Deirdre Heekin at La Garagista in Barnard, Vermont. 2023 | No. 112 The Field Studies of Deirdre Heekin in VermontWhat a New Terroir Can Teach Us About Wine By Valerie Kathawala Vermont has quickly and unexpectedly become one of the most talked about and admired regions in the wine world, drawing journalists, sommeliers, and would-be wine growers and makers. But much of what makes Vermont wine so beguiling — its small scale, unusual varieties, cool climate, and largely unexplored terroir — also threatens to limit it. Labor is scarce. Financial barriers to entry are high. State investment an ..read more

  2023 | No. 112 When It’s Time to Buy New Coffee Cups Form Follows Function Including an Interview with Fabiana Carvalho By Edward Behr I had four coffee cups that I loved, and, gradually, all but one were broken. They were — the survivor is — Japanese, not expensive, maybe meant for tea, made of porcelain, with a heavy bottom and straight sides that angle slightly outward, ending in a thin lip. The capacity is 250 ml, or a little more than one US cup. Looking online, I can’t find any evidence that those cups are still made, or ever were for that matter. The design appealed to me: l ..read more

2023 | Issue 112 Six Addresses: Berkeley From Political Hotbed to Culinary Hotspot By Derrick Schneider Berkeley Urban Wineries The city’s proximity to numerous California wine regions lets winemakers buy grapes from nearby vineyards and get them quickly to the winery after harvest. My personal favorites are Donkey & Goat and Broc Cellars, both of which produce organic wines, with Donkey & Goat focusing more intently on biodynamic ones. The two wineries inhabit the same lightly industrial block, making it easy to while away a couple of hours. Donkey & Goat: 1340 5th Street,, t ..read more

Alijah Poindexter 2023 | Issue 112 Restaurants: Edessa Restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee Uncovering the Pot on a Local Kurdish and Turkish Institution By Alijah Poindexter Edessa Restaurant3802B Nolensville Pike, Nashville, Tennessee tel 615.837.2567, edessarestauranttn.net open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. weekdays, 11 p.m. to 9 p.m. weekends average lunch $25 per person, average dinner $45 per person Dinner began in hushed tones — it was a Saturday, and while Edessa runs uninterrupted from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., a lull in the tastefully decorated dining room clearly marks the border between ..read more

Woodblock by Naomi Bossom 2023 | No. 112 Resources: Note on Drip Coffee Makers After You Use It, Refill It with Water By Edward Behr For years, I’ve been using my Technivorm Moccamaster drip coffee maker every morning, and for years I never bothered to descale. The machine functioned well, but a few months ago I went to refill it and noticed a moldy smell originating in the hidden, water-heating portion. Online sources suggested that descaling was the place to start. I ignored the warning on the Moccamaster site to use only a particular brand of descaler. Instead, I followed advice ..read more

R E C I P E S Onion Tart By Edward Behr This tart is inspired by German Zwiebelkuchen; if you’re fond of caraway seed, add ½ teaspoon or more to the filling. The custard filling isn’t harmed by overcooking, and the flavor benefits when it’s well-colored in the oven.   dough to make one 9- to 10-inch (24-cm) flaky crust 1 or 2 onions totaling 250 to 300 gr (2/3 pound), chopped, to make about 250 ml (1 cup) cooked onion 15 gr (1 tablespoon) butter 2 large eggs 250 ml (½ cup) sour cream 250 ml (½ cup) heavy cream 3/8 teaspoon salt black pepper   Sweat the onion in butter, covered ..read more

R E C I P E S Beet, Fennel, Clementine, and Rocket Salad By Edward Behr In this winter salad, you might think the rocket could be replaced with spinach, but it doesn’t provide the needed strong contrast in flavor. Rocket with real character.   3 or 4 beets, totaling 600 gr (1 1/3 pounds) 3 bulbs fennel 30 to 45 ml (2 to 3 tablespoons) olive oil a vinaigrette made about 2:1 with excellent fresh olive oil and good vinegar, salt and pepper a generous couple of handfuls of rocket (arugula) leaves (100 to 125 gr) 2 clementines, peeled, in segments Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating   P ..read more

Joy Li 2023 | No. 112 Stopping by Joe’s on a Frosty Morning By Henry Rathvon Whose grits these are I think I know. The cook is in the kitchen, though. He will not notice I’ve unscrewed A thermos of my private joe.   The diner staff would think it rude — In fact, they might become unglued — To see me sipping on the sly A java they had never brewed.   This place has breakfast for to die, But coffee here? I cannot lie, It’s strictly hotplate tin-can swill. Drink at your risk, or do as I.   While bacon sizzles on the grill My little thermos I keep still Between my thighs. It wi ..read more

2023 | No. 112 New York City BagelsIt’s Not the Water By Michael Muroff Residents of New York City have long touted the superiority of their bagels over those of other parts of the United States. The history of bagel-making in New York stretches back to the arrival of Eastern European Jews in the late 19th century, and bagels have remained a fixture of the city’s hustle-and-bustle, deli-style cuisine. Many people have attributed the success of the New York bagel not to the flour or yeast but to the city’s water from upstate reservoirs. At least one bagel chain outside the city has taken th ..read more

R E C I P E S Kugelhopf By Edward Behr The turban-shaped kugelhopf, a form of brioche, is made in a swath of Europe that includes Austria (its point of origin may be Vienna), Switzerland, southern Germany, and the French region of Alsace, where it’s made especially well and perhaps best. The first part of the name may refer to headwear, and ‑hopf likely means yeast; the many spellings run from kougelhoupf to kouglof and gouglouf. In Alsace, the cake used to be made only at home, once with a sourdough and now almost always with commercial yeast. Recipe amounts are highly variable, but compa ..read more