Grocery stores, frutero street vendors, Indian buffets

This was the year that grocery workers were deemed essential. Good Food looks at the underbelly of the grocery industry with investigative journalist Benjamin Lorr, who discusses the correlation between food brands and performative eating. Gideon Brower discovers there was indeed a Mr. Smart and a Mr. Final. Rocío Rosales spent years in the field talking to the fruit vendors under their rainbowed umbrellas dotting sidewalks across the city. For this week’s segment of “In the Weeds,” Dr. Padmini Ayani reflects on immigrating from India and the status of her family’s Culver City restaurant, Mayura. Finally, Gustavo Arellano offers lessons on how to taste a corn tortilla in anticipation of this year’s Tortilla Tournament finalists.