“This is the era of the formerly unwanted plant,” Ligaya Mishan writes. The common weed holds no nutritional or aesthetic value in traditional settings, but adventurous chefs and florists are finding a place for weeds alongside traditionally more grand flowers and ingredients. The switch is being attributed to a broader cultural moment—that our perception of beauty is changing. Weeds are an intrusive species that finds …
Traditional Indian ingredients, used in cooking and drink-making by older generations, have reappeared in trendy cocktail bars. In a nation known for its wide array of traditional spices and fruits, components like aam panna (a juice from green mangoes), kaanji (a juice from black or fermented carrots) and kala khatta syrup (made from Indian blackberry) can now be found in the burgeoning craft cocktail scene. …
When we first began writing about June Taylor back in 2005, we were almost hesitant to reveal something we loved so much. Taylor, who describes herself as a “seed-to-stem” creator, selects (and sometimes even picks) each piece of organic seasonal fruit and turns them all into an array of delicious products including jams, jellies, marmalades, fruit butters, fruit cheeses, candied peels and syrups. The latter …
