Food & drink

Food & drink

Bastianich moved to Astoria in Queens, New York, as a child after her family was forced to flee from their Italian home during World War II. Having developed a deep passion for baking and cooking, the young Bastianich eventually got a part-time job at Walken's Bakery, a local business operated by the parents of none other than Christopher Walken. The bakery was located right across the street from Bastianich's home, and the families actually had something in common. Paul Walken, Christopher's father, was also an immigrant, having moved to the U.S. from Germany, In an interview with GBH News, Bastianich says, "He was a great baker. Walken's Bakery was really popular."

Made with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, the pregnancy order is made Mike's Way, a particular method of assembly that includes lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and oregano. To finish the recipe, additional pickles, banana peppers, and chopped pepper relish are thrown into the mix. Additionally, this sandwich is made on Jersey Mike's Rosemary Parmesan bread.

Layered with melted Swiss, slow-cooked pulled pork, hickory smoked ham, pickles, and mustard, Potbelly's version is a riff on a tried-and-true Cubano recipe. The satisfying effort hits all the expected flavor notes of creamy, savory, salty tanginess that have gradually come to define a Cubano. Though Potbelly's recipe lacks the traditional yellow mustard that is typically seen in Cubano sandwiches, when all of the delicious ingredients are piled into toasted bread, this is the kind of sandwich that needs no notes.

Charcuterie arrangements always spark drama whenever they come up. Everyone has a cheese brand that they're insistent is "must-have," while also dwelling on the precise thickness of meat slices and the specific type of cracker. However, there's one thing that can unite every enthusiast in horror at the mere thought of appearing on a board: juicy fruits, like watermelon. They have good reasons to be scared - these moist foods can spell doom for a good charcuterie board the moment you put them on.

Next, you need dark chocolate chips or bars. Around 60% cocoa is what you want. Milk chocolate won't set quite right, and a darker chocolate might be too firm or unpleasant - we ranked several dark chocolate bars, so you can see what fares best. Melt one and a half cups of the chocolate and then add it into the peach puree until blended.

Similar to vinegar, kombucha is made with a scoby (a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), or mother, which looks like a blobby creature from the deep. Homemade kombucha is an enjoyable project and really cheap to make (it's essentially just the cost of some sugar and a teabag), but it's also a skill that takes a little refining. Over-ferment it, and you end up with vinegar or, worse, it could explode during the secondary fermentation,

This cranberry upside-down cake, from the kitchen of recipe developer Jennine Rye, utilizes the oft-overlooked cranberry as a vibrant, alternative topping to the classic upside-down cake, giving the retro favorite a new lease on life. The deliciously tart berries are cooked beneath a spiced orange sponge that has a wonderfully soft crumb, before being turned out and brushed with marmalade for a sticky, tangy orange finish.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance the body needs for many bodily processes, but if a person has too much LDL or "bad" cholesterol, it can form sticky plaque in their arteries, putting them at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. To reduce cholesterol levels, the American Heart Association recommends exercising at least 150 minutes a week, quitting smoking and vaping, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a heart-healthy diet that's low in saturated fats and high in fiber.

The importance of calcium really can't be overstated. It strengthens our bones and our teeth, can help keep our blood pressure low, keeps our nerves communicating effectively with each other, and is even thought to help prevent cancer. We need calcium, and our bodies don't make it. We have to get it from other sources, and food is a much healthier way to do this than supplements - especially fruits and vegetables.

History buffs may know the original sandwich came in 1762 from a Englishman named John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich - a title created long before his invention involving meat and bread. It wasn't an enterprising spirit giving rise to this now everyday food, rather a matter of personal convenience. Montagu reportedly had roast beef placed between two slices of bread so he could continue playing cards without using utensils, inadvertently launching a new way of eating which eventually incorporated his Earl of Sandwich title.

It was Ruby Lou who inspired Megan to start her own thing after Megan felt like she missed the greater portion of Ruby Lou's life due to work commitments. She was working until 3 a.m. most nights in her job as a general manager of the upscale View Lounge in the San Francisco Marriott Marquis and felt like she was losing her life to her job.

I think this is going to be the greatest comeback in the history of the restaurant industry,

They're called Aldi Finds, though loyal shoppers call that specific aisle "the aisle of shame" because of how irresistible the novelty of those items can be. What makes them even more compelling is that returning favorites that haven't been available in several months or a full year are also frequently featured. Every now and then, an Aldi Find is such a big hit with the customer base that it actually becomes part of the permanent selection.

I'm a personal trainer and mom of four, and I love using my air fryer to make meals and snacks. Homemade tortilla chips and stuffed peppers are some of my favorite things to make in an air fryer. I also use my air fryer to make baked apples, breakfast bowls, and kale chips. My health-centered, active family focuses on nutrient-dense foods that provide us with energy.

If a can of coconut water and a banana smoothie had a baby, it might be banana water. The latest plant-based hydration beverage on the market is being touted as "the peel good beverage" that offers "a bunch of nutrients." And it's drumming up attention on social media. "Boyfriend says it has aromatics of slightly overripe banana," one Reddit user, leemoongrass, commented, adding, "It honestly isn't that bad."

There's great news for home chefs who prefer imported Italian pasta over American brands. Amid concerns that tariffs could kick favorite Italian pasta brands out of grocery stores, the United States has reversed course after completing an initial review of the alleged U.S. pricing practices of 13 Italian pasta brands. Higher pasta tariffs were initially passed by Congress in September, with the U.S. imposing a 92% anti-dumping duty on top of the existing 15% tariff on products imported from the EU, citing concerns that Italian pasta prices were too low.

Happy New Year, Los Angeles! 2025 was a challenging year for local restaurants, but there's also reason to be hopeful. The annual 101 Best Restaurants guide from critic Bill Addison and columnist Jenn Harris included an impressive 31 new entrants for 2025. Black chefs and restaurateurs are experiencing an unprecedented "blossoming," and though they're not immune to industry challenges, many are confident they will weather the storms.

While traditionally this is a time of year to start a diet or clean up your eating habits, what's really needed is to lean into old favourites: the dishes we grew up on and that were there for us in the past. There's something quietly radical about indulging that nostalgia in January. About choosing familiarity over novelty, pleasure over punishment, comfort over guilt.

Seafood chains run from not-so-great to downright incredible, with the best offering a variety of unique dishes, high-quality seafood sourced with an eye toward preservation and responsibility. Some even take into account extra little things that make a meal into an experience, like the views. There's something about a seafood dish at a restaurant that just hits differently than when you try to prepare it at home.

This might not seem surprising, but people have been pairing bacon with sweet flavors for years, and sometimes it works extremely well, like with maple-candied bacon. However, the smoky flavor of the bacon shake was way too overwhelming, and our tester really didn't enjoy having to chew her milkshake. The drink also wasn't sweet enough to satisfy that dessert craving that typically strikes after a salty burger and fries, so it really left her wanting more.

With items including a new variety pack from Liquid Death, plant-based Greek style yogurt from Forager Project, crispy edamame snacks, fan-favorite popsicles, and much more, there's no better time to do a little "treasure hunt" style shopping at Costco.

Some say that Irish cream is made for people who want to pass off dessert as a drink, to which we say, what's the issue? In fact, this combo of Irish whiskey, heavy cream, and various sweet flavorings is begging to jump out of the cocktail glass and into your favorite sweet treat recipes. One of the easiest, most delectable examples is a no-bake Irish cream chocolate pie.

Protein, fibre, carbs, fat - we're told to eat all these things for a balanced, nutritious diet. But is there a definitive set of foods that could set us on the path to peak health?

I often don't finish a large bottle or can of beer, leaving a bit in the bottom that barely seems worth saving. When I remember, I'll pop it in the fridge and save it to add to a stew or batter, but today's rolls are my new favourite way of using it up. Beer bread with cheddar and chives You'll need just 150ml beer to make these fluffy, super-flavourful buns.

Last year was difficult for Los Angeles chefs and restaurateurs. Many entered 2025 hoping for reprieve from previous setbacks and pitfalls: years of inflation, diminished business due to local entertainment-industry strikes and fewer productions, COVID-era back rent coming due, increases in the cost of labor and rent. But 2025 proved to be even more disastrous, compounding existing issues. It started with wildfires across the region, which destroyed thousands of Southern California homes, restaurants, bars and other businesses.

When you want something light, refreshing, and packed with nutrients, you might be craving a visit to a salad bar. It gives you the chance to customize your plate, choosing from a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. And a lot of salad bars offer more than just greens, often featuring pasta, rice, cold cuts, eggs, and more. In fact, at many restaurants, you could easily eat a whole satisfying and delicious meal straight from the salad bar.

You've probably heard it while scrolling: Yo chef, can I get a wagyu chopped cheese? The line has become a familiar hook in videos filmed inside Prospect Park Deli, a neighborhood staple that, over the past year, has turned into one of Brooklyn's most recognizable deli backdrops online. It's literally this month, makes it a year, Yazen says of when the deli first started creating content.