Month: January 2024

Join cheese expert and author Marissa Mullen and TASTE editor in chief Matt Rodbard on an epic culinary journey to Normandy, France, where every day promises a new dairy-based adventure—and a rich serving of European culinary culture, too. The trip begins in Deauville, where travelers will explore the city’s famed produce market and uncover the secrets behind making Normandy’s famous four: Camembert, Livarot, Pont-l’Évêque, and Neufchâtel. As the group journeys deeper into the heart of Normandy, travelers will experience a day in the life of a dairy farmer at Naturellement Normande, discover the timeless beauty of Mont-Saint-Michel—one of Europe’s most stunning sights—and learn the best ways to arrange a French tabletop during a workshop at Chât...

Baked pasta is one of my favorite dishes. Or, rather, baked pasta is one of my favorite ways to consume cheese, therefore making it one of my favorite dishes. There’s something inherently nostalgic, joyful even, about pasta bakes—the cheesiness, the crispy edges, the oddly satisfying squelching sound of the sauce being stirred into the pasta. While macaroni and cheese is probably the most beloved iteration, pasta bakes come in many forms. My take on baked pasta pairs hearty winter vegetables like cauliflower and kale with a creamy sauce and a very generous topping of feta cheese for spanakopita vibes. It has all the richness of my favorite macaroni and cheese—only lighter, brighter, and a little bit greener. It may be hard to imagine that vegeta...

Ayo Balogun loves dinner parties, so much so that he throws them several times per week—and he does it for complete strangers. You’d be understandably mistaken if you thought the venue where he hosts these parties was his living room, the walls of which are crammed with oversize photos of his parents, his uncle, and other family members. It’s actually his Brooklyn restaurant, Dept of Culture, a 15-seat, single-room space that consists of a giant communal table and a kitchen near the intersection of Nostrand Avenue and Quincy Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Chef Balogun, a native of Kwara, Nigeria, opened Dept of Culture in January 2022, and it’s had a consistent and profound presence in the NYC dining scene ever since, earning a J...

Beef Published: September 24, 2023   |   Updated: September 22, 2023   |   Comment This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details. This easy ground beef enchiladas recipe takes simple ingredients and transforms them into delicious enchiladas smothered in sauce and cheese. It’s great for family weeknight dinners served with your favorite toppings. Beef enchiladas is a Tex-Mex inspired recipe made with taco-seasoned ground beef, onions, garlic, and green chiles as a tasty and flavor-packed filling. Pick your favorite kind of tortillas, arrange them in a casserole dish and smother them generously with enchilada sauce and a Mexican cheese blend. Bake until they are warm and toasty and all that cheese has melted. Then...

Lately I’ve been spending time on Vending Machine TikTok. It’s a soothing, optimistic place where small-business owners rule the land and glinting, aluminum-packaged cheese snacks are omnipresent. In the videos, which regularly rack up millions of views, vending machine owners unlock their machines and count up their dollars, coins, and card-reader funds, tallying everything to a grand total and giving us a peek behind the clear glass curtain. The amounts of money earned in the TikToks are vastly different: sometimes $4 in four days, sometimes $288.76 in 20 days. Sometimes operators don’t check the machine for a while and unnoticed malfunctions lead to months of disuse. Even though I am 31—which is 85 in TikTok years—I got a little obsessed with...

Tin of Anchovies What Are Anchovies? Anchovies, small, silvery fish that pack a punch of flavor, have a storied history in the culinary world. These tiny, oily fish belong to the Engraulidae family and are found in temperate waters around the globe. Despite their diminutive size, anchovies have left an indelible mark on various cuisines, adding a distinctive and intense taste to a wide array of dishes. What Do Anchovies Taste Like? Anchovies are renowned for their distinctive and intense flavor. The taste of anchovies is characterized by a combination of saltiness, umami, and a slightly fishy and briny profile. The saltiness comes from the curing process, during which anchovies are typically preserved in salt. This process not only helps in preservation but also enhan...