Chloe Rifat

On The Plate: Rainy Day Pakora Breaking down Chef Mayank Istwal’s striking take on the nostalgia-fueled Indian fritter at Musaafer One of Chef Mayank Istwal’s fondest childhood memories is of rain. Growing up on a farm in the foothills of the Himalayas, where monsoon season arrived each summer, rain was a familiar companion. As a child, Istwal was fascinated by the water droplets clinging to the large, drooping leaves of the elephant ear plants growing in his backyard.

Jokes are usually harmless. Sometimes a joke can go too far. And sometimes, in the case of Bartender Julia Miles, it can result in a strangely exceptional cocktail. While R&Ding new drinks for Refuge, Owner-Bartender Bobby Heugel gave Miles an assignment. “We were seeing more bitterness in bars,” she explains.

How Rust Belt chefs are rethinking the beloved Polish dish Who doesn't like pierogi? The Polish dumpling is a beloved comfort food, especially in the Midwest—a region with the highest concentration of Polish Americans in the country. The area spanning from Indiana and Michigan to Ohio and Pennsylvania is also known as the Pierogi Pocket, and accounts for about 68% of the country’s pierogi consumption.