Good Food

Poised to open an all-day Middle Eastern cafe in East Hollywood , chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis pay homage to their heritage in their sophomore restaurant cookbook, “ Bavel .” After a year in the kitchen and embracing DIY projects, journalist Danielle Dreilinger traces the history of the surprising science behind home economics. TASTE editor Anna Hezel weighs in on the benefits of nonstick cookware. Australian chef Josh Niland approaches fish butchery with sustainability and suggestions on how to use every component of a fish. Market correspondent Ben Mims talks about flowering broccoli with Justin Peach of Anajak. Los Angeles Times restaurant critic Bill Addison heads south to Anaheim for Yemeni cuisine.

After retiring from sailing a barge down the Thames River, Gerald Stratford took a different route than most septuagenarians — becoming a Twitter sensation while imparting his gardening prowess. Ali Slagle eschews mise en place and incorporates prep into her recipes for perfectly low-effort meals. Tejal Rao tracks down the artisans creating the plastic food models displayed in the windows of Japanese restaurants. Helena Bottemiller Evich reports on the baby formula shortage and the precursors leading to national panic. Finally, cherry season is short, but it’s happening now at the farmer’s market.

A child of the 1970s, chef Rick Martinez grew up in Austin before moving to Mexico in search of his heritage. Food workers and farmers are galvanizing and forming unions to push for fair practices. Chef and activist Suzanne Barr didn’t have aspirations to own a restaurant, but cooking for her ailing mother sent her career on a new trajectory. Eddie Lin remembers Yening “Lupe” Liang of Hop Woo, a Chinatown institution. Felix Böck was inspired to develop a recycling system for reusing chopsticks. LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison visits the new location of Shunji. Dragan Ivanovic drives a refrigerated truck with his forage that he brings directly to chefs’ doorsteps.

Chefs reflect on the life lessons their mothers taught them in the kitchen. Author Kim Fay weaves together a story of friendship and food in her epistolary novel, “Love & Saffron.” Food writer Barbara Hansen reminisces about introducing international flavors to her Angeleno audience. If you’re ready to make mom breakfast in bed, Cathy Barrow has a five-ingredient recipe for homemade bagels. Ellen Freund and Mara LePere Schloop discuss the research involved to bring the food and cooking of “Pachinko” to the screen. Finally, Ben Mims talks to pastry chef Hannah Ziskin about her excitement for Meyer lemons.

“I’ll Have What She’s Having” is a new exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center that explains the roots of the Jewish delicatessen in New York and the migration of the pastrami sandwich and matzo ball soup to the West Coast. A new generation of deli owners in Los Angeles are supporting each other by sharing knowledge and recipes, while paying homage to their predecessors. Megan Tucker of Mort & Betty’s is creating deli favorites that cater to vegans. The taste for cannabis edibles is on the rise and LA Times staff writer Stephanie Breijo samples local, chef-driven products on the market. Político reporter Ximena Bustillo has a rundown of President Biden’s 2023 budget and allocations that support agriculture and food programs. Finally, it’s strawberry season at the farmer’s market.

In celebration of Earth Day, John and Molly Chester mark the decade-long restoration of their land with the film “The Biggest Little Farm: The Return.” Liz Carlisle and Neil Thapar discuss how five women of color are using regenerative farming to grow food and connect with their ancestral heritage. Filmmaker Liz Marshall follows a former cardiologist who is growing cultivated meat in the lab. Newly appointed LA Times Food Editor Daniel Hernandez tracks down his favorite Mexican fermented drinks on this side of the border. Bill Addison reviews a Malaysian coffee shop in Alhambra. Finally, Ben Mims finds sunchokes at the farmer’s market.

Sofika Zielyk has been making pysanka, Ukrainian Easter eggs, since she was a young girl, and now she’s using her craft to help contain the outrage and heartbreak over the political strife in her wartorn home country. Zaynab Issa has solutions for keeping iftar, the evening meal, stress-free during Ramadan. Fifth generation chicken keeper Lisa Steele shares recipes and techniques for showcasing the versatility of eggs. Benedetta Jasmine Guetta provides a history of Jewish Italians and dishes to bring to the seder table this Passover. Finally, tangerines are at their sweetest this time of year at the farmer’s market.

Natasha David found inspiration in her mother’s white wine spritzers to create low-alcohol cocktails with a happy buzz. Lauren Lemos of Wax Paper took to social media to air grievances about the predatory practices of online delivery apps. Vanessa Cecena helped compile a behemoth of a cookbook celebrating Mexican food.Soraya Kishtwari was innocently reporting on the Cyprian cheese halloumi when she discovered a world of geopolitics and regional pride. Uyen Le is striving for equity and sustainability at her Vietnamese restaurant, Bé Ù. Finally, David Tanis is fanatical about asparagus while shopping at the farmer’s market.

Eric Kim, cooking columnist for the New York Times, headed to Atlanta during the pandemic where he worked on his first cookbook, “‘Korean American,” and unlocked the tricks to his mother’s kimchi. Pomologist Adam Leigh Gollner explains the history behind the USDA’s extensive catalog of watercolors depicting fruits and nuts. Rick Martínez shares his recipe for capirotada, a Mexican bread pudding served during Lent. Siobhan McDonough reports on how the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will affect the global food supply. Yuko Wantanabe finds solace baking among plants for an edition of “In the Weeds.” Finally, Kismet chef Sara Kramer uses honeydew radishes from the farmer’s market in a crudo.

Brothers Craig and Shaun McAnuff, born in South London to Jamaican parents, embrace the Ital diet of Rastafarians, which includes plant-based recipes using spice and natural flavors. The Associated Press’ Adam Beam reports on how California farmers are looking for alternatives to irrigate their crops as drought continues in the state. Americans annually consume $4 billion of carbonated water — is that better than its flat counterpart? Chef and author Naz Deravian explains how Afghans celebrate Nowruz at the table. LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison grabs a spot at the counter at Clark Street Diner. Finally, green garlic is at the farmer’s market, where correspondent Ben Mims talks about shrimp curry with Rashida Holmes of Bridgetown Roti.