Good Food

Chef J. Kenji López-Alt breaks down the science behind cooking in his New York Times column. His first cookbook focuses on the wok and its versatility in the kitchen. Good Food contributor Kenny Ng researches the history of fried rice and shares his personal experiences with the dish. Chowhound birthed many local food bloggers as an early website and gathering place for food enthusiasts, and it’s going offline this week. Leah Hyslop has a brownie recipe for every occasion and mood. LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison has a breakdown of the James Beard Award finalists. Finally, the spring equinox is Sunday, and correspondent Gillian Ferguson talks Nowruz and herbs with Chef Debb Michail at the farmer’s market.

The culinary influence of the Transatlantic Slave crossing is evident throughout the American South. In the Costa Chica area of Oaxaca, Mexico, the heritage is equally rich but not often recognized or discussed, says food writer Bill Esparza. Michelle Bishop of Harlem Needle Arts describes the work behind The Legacy Quilt, on display in the “African/American: Making the Nation’s Table” exhibit at the Museum of Food and Drink. Lauren Ko is designing pies that are made for Instagram. Lucy Haro, a grant recipient from Re:Her, is serving Peruvian soul food at Qusqo Bistro. LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison reviews Yangban Society in the Arts District. Tomatoes are ripe at the farmer’s market.

Maite Gomez-Rejón has spent the past decade exploring the intersection of art and culinary culture. She describes corn as the lifeforce of the Americas and was the co-curator of the first exhibit at LA Plaza Cocina, a new museum dedicated to Mexican food. Curtis Kimball made friends and brought a neighborhood together by serving up pancakes. Lisa Gill investigated heavy metal in pantry spices for Consumer Reports. Rachel Baron reported on the benefits of using foreign language characters and words in cookbooks. Chefs Andrew Marco and Ralph Hsiao are bringing that neighborhood bodega feel to Koreatown via Open Market. Finally, Jesus Ramirez-Arteaga is shopping for beets at the farmer’s market for a salad at natural wine bar, Good Clean Fun.

Roy Choi confronts social justice issues such as employee inequity and gentrification in the second season of his Emmy Award-winning series “Broken Bread.” Yale history professor Paul Freedman explores the cultural significance of food and why it matters in breaking down stereotypes and understanding taste. Journalist Michele Maynard reports from Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Paul Saginaw and Ari Weinzweig opened Zingereman’s, an empire 40 years in the making that is built on customer satisfaction. In Leimert Park, Nesanet Abegaze and her mother are pivoting to an Ethiopian-Mexican fusion concept at Azla Vegan. Signs of spring appear at the market where peas make their debut.

Brad Johnson arrived in Los Angeles from New York City where he cut his teeth in the restaurant business. Soon he had the hottest place on the Sunset Strip — the Roxbury, spoofed by Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan on Saturday Night Live. Johnson has a podcast that showcases his years and Black voices in the business. Multitasking and perfection are in Leanne Brown’s DNA, yet sometimes her self-worth falters in favor of anxiety, so she turns to the kitchen to remind herself that she is good enough for nutrition and self-care. Nikita Richardson shares her avatar in the life simulation video game, “The Sims,” where characters learn to cook and experience new foods. Jet Tila, the prince of Thai cuisine in Los Angeles, shares his favorite dishes to make. Chef Alisa Reynolds is modernizing Southern comfort food, making gluten-free favorites in her kitchen at My 2 Cents. Finally, seedless and easy-to-peel winter citrus are chefs’ favorites this time of year.

With the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day around the corner, Good Food talks to Brad Kintzer, who has created a series of plant-based chocolates at TCHO. Food writer Alicia Kennedy says nooch, the cheesy-flavored powder more commonly known as nutritional yeast, is rising in popularity. Chef Charity Morgan stands behind a plant-based diet and cooked the Tennessee Titans into the NFL playoffs. Shelley Leopold has the lowdown on where to pick up the best Super Bowl eats across town and where to go to cheer on the hometeam with fellow Rams fans. LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison visits Echo Park for the city’s latest Italian spot. Finally, sustainable prawns are coming to the farmer’s market.

Natalia Pereira shares her life in recipes, canvassing photography, art, and poetry inspired by her memories of the Brazilian cuisine of her youth. Los Angeles Times restaurant critic Bill Addison marvels at the Iranian breads of Kouzeh Bakery. Icelandic chef Gísli Matt honors traditional ingredients while using modern techniques. Food journalist Dan Saladino researches generations of food eaten and those at risk. It may be winter, but tropical fruit is at Southern California farmers’ markets. Finally, engineer Richard Gomez is pimping a new food cart soon to hit the streets of Los Angeles.

When Joe Coulombe conceived of Trader Joe’s, he catered to a new customer who was overeducated and underpaid. Horticulturist Shannie McCabe champions heirloom varieties of seeds, sharing their histories and those of the farmers who grow them in the Baker Creek Seed Catalog. Hannah Marler funded her education by selling seeds. Sharon Wee prepares for Lunar New Year and describes the traditions of her Peranakan heritage. Bill Addison has recommendations for modern Filipino wine bar, Lasita. Finally, it’s time to make marmalade with citrus from the farmer's market.

With a penchant for design, Corinne Mynatt became obsessed with discovering the history and functions of kitchen tools from flea markets around the world. David Owen considers the environmental consequences of the kitchen’s largest tool — the refrigerator. Amanda Hesser tackles the herculean task of combing through over 150 years of New York Times recipes. Rhea and Marcel Michel combine their heritages for the ultimate rotisserie chicken. Los Angeles Times restaurant critic Bill Addison visits a new market hall in San Gabriel Valley. Baby kale is the new darling at the farmer’s market.

Arts journalist Carolina Miranda asks in her essay remembering California native Joan Didion. Miranda recounts Didion’s reference of her family’s potato masher in her work, “Where I Was From.” Podcaster and author Cathy Erway recommends sprucing up the pantry by springing for high-quality sesame oil. Evan Halper reports on California’s charge to eliminate the use of gas in homes and businesses. Chef Kavachi Ukegbu is on a mission to expand the audience of West African cuisines and its staple — fufu. LA Times restaurant Bill Addison returns with a review of Horses in Hollywood. Finally, conehead cabbage has an expected look with an unexpected sweetness and can be found across Los Angeles farmers’ markets.