Rachel Laudan

Ensaimadas are the utterly delicious coiled flaky pastries made of wheat flour and lard, and found in Menorca (which I have visited) and Mallorca (which I have not). How did these two little islands in the Mediterranean come to have these pastries and when, what are the connections with the series of invaders (including Muslims [...]

Now the move from Mexico City to Austin, Texas is largely behind me and there’s a whole month before the move back, I’ve had time to browse Roberto Santibañez’s Truly Mexican.  It’s the Mexican cookbook I’ve been wanting for a long time (and I don’t say that just because Roberto is kind enough to mention [...]

Primitive tools do not need to imply primitive results.  exquisitely carved objects and elegant painting by societies tens of thousands of years before the invention of grain agriculture attest to the essentially unlimited possibilities for bread making in the context of the earliest gatherers of grains. This from William Rubel’s new little book, Bread: A [...]