“We as Americans have learned to grapple with the natural resource questions. “Where’d that pig come from? How was it raised?”. But we haven’t gotten as good at asking the human resource questions, like “Who were the people who perfected this dish? What’s their story?” We haven’t gotten there but it’s time to.” -John Thomas…
Author: ahainers
A Lesson in BBQ Via Texas Brisket
Determining the best place to get barbecue in Texas is like trying to find the best pizza in NYC, at first it feels like an impossible task. Refusing to give away a whole day to waiting at world-renowned Franklin’s BBQ, I heard la Barbecue was one of the next best spots. When I found out…
The Politics of Fried Chicken
“It’s about respect. I would not deny a person the opportunity to cook BBQ. What I would ask is that they pay tribute to that form. Food that is honest is more important than food that is authentic.” -Southern food expert John Thomas Edge Junior. In my search for Charleston’s best fried chicken, Leon’s Oyster…
A Korean-Canadian Discovers Elevated Banchan
As a Canadian-Korean raised in a might-as-well-be-British family, my knowledge of banchan has been limited to typical variations of kimchi (on a good day I might be able to identify a mushroom or two). Like most North American diners, banchan (those complementary sides that accompany a Korean meal) has always been a bit of a…
Discovering Mex-Tex at Papalote
After visiting many taquerias in Mexico, my expectations for Texan tacos were admittedly low. I arrived in Austin to find myself at a crossroads- do I embark on a potentially unsuccessful mission to find that “authentic” hole-in-the-wall spot serving the best Mexican food this side of the border? Or do I cave and experience Tex-Mex…
Bananarchy: A Catalyst for Investigating Anna Banana’s Banana Obsession
I blame it on being nicknamed ‘Anna Banana’ as a little girl, but I am notoriously obsessed with all things banana. (I honestly can’t remember the last day I went without one). So, when I spotted this specialty frozen banana dessert stand, Bananarchy, in a food truck lot near my Airbnb in Austin, I knew…
The Woman Behind Bourdain’s Beloved Mexico City Seafood Spot
When I read that one of Bourdain’s favourite spots for seafood was La Guerrerense, I knew where I was heading for lunch one sunny afternoon in Mexico City. I always seek out the chef, owner, anyone who can tell me a story behind what I’m eating (even if in a language I don’t understand). Well…
A Farm-to-Table Advocate Has Her First Real Farm-to-Table Experience
“Even when they say they’re organic, they still spray. The tomatoes look plastic-y and perfect but you bite in and its just water. You come here, taste the vegetables and it’s a completely different world. You feel so rewarded when you can say ‘I made that cheese’. We should go back to producing our own…
The Vegetarian Restaurant With Bogota’s Best Ajiaco
What ‘Poutine’ is to Montreal, ‘Ajiaco’ is to Bogota; a dish with history and the utmost cultural significance, that remains a go-to comfort for locals looking to warm up on a cool day in this mountain city. A simple yet hearty potato stew filled with shredded chicken, a stick of corn on the cob, and…
A Panamanian Chef and His Secret Sauce: A Love Story
On a quiet, unsuspecting road in Bocas Town, I spotted smoke wafting from an open barbecue and I knew I’d found it. I travelled thirty minutes on a bumpy, flooded road to get myself to Octo, for what I’d heard was one of the best restaurants on Isla Colon, maybe in the whole country, for…
The Nourishing Chronicle 