Andrew Zimmern's Spilled Milk

Today’s Newsletter Includes: Why I think America needs a Secretary of Food, because apparently we looked at our food system and decided the best solution was 15 different agencies and a very large organizational chart. How food safety, hunger, farming, healthcare and national security are all connected, despite the fact that Washington keeps putting them in separate boxes. A simple question to ask anyone running for office: What is your food policy?

Today’s Newsletter Includes: Why garlic might be the closest thing cooking has to a universal language A 5,000-year journey from Central Asia to the rest of the world How Gilroy, California turned garlic into an identity, a festival and some serious agricultural chutzpah How I make garlic confit at home A few weeks ago, in my trio of mussel recipes, I used an ingredient that several of you had questions about.

Today’s Newsletter Includes: A tiny island you’ve probably never heard of, which is exactly how they like it. Rainforests, empty beaches, cacao and enough ocean to make your group chat jealous. Where to sleep, eat and wander when your ideal vacation involves being blissfully unreachable. It sits almost exactly on the equator, about 130 miles off the coast of West Africa, the smaller half of the nation of Sao Tome and Principe.

Today’s Newsletter Includes: A Japanese rice dish that has been solving the weeknight dinner problem for more than a thousand years Why your rice cooker deserves a little more respect A ridiculously forgiving recipe that lets you clean out the fridge and call it dinner I wish you would all have come with me on my trip to Japan and Korea last week! Now that I’m home, I’m making a lot of dishes that I learned to cook on that trip, or that were inspired by it. This dish is different.

Today’s Newsletter Includes: Why I’ll happily cook someone else’s food, but I draw the line at calling rigatoni with cream and peas “carbonara.” What a sweet potato biryani wrap taught me about food names, history and doing five minutes of homework. Why I think you should borrow, riff and mess around in the kitchen as much as you want, just give credit where credit is due. I cook food from cultures other than my own all the time. I have built much of my life around doing exactly that.

Today’s Newsletter Includes: Why your bare feet have absolutely no business being on an airplane. A heartfelt plea to stop treating the overhead bin like a Manhattan studio apartment. My completely unsolicited list of air travel rules that should probably be federal law. Why you should join me on my trips to Oaxaca and Africa. Travel has always been about people first. The meals, the traditions, the conversations around the table.

Today’s Newsletter Includes: Why one crispy pork salad tells the story of modern Thai cooking. The delicious collision of Chinese roasting and Isan seasoning traditions. A recipe that’s loud, bright and worth getting your hands messy for. Just a few reasons you should join me on my trips to Africa and Oaxaca. If you’ve ever wanted to experience a destination through its food, culture and the people who bring it to life, I’d love for you to join me.

Today’s Newsletter Includes: Why one of the world’s oldest foods might also be its smartest. A TED Talk worth your time and a friend worth listening to. Four bean recipes that deserve a permanent spot in your rotation. Why you should join me on my trips to Africa and Oaxaca. This is a free article. See what you’ll get every week when you become a paid subscriber to Spilled Milk.

Today’s Newsletter Includes: Why late summer might be the smartest time to book a ticket to Athens. The hotels, neighborhoods and islands I’d send my closest friends to. The restaurants that make Athens one of Europe’s most exciting food cities. You heard me right. If you've been staring at airfare wondering whether to pull the trigger on Greece, I want you to just do it.

Today’s Newsletter Includes: Why I’m on a mission to convince more people to cook mussels. One of the greatest food stories you’ve probably never heard. Two classic French recipes and a toast you’ll be thinking about long after lunch. Why you should join me on my trips to Africa and Oaxaca. If you’ve ever wanted to see the world through its food, culture and the people who make a place special, I’d love to have you join me. I don’t put my name on just any trip.