Food & drink

Food & drink

We don't chase every trend, but this one was big enough, and there was an opportunity to do it in a Hershey way,

Per the lore, after a bakery employee accidentally overboiled a batch of Blum's (supposed-to-be) soft coffee candy, Weil leapt into a thrifty effort not to waste it. The pastry chef broke the crispy, honeycombed sugar candy into small pieces and added it to Blum's regular sponge cake. The result was a light, fluffy, lemon-tinged chiffon cake dotted with crunchy textural morsels.

At the time of writing, we're only midway through the 2020s, so we don't know what the most popular dessert of the decade will be. If we had to make an educated guess, we'd say maybe Dubai chocolate or matcha cookies. Come back in about five years, and we'll see how well that sentence aged. If you're reading from the future: Hi, how did we do? Did we age well?

Once burned, twice shy, I decided to start simple, adding a few spoonfuls of Italian mascarpone. Despite initial reservations, the result was pleasantly surprising. The mascarpone blended effortlessly with some frozen berries and water - and dolloping another spoonful on top, it resembled a cheesy parfait. The first taste revealed a delightful creaminess, which softened some of the tang from the harsher-tasting berries like blackcurrants. Delicious.

For those who plan their traveling around food, there's a new gastronomic ranking that puts Bay Area cities way up there. The readers of Conde Nast Traveler have weighed in for its annual travel awards, and in the category of food cities, Oakland takes first place while San Francisco scores fifth. Also placing in the top 15 cities are (to no surprise) New Orleans and Chicago, and (perhaps to slight surprise) burgs in Ohio and Hawaii.

When former Epicurious staffer Kendra Vaculin tried these elegant Bombay Rolls, she proclaimed, "I never want to be without a batch." In line with this sentiment, a reader also reports, "My taste buds are singing!" Overflowing with hot green chutney and sharp cheddar, the spicy, buttery wheels are adored by all. The recipe comes from London-based cook and author Meera Sodha.

I am evolving as a host, and coming to realise that those rich dishes that crown our festive tables shine brightest when surrounded by contrasting and lighter bites before, around and after, rather than just on the day itself. I do enjoy angels and devils on horseback, devilled eggs, little sausages wrapped in bacon, mince tarts crowned with goose liver, fried breads and cheesy pizzette, buffalo wings, pate en croute, crab beignets, oysters Rockefeller, shrimp tostadas and rich tamales, but, for the most part, I save these for the parties earlier in December.

It all started as an attempt to liven up the heat of her grandmother's green pepper jelly to pass out during the holidays. Jalapeno? It just wasn't hot enough. So the tiny habanero became the heat source for a pretty yellow and orange speckled pepper jam. This simple holiday tradition has grown into one of the most talked-about artisanal jam brands in the country.

Tokyo Central will hold its grand opening on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 2026, at the Bay Street Emeryville shopping complex, according to a mall representative. The bottom-level store is located at 5603 Bay St. in a newly built 40,000-square-foot-plus anchor building, with a rooftop given over to roughly 110 parking spots. The store will stock fresh Japanese produce and staples - purple sweet potatoes, Koshihikari rice, Kurobuta pork belly -

I am not here to critique the essentials of fast food (I love it). If you want someone who will come over like the critic in Ratatouille, you're just going to have to go and rewatch Ratatouille. I am merely here to eat six festive specials, and ask myself: do I feel Christmassy, punk? Impressive' Wagamama chicken cranberry katsu curry. Photograph: Wagamama

Carbon dioxide is typically stored in tanks and is widely used by restaurants. California's hazardous materials law requires that employees receive training on the storage and handling of carbon dioxide. Leaks that displace oxygen can result in serious harm or even death. Restaurants are required to certify employees and file reports with local regulators confirming such training.

With 700 gingerbread structures, the newest installment of GingerBread Lane is now on display in Chelsea for all to admire, and it's free to visit. This year's village pays tribute to New York City's roots with gingerbread subways, a yellow taxi cab and a nod to the 34th Street Macy's store. As a celebration of the city's diversity, GingerBread Lane creator Jon Lovitch has included a gingerbread house for everyone-featuring spots like a matzo ball shop, a halal restaurant and gingerbread dreidels.

This house-brand product offers four salmon filets stuffed with a rich, savory mixture of imitation crab meat, shrimp, mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cooked rice, cheddar cheese, and bell peppers, all seasoned with black pepper, dill, and paprika. To get it ready, simply slide the foil tray into the oven and bake it for around 20 minutes. You can optionally brush the tops of the filets with butter before baking, creating a richer taste and better browning.

When you need a quiet place to sink into a book, study, or just exist without a screen, Garden House Cafe in the Outer Richmond is a perfect match. Head towards the back, away from the clutter of overstuffed bookcases, paintings, and a big studio piano near the entrance, and you'll find a sitting area that has a lot more breathing room with overgrown plants and a handful of tables.

Ice cream is centuries old and can be found around the world. The most ubiquitous flavors are impossible to trace exactly back to its origins, but we can get close. Chocolate ice cream dates back to the 1690s in Italy, even before vanilla, which didn't show up until the 1760s. Given all the specialty flavors found in ice cream shops today, from Flamin' Hot Cheetos to Thanksgiving dinner, you could safely argue there are thousands of ice cream flavors in the world.

For a restaurant that's conveniently running 24/7 and that welcomes you in with its nostalgic, come-as-you-are atmosphere, I really don't take advantage of its hospitality as much as I should. So, I recently stopped into my local Denny's to bask in the casual, family-friendly glow - even if it was just for a minute as I picked up my to-go order - and see how some of its most popular dishes stack up these days.

Looking for a warm steaming mug to take the chill off? There's nothing better than cupping your hands around a warm mug of hot chocolate or a vanilla chai latte. The best hot drinks are warming without being too heavy, flavorful but not overly sweet, and easy enough to make on a regular basis. I've been creating drink recipes for over a decade,

Grocers have rebranded and grown their portfolio of private label brands over the past several years to cater to consumers pressed by inflation, and it's paid off as the highest-earning shoppers make up an increasingly large share of the economy. Nowhere is this more true than Walmart, the leading grocer since 2019, which launched a new private label called Bettergoods in 2024 that includes products that are plant-based, organic, or gluten-free.

You'll get access to all participating bars on the crawl, drink specials, multiple DJs, and venues that are actually eager to welcome tons of costumed Santas. And you'll get $5 off with code FUNCHEAP.Tickets Include:🚨Free Entry to 9+ Festive Bars & Nightclubs 🕺Live DJs and Entertainment at Select Venues 🎄 Join the Jolliest Bar Crawl Around 🍹 Exclusive Holiday Drink Specials Costumes of all kinds are welcome - Santa suits, elves, reindeer, ugly sweaters, or full holiday mayhem.

Using ground turkey for a burger requires you to make some changes to your recipe and technique to account for the lower fat content of the meat. The leanness of the turkey, combined with the convection cooking method used in an air fryer, can result in a dry, hard turkey burger patty. One expert says that the ingredient you need to combat this issue is olive oil.

The aluminum foil tests Miller conducted were rigorous, comparing everything from the thickness and durability of the foil to the box it came packaged in and how well it could be used to wrap and steam a baked potato. Reynolds has been producing aluminum foil since the late 1940s, so perhaps it is no surprise that the brand delivers a quality product - but that quality really showed in Miller's tests.

New York City has no shortage of oyster bars. But many of these institutions, says Strange Delight executive chef and partner Ham El-Waylly, can feel "bougie and buttoned-up." Instead, the goal of the Strange Delight team - which includes Anoop Pillarisetti and Michael Tuiach - was to make their Brooklyn restaurant "feel like a party, like a place you would go [to] be rambunctious, be loud, crush some oysters, have some spinach artichoke dip, and then be on your way."

It's the most wonderful time of year again! You know, when we gather around the table to open up those cute, little red-and-white Chinese takeout boxes brimming with fried rice, General Tso's chicken and beef lo mein. It's like a culinary present for those who - no matter what holiday they celebrate - opt out of a customary meal, and all of the grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning that come with it.

Every December, Art Basel Miami Beach turns the city into a weeklong collision of creativity - and not just inside the Miami Beach Convention Center, where more than 250 leading galleries descend with blue-chip works, emerging artists, and plenty of spectacle. Across Miami, Art Week spills into hotels, restaurants, rooftops, and beach clubs, transforming the city into a pop-up playground where art, fashion, and food mingle late into the night.

There's something special about street food that cannot be replicated inside a restaurant. Maybe it's the spontaneous decision about what to order, or the personal connection we often develop with our favorite vendors, who soon know us by name. This holiday season, New York City's Museum of Food and Drink is celebrating photography that stars street food vendors from around the globe.

The wallflower of the UK's big cities, Sheffield doesn't mind the chain restaurants passing it by; that just leaves more room for its creative, multicultural population to fill the gaps. Even in the city centre, independent businesses are the mainstay - do not leave town without trying a roast pork bap from the iconic Sheffield sandwich shop Bères - and neighbourhood favourites easily establish loyal followings.

I first stumbled upon the Pre-Hispanic Mexican Cuisine food truck at San Jose's Rose Garden Farmers Market. At least a dozen people were in line, and I joined the queue out of curiosity. I was expecting a traditional taco truck menu; instead, I was stunned by unfamiliar offerings. I ordered a small feast of al pastor negro, huitlacoche (corn fungus) quesadillas, and octopus and chorizo tacos. I was hooked and visited regularly to sample the rest of the menu.

Oakland has come out on top in Conde Nast Traveler's latest Readers' Choice Awards ranking of the best US food cities, but San Francisco comes in at number five. Conde Nast Traveler has just released the 2025 winners of its annual Readers' Choice Awards for travel destinations, hotels, airlines, and more. And in the ranking of destination food cities in the US, Oakland has come in at number one this year. This may be in no small part to the great diversity of cuisines available in the city, and the sheer number of restaurants by our estimate, with around 1,500 restaurants, there is one restaurant for every 293 residents in Oakland.

A 41-year-old Cambridge sushi icon has lived several lives, tucked into a strip mall between Harvard and Central Squares, and a new one is about to begin. Cafe Sushi's dining room, closed since the early days of COVID, reopens December 3, marking another evolution for a business whose second-generation ownership transformed it from a dollar-sushi staple to a neighborhood omakase favorite, always behind the familiar glow of its neon signage.

Ziggy's Roman Cafe debuted on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, at 15 Main St. in the heart of DUMBO, Brooklyn offering high-quality Italian cuisine and an elevated ambiance designated for any day of the week. Founders Helen Zhang, a former restaurant publicist with 15 years of experience in hospitality public relations, and Igor Hadzismajovic, co-founder of Employees Only cocktail bar, envisioned a local restaurant where children are welcome to enjoy a meal during the day and adults can meet friends for drinks in the evening.