Monthly Archives: June 2022

Food! Glorious Food!

The Many Uses of CRISPR: Scientists Tell All
What do infectious diseases, T-cells, tomatoes, heart failure, sickle cell anemia and sorghum harvests have in common?
By Oliver Whang

Our Best Fourth of July Recipes
Celebrate summer produce in fun dishes for summer parties.
By Krysten Chambrot

FRONT BURNER
Darra Goldstein Illuminates ‘A Brief History of Russian Food’
The professor at Williams College starts a millennium or so ago and goes almost to the present.


“The Kingdom of Rye: A Brief History of Russian Food,” by Darra Goldstein (University of California Press, $24.95).
By Florence Fabricant

6 Cool Ice Pops to Make With Your Kids
It’s summer. Go wild.
By Jodi Levine

A GOOD APPETITE
A Creamy, Vegan Potato Salad You Can Linger Over
Tahini steps in for mayonnaise in this vegan take on the classic, finished with fresh and charred scallions.


This robustly seasoned potato salad gets better as it sits.
By Melissa Clark
Recipe: Vegan Potato Salad With Tahini

No One Told Me Mac Salad Could Be This Good
A staple of the plate lunch in Hawaii is lifted by a bit of heat and a tangy note.
By Ligaya Mishan
Recipe: Mac Salad

Wine Country Is in North Georgia
Georgia actually has a long history with vineyards. About 90 miles from Atlanta, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there are more than 40 wineries and tasting rooms.
By Tariro Mzezewa

How Rosé Became a Lifestyle
Joey Wölffer of Wölffer Estate has turned pink wine into a symbol of the Hamptons life that she epitomizes.
By Alex Williams

FRONT BURNER
Just Add Tonic to This Apple Vodka From New York
Upstate Vodka, 80 proof with a fittingly fruity aroma, is made at Sauvage Distillery in Charlotteville, N.Y.


Upstate Vodka, $29.99 for 750 milliliters, drinksauvage.com.
By Florence Fabricant

NYT Critic’s Pick Movie(s)

Rise
NYT Critic’s Pick | PG | Biography, Drama, Sport | Directed by Akin Omotoso
The story of the real-life N.B.A. superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is told with heartfelt charm in this endearing Disney+ biopic.


Ral Agada, left, and Uche Agada in “Rise.”
By CALUM MARSH

Beba
NYT Critic’s Pick | R | Documentary | Directed by Rebeca Huntt
An Afro-Latina filmmaker explores her identity and generational trauma growing up in New York City and attending a predominantly white college.


Rebeca Huntt in “Beba,” her documentary about growing up Afro-Latina in New York.
By CONCEPCIÓN DE LEÓN

We
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary | Directed by Alice Diop
Alice Diop’s observational documentary is a beautiful, loose-limned portrait of Paris’s suburbs.


Young residents of Paris’s suburbs in the documentary ‘We.’
By DEVIKA GIRISH

Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe
NYT Critic’s Pick | Animation, Comedy | Directed by Mike Judge
Even though you can guess what these two characters will say as they’re sucked into a black hole, their cosmic adventure still delivers new laughs.


The title characters are dropped into 2022 in “Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe.”
By GLENN KENNY

Flux Gourmet
NYT Critic’s Pick | Comedy, Drama, Horror | Directed by Peter Strickland
Peter Strickland’s latest film is a speculative comedy about art, desire and gastrointestinal discomfort.


Asa Butterfield, Fatma Mohamed and Ariane Labed in “Flux Gourmet.”
By A.O. SCOTT

— Of Possible Interest —

Wildhood
Drama | Directed by Bretten Hannam
Three young men explore their Indigenous heritage and questions about their gender and sexual identity in this film.
By NATALIA WINKELMAN

Food! Glorious Food!

Hong Kong’s Floating Restaurant Sinks at Sea, Laden With Memories
Jumbo Floating Restaurant, which closed in 2020, capsized in the South China Sea after being towed from the city. The sinking triggered nostalgia for a happier period of Hong Kong history.


Jumbo Floating Restaurant being towed out out of Aberdeen Harbor in Hong Kong last week.
By MIKE IVES and ALEXANDRA STEVENSON

An Enchanting Resort in Australia’s Southern Highlands
Plus: Vibrant enamel pitchers, luxury pet accessories and more recommendations from T Magazine.

Through Sweat and Tears, a Cheesemongering Champion Is Crowned
At the Cheesemongers Invitational, the competition is fierce, but the feeling of cheese community is strong.
By JULIA MOSKIN

FRONT BURNER
‘Stories of Japanese Tea’ Is a Guide for the Novice and Expert Alike
This easygoing handbook that examines just about every aspect of Japanese tea and provides recipes for tea-based food and cocktails.


“Stories of Japanese Tea: The Regions, the Growers and the Craft” by Zach Mangan (Princeton Architectural Press, $24.95).
By Florence Fabricant

THE FIX
There’s Never Been a Better Time for an Outdoor Dinner Party
Here’s how to make your dinner — and your summer — a memorable one.


By TIM MCKEOUGH

A GOOD APPETITE
Four-Ingredient Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Without a Machine
This easy vegan treat from Melissa Clark is ready to be the star of your summer.


Your new favorite ice cream calls for just peanut butter, maple syrup, oat creamer, a dash of salt and vanilla.
By Melissa Clark
Recipe: Easy Vegan Peanut Butter-Maple Ice Cream

EAT
This Chicken Salad Has It All
The all-you-can-eat buffet that inspired Eric Kim’s crunchy won-ton chicken salad is gone. But the flavors remain.
By ERIC KIM

Thick-Cut Zucchini, Smashed Cucumbers and Grated Tofu
Vary the way you prep ingredients to get the absolute most out of them.
By TEJAL RAO

Josh Jensen, Visionary Vintner of Pinot Noir, Is Dead at 78
His belief in limestone soils led him on a two-year quest for the ideal site for what became the Calera Wine Company: a remote mountain south of San Francisco.


The winemaker Josh Jensen in 2001 at his Calera Wine Company, established on a remote mountain range two hours southeast of San Francisco.
By ERIC ASIMOV

NYT Critic’s Pick Movie(s)

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
NYT Critic’s Pick | R | NYT Critic’s Pic Movie(s)NYT Critic’s Pic Movie(s)Comedy, Drama | Directed by Sophie Hyde
Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack bring knowing vulnerability to this amusing story of a foxy prostitute and the woman who hires him.


Daryl McCormack and Emma Thompson in “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.”
By LISA KENNEDY

Poser
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama | Directed by Noah Dixon, Ori Segev
Strong acting and a cool setting elevate this surreal tale of artistic compulsion.


Sylvie Mix and Bobbi Kitten in “Poser.”
By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS

Bitterbrush
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary | Directed by Emelie Mahdavian
Though this quiet documentary about two young range riders recalls a western or two, it presents a modern-day portrait of hard work and friendship.


Colie Moline, left, and Hollyn Patterson in the documentary “Bitterbrush.”
By NICOLAS RAPOLD

Mad God
NYT Critic’s Pick | Animation, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi | Directed by Phil Tippett
In this mostly animated experiment, the filmmaker Phil Tippett leads us through a stop-motion inferno of despair and devastation.


A scene from “Mad God,” | Directed by Phil Tippett.
By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS

— Of Possible Interest —

Lightyear
PG | Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Family, Sci-Fi | Directed by Angus MacLane
The new Pixar movie recounts the adventures of Star Command’s most famous Space Ranger before he was a toy.
By A.O. SCOTT

Cocoon
Drama, Romance | Directed by Leonie Krippendorff
Sunshine, ice pops and rainbow flags mark a summer of transformation for a teenager in Berlin in the coming-of-age drama, “Cocoon.”
By TEO BUGBEE

Spiderhead
R | Action, Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Directed by Joseph Kosinski
This latest Joseph Kosinski film — set in a penitentiary that dispenses aphrodisiacs and fear-inducers — couldn’t be more unlike his “Top Gun: Maverick.”
By BEN KENIGSBERG

Sing, Dance, Act: Kabuki featuring Toma Ikuta
Documentary | Directed by Tadashi Aizawa
Cameras follow Ikuta, an actor on popular Japanese teen dramas in the 2000s, as he learns Kabuki’s expressions and movements from a friend.

My Fake Boyfriend
R | Comedy, Romance | Directed by Rose Troche
A gay man gets trapped in a web of lies after his overeager best friend concocts an artificial relationship for him on social media.
By LENA WILSON

Food! Glorious Food!

Of local interest:
Mashama Bailey and Owamni Win Top Honors at James Beard Awards
The awards were on hiatus for the past two years amid concerns about the diversity among finalists, accusations against nominees and the pandemic’s effects on the hospitality business.
By FLORENCE FABRICANT

America’s Most Luxurious Butter Lives to Churn Another Day
Animal Farm Creamery, one of the most highly regarded small dairies in America, was nearly lost. Then, a young couple down the road stepped in.


A pioneer of American buttermaking. Diane St. Clair recently retired and sold her business, Animal Farm Creamery, and her herd of Jersey cows to her neighbors.
By Melissa Clark

A GOOD APPETITE
When Egg-in-a-Hole Meets Savory French Toast
Roasted asparagus and toasts dipped in a Parmesan-infused custard turn a childhood favorite into so much more.


This springy take on a beloved eggy dish is welcome as a light dinner, breakfast or brunch.
By Melissa Clark
Recipe: Egg-in-a-Hole With Asparagus

Cool Cukes, Alluring Avocado
Hetty McKinnon’s easy, earthy recipe contrasts crunch with creaminess.
By EMILY WEINSTEIN

Eric Kim’s Essential Korean Recipes
“If I could have only 10 Korean dishes for the rest of my life, these would be the ones.” The Times Magazine columnist, cookbook author and son of South Korean immigrants shares the dishes that define the cuisine for him.
By ERIC KIM

These Cupcakes Are Pure Childhood Magic
Yotam Ottolenghi’s cream-soda-and-raspberry cupcakes can’t heal the troubles of the world. But they help for a moment.


By YOTAM OTTOLENGHI
Recipe: Cream-Soda-and-Raspberry Cupcakes

How to Cook (or Not Cook) an Artichoke
You can roast, steam, boil and fry this delicious vegetable, or even eat it raw.


By TEJAL RAO

For Summertime Mocktails That Shine, Look to Tea
With its tannic qualities and endless applications, tea can add much-appreciated complexity to nonalcoholic drinks.


This Celery Sour Mocktail is vegetal and nuanced in just the right way, thanks to a chamomile tea base and a celery simple syrup.
By Rebekah Peppler
Recipes: Celery Sour Mocktail | Dark ‘n’ Stormy Mocktail

THE POUR
It’s Rosé Season, but Drink These 12 Bottles Year-Round
There’s no reason to confine rosé to the summer, but for good reasons the season does have a special hold on the wines.


By Eric Asimov

Sean Thackrey, Creator of Eccentric California Wines, Dies at 79
A polymath, he dismissed conventional wisdom about varietal wines, terroir and scientific management and won a global following.


Sean Thackrey at his winery in Bolinas, Calif., in 1993. Though he made only a small amount of his first wine, released in 1981, it was an immediate hit among the Bay Area’s enological cognoscenti.
By CLAY RISEN

NYT Critic’s Pick Movie(s)

Lost Illusions
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama, History, Romance | Directed by Xavier Giannoli
Xavier Giannoli’s headlong adaptation of a Balzac novel paints a timely picture of literary ambition and media corruption in 19th-century France.


A writer and his editor: Benjamin Voisin, left, and Vincent Lacoste in “Lost Illusions.”
By A.O. SCOTT

Tahara
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama | Directed by Olivia Peace
Rachel Sennott and Madeline Grey DeFreece star in a canny portrait of teenage insensitivity and sexuality amid a tragedy.


Madeline Grey DeFreece, left, and Rachel Sennott in “Tahara.”
By TEO BUGBEE

A Sexplanation
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary, Comedy, News | Directed by Alex Liu
The director Alex Liu explores the politics and culture of sex ed in the United States while confronting his own shame around sexuality.


Alex Liu in “A Sexplanation.”
By CLAIRE SHAFFER

Of Local Interest:

Being BeBe
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary | Directed by Emily Branham
Observing its subject with a clear eye, this profile of Marshall Ngwa, who performs as BeBe Zahara Benet, is a breath of fresh air.



BeBe Zahara Benet in the documentary “Being BeBe.”
By NATALIA WINKELMAN

— Of Possible Interest —

Jurassic World Dominion
PG-13 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Directed by Colin Trevorrow
Things get very hectic in the last episode of this trilogy, which brings back familiar faces (Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, Sam Neill) along with the usual dinosaurs.
By A.O. SCOTT

Food! Glorious Food!

Before Chickens Were Nuggets, They Were Revered
The origin of the domestic fowl is more recent than previously thought, but it may have taken them thousands of years to become food.
By JAMES GORMAN

At Taco Bell, the Drag Brunch Goes Corporate
The glittery live shows have long been a staple in many cities, but the fast-food chain is taking that a step further.

The drag queen Kay Sedia partying with guests at a Taco Bell Cantina in Chicago, the second stop on the chain’s five-city drag brunch tour, which kicked off in May.
The drag queen Kay Sedia partying with guests at a Taco Bell Cantina in Chicago, the second stop on the chain’s five-city drag brunch tour, which kicked off in May.
By Erik Piepenburg

A GOOD APPETITE
When Egg-in-a-Hole Meets Savory French Toast
Roasted asparagus and toasts dipped in a Parmesan-infused custard turn a childhood favorite into so much more.


This springy take on a beloved eggy dish is welcome as a light dinner, breakfast or brunch.
By Melissa Clark
Recipe: Egg-in-a-Hole With Asparagus

Building a Juneteenth Menu for the 21st Century, One Recipe at a Time
The cookbook author Nicole Taylor reflects on her journey to create a collection of Juneteenth recipes that revel in the breadth of the African American experience.
By NICOLE TAYLOR
Recipes: Watermelon Ginger Beer | Very Green Coleslaw With Grilled Poblanos | Peach and Molasses Chicken | Strawberry Sumac Cake

A Foolproof Recipe for Korokke
There are endless ways to make these fried Japanese delights your own.
By BRYAN WASHINGTON

THE POUR
A Vineyard’s Comeback, 200 Years in the Making
In the 19th century, Clos de la Perrière was mentioned alongside Musigny and Chambertin as a great vineyard of Burgundy. Now the wines are excellent and getting better.
By Eric Asimov

NYT Critic’s Pick Movie(s)

Crimes of the Future
NYT Critic’s Pick | R | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi | Directed by David Cronenberg
In his latest shocker, David Cronenberg prophetically reads the signs while Léa Seydoux performs surgeries on a beatific Viggo Mortensen.


From left, Léa Seydoux, Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Stewart in “Crimes of the Future.”
By MANOHLA DARGIS

Neptune Frost
NYT Critic’s Pick | Musical, Sci-Fi | Directed by Anisia Uzeyman, Saul Williams
An Afrofuturist fantasia about the state of the world and how to resist it.


Cheryl Isheja in “Neptune Frost,” Directed by Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman.
By A.O. SCOTT

Watcher
NYT Critic’s Pick | R | Drama, Horror, Thriller | Directed by Chloe Okuno
In Chloe Okuno’s taut first feature, a woman is convinced a man is watching and possibly even following her.


Maika Monroe in “Watcher.”
By LENA WILSON

— Of Possible Interest —

After Blue
Fantasy, Sci-Fi | Directed by Bertrand Mandico
A planet of women is the eye-popping setting for this psychedelic movie, in which a mother and her daughter try to find an escaped criminal named Kate Bush.
By ELISABETH VINCENTELLI

Maika
PG | Adventure, Comedy, Family | Directed by Ham Tran
This children’s adventure movie from Vietnam is like “E.T.”—but sloppier and more eccentric.
By BEATRICE LOAYZA

Fire Island
R | Comedy, Romance | Directed by Andrew Ahn
The quips are almost as hot as the sexual tension in Andrew Ahn and Joel Kim Booster’s loosely paced but endearing romantic comedy.
By ELISABETH VINCENTELLI

Benediction
PG-13 | Biography, Drama, War | Directed by Terence Davies
Terence Davies’s latest film is a biography of Siegfried Sassoon, whose writing about World War I changed British literature.
By A.O. SCOTT

I watched a gawdawful amount of BBC whilst isolating in Belgium, and I was shocked, shocked I tell you to find out that not all the people on game shows were Whyte or walked or straight couples. Same with their ‘fix the garden’ and their shopping shows and antique hunting game shows. The host is often male and gorgeous, but the range of contestants was wide and more varied than standard American TV — not that I watch it like I did there. But they really presented a wide range of people and treated them well.

One of their ‘fix the house’ shows is about organizing a community fix-up project for a family in over their heads because of death or disabilities, where they redo the house so it at least looks like it meets the needs of the people living there where before it clearly did not. Obviously, it fixes a small number of houses for a small number of families, but it focuses and brings the community together to help some of the people in very serious ways — and it’s not to flip the house.

I should add, it’s a knock that wall down and back 10 meters and add a wheelchair wet room, and add on over it for two bedrooms, an office and a bathroom or two kind of fix-up, not just a paint job.

Last Post at the Menin Gate

We attended a Last Post this time in Belgium — Menin Gate, Ypres, West Flanders — and visited a few cemeteries. It was too early for any poppies, if in fact they bloom there. Australians were there for the ceremony. Held in a huge triumphal arch. Trumpets, wreaths, marching every night.

In the cemeteries, the English Empire graves were orderly; the German Empire less so. It probably meant the world to my grandfather, but we have seen so much worse since that bitter family squabble.

We got there a bit late to get great standing room, and it was packed without much masking. Many of the older people let the school children get ahead for a better view to carry the memory forward further than any of us can.