The Flavor Files
Food tastes better when you understand why it works. Science-backed recipes, flavor principles, and kitchen insights — every week. I host Flavor Forward on America's Test Kitchen and In The Test Kitchen on Netflix.
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The Flavor Files: Who Gets to Write a Universal Cookbook?
The Flavor Brief A weekly letter about food, science, and why things taste the way they do Read Past Newsletters This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hello Reader Accidents can sometimes be fortuitous. Earlier this week, I replied to a friend's message after they sent me an Instagram reel of finger limes. The video was from a store in L.A. called...
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The Flavor Files (Plus): When Did We Decide People Don’t Want to Read Cookbooks?
This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The Flavor Files + INSIDEFUNDAMENTALS OF FLAVOR Letter SixWhen Did We Decide People Don’t Want to Read Cookbooks? Read Past Newsletters This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra...
READ POSTThe Flavor Brief: What Makes a Dish "American"?
The Flavor Brief A weekly letter about food, science, and why things taste the way they do Read Past Newsletters This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hello Reader I’ve been looking for more cooking shows on American television that teach Indian cooking, and while I did a deep dig, there were really no shows except for one on PBS called Healthful...
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The Flavor Brief (Plus): How Do You Put Flavor on The Cover?
This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The Flavor Brief INSIDEFUNDAMENTALS OF FLAVOR Letter FiveHow Do You Put Flavor on The Cover? Read Past Newsletters Hello Reader This is the day I get to share the cover of my book and its title. Well, not exactly because you've already seen both. Today, we're taking a look at what could have been the book...
READ POSTThe Flavor Brief: A Little Taste of Summer
The Flavor Brief A weekly letter about food, science, and why things taste the way they do Read Past Newsletters This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hello Reader from a very summery Boston, as I make my way through the airport lines to get back home to L.A. After a very tightly packed week, I’m eager to be home with my pets and tend to the...
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The Flavor Files (Plus): I Waited Too Long to Roast My Corn (Here's the Fix)
The Flavor Files + Go deeper into food, technique, and the recipes that reward it Read Past Newsletters This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hello Reader I'm here to tell you something controversial: fresh corn isn't always the best. In summer, I partake in eating plenty of sweet corn. I like it fire-roasted like they do in India. I then grab a...
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The Flavor Brief (Plus): Six Years for One Afternoon
The Flavor Brief INSIDEFUNDAMENTALS OF FLAVOR Letter FourSix Years for One Afternoon Read Past Newsletters This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hi Reader People often ask me how long it took to write Fundamentals of Flavor. The honest answer is that writing was only one part of it. There was the research, the recipe development and testing, the...
READ POSTThe Flavor Brief: 800 Meals Before Noon
The Flavor Brief A weekly letter about food, science, and why things taste the way they do Read Past Newsletters This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hi Reader Having Indian heritage comes with a misguided assumption: that I must love hot and spicy food. Confession — I don't. Or at least, I didn't used to. Growing up, my tolerance was so low that...
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The Flavor Brief (Plus): I never planned to become a food writer.
The Flavor Files + THE MAKINGS OF FUNDAMENTALS OF FLAVOR III I never planned to become a food writer. Read Past Newsletters This newsletter may contain some affiliate links. I only recommend things I personally use and enjoy—if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hi Reader, Two weeks ago, I told you why Fundamentals of Flavor took six years to write. Last week, I shared why the book exists. This week, I want to tell you about the moment I left...
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