The great tasting menu debate, cast-iron skillets, grapeless wine

Hosted by Evan Kleiman Apr. 29, 2017 Food & Drink

Esquire’s Jeff Gordinier weighs in on the pros and cons of tasting menus. Alec Lee of Ava Winery explains the science behind producing wine without a single grape. Food and travel writer Shane Mitchell shares stories from her new book, “Far Afield.” Plus: Jonathan Gold recommends Filipino dishes to try at Irenia, and Charlotte Druckman serves up a cast-iron skillet pistachio-cherry Danish recipe.

From this Episode:

Tasting menus are bullsh*t (except when they're not)

When does eating become punishment? As more chefs move to lengthy fixed menus with bills that might very well cost your monthly rent, the decision to dine at restaurants...

10 min

'Stir, Sizzle, Bake'

Now, onto one of our favorite tools in the kitchen: the trusty cast-iron skillet. Cook and food writer Charlotte Druckman waxes poetic about these incredibly versatile and...

12 min

Jonathan Gold dines at Irenia

This week, our favorite food critic, Jonathan Gold , experiences an existential moment while munching on toasted anchovies and salted peanuts at Irenia in Santa Ana.

8 min

Grapeless wine

The terroir at Ava Winery boasts neither nutrient-rich soil nor a mesoclimate, but rather test tubes and Bunsen burners. That’s because the synthetic wines are produced in...

13 min

'Far Afield'

For a full decade, Shane Mitchell travelled around the world with photographer James Fisher to gather stories for “ Far Afield: Rare Food Encounters from Around the World...

12 min