stumbled upon the world’s most perfect eating utensil”: Owen Edwards pays homage to the humble, essential spoon, particularly the version designed by the legendary Massimo Vignelli.
By OWEN EDWARDS
Photography by CLAIRE BLOOMBERG