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Beard Awards Tonight Follow Weekend of NYC Eating

  It’s rare when art imitates life so obviously, and in-your-face, but there I was on Saturday night in Brooklyn, waiting for a table at Pok Pok, the highly-touted Portland Thai restaurant’s new branch, inhaling the scent of lemongrass and fish sauce, when, after glancing around the rear dining room, I realized there were at … Continued

How To Pickle Vegetables

When it comes to pickles, Paul Virant is a bit of a savant. Long before amuses of pickled purple carrots arrived on tables and garnishes with pickled ramps began to be standard operating procedure at brunches across the city, Virant was picking his peak-of-season produce then pickling it for use during the long winters at … Continued

Top 5 Predictions This Weekend

  The Great Carnac, I am not. There is no crystal ball in my pantry, and the only kind of tarot that’s been dealt to me has been fried and served during dim sum service. But there is just so much going on this weekend – the NRA Show, the Beard Awards – that I … Continued

Peking Duck (in Beijing)

  It was a tough slog, but after eating 6 ducks in four days, I felt like I conquered my own personal Great Wall of Peking duck. Beijing is really the capital of this style of duck, and it shows: nearly every great restaurant I visited had their own procedure – be it air hose … Continued

Noma Claims #1 Again as Best Restaurant in the World

The “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” announced Denmark’s Noma as the world’s top restaurant for the third year in a row today in London. The votes were cast by members of the Academy representing 27 regions around the world. Each region consists of a 31-member panel made up of food critics, chefs, restaurateurs and gastronomes.   … Continued

World’s 50 Best Restaurants Announced Today

I’m in London this weekend, attending meetings for the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” sponsored by San Pellegrino, which will hold its annual awards ceremony later today (about 2 p.m. Chicago time). I’ve been on the judging Academy the past few years, overseeing the Canada/Mid-USA Region. Organizers have divided the globe up into 27 regions, with each … Continued

A Midwestern Taste Tour This Weekend

Every great road trip experience is marked by dinner at a historic, family-owned diner after a long day of driving. To commemorate the spirit of food and travel, the Greater Midwest Food Alliance is presenting Road Food: Exploring the Midwest One Bite at a Time, a three-day conference that begins today and runs through Sunday. … Continued