Throwing Spaghetti

To all of you who are still here despite the crickets — thank you! As mentioned when I first started Throwing Spaghetti, the method was to try different things and see what sticks. And while the initial model does seem like it stuck for you all, it didn’t quite stick for me amid other work that, well, actually pays me. Still, I truly couldn’t be more grateful for all of you who haven’t hit “unsubscribe,” and I hope this next chapter serves as a worthy reward.

I’m a beer girl — always have been. I love an IPA on draft, a Modelo in the summer, Victoria on a boat, ShockTop in a cabin being cooled exclusively by a singular rotating standing fan. Whenever I travel, I make it my mission to try every local brew I can get my hands on. I’m fascinated by the depth of flavor, the varying carbonation levels, and sheer craftsmanship that goes into each batch.

With the trade wars looming, some small food businesses say tariffs are making it harder for them to get their products to consumers while staying financially afloat. Despite threats of additional hefty import taxes on goods sourced from “adversarial” countries, a 145% tariff on Chinese imports and a 10% blanket duty on imports from other countries is what American companies are currently dealing with.

A pair of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs were on the chopping block last month when President Donald Trump’s administration made moves it claimed would help lower inflation. There was $660 million cut from one of the programs (which funds the purchase of local farm-fresh foods for school cafeterias) and $500 million cut from the other (which funds much of the product available in food banks).

The price of eggs has been out of control. It’s making grocery shopping more expensive, it’s increasing the menu prices at restaurants and your local deli, and it may even be causing you to compromise on the quality of eggs you’re buying. (Pasture raised? In this economy? Honestly, still yes, but it hurts.) While you might be able to afford the $17 dozen from the farmer who swears their chickens are healthy, I certainly can’t. And the sticker shock has me more choosy about when I use eggs altogether.

Diet culture has influenced how Americans eat for decades. From SlimFast to Atkins to Weight Watchers (now WW International), these programs and products have introduced habits that found a way to infiltrate the eating patterns of people who weren’t even knowing participants. Now the most buzzed-about weight-management tool comes in the form of an injection. GLP-1s, more commonly known by brand names like Ozempic, Zepbound, and Wegovy, are affecting the way we consume — and shop for — food.

Unlimited free food, entertainment, and drinks — that’s what you get when you get yourself into any of the New York or South Beach Wine and Food Festivals. Then there’s the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, other specialty festivals, and everything else in between. Often times, tickets for events can run paying attendees hundreds of dollars. If you’re a host (or are covering them with a press pass like I usually am), they’re free.

Food Network champion pitmaster Erica Blaire has some wise words for anyone feeling overwhelmed by lengthy, mouthwatering barbecue menus. A long list of smoked, grilled, and fried meats, family-recipe sides, and specially prepared cuts can be a lot for the untrained eye. But Blaire is here to help. She says there are two dishes worth splurging on (brisket and ribs) and one rare find that she calls her personal go-to (pastrami).

Depending on who you ask, the best part of Thanksgiving is not the main meal, it’s actually the leftovers that get gobbled up in the days that follow. For fans of the legendary moist-maker sandwich à la TV show “Friends,” prepping and packaging leftovers is a must — and chef Eric Huang of Pecking House says there’s nothing better. “You should be making sandwiches out of your leftovers until you no longer have any leftovers,” he told me.

A lot can go wrong when tackling a full Thanksgiving menu as a host — or even when attempting that one dish you haven’t made since last year. But one mess up doesn’t have to lead to a ruined meal, celebrity chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson told me ahead of his 2023 partnership launch with Heinz’s Black Kitchen Initiative. In fact, he said, you might end up serving something even better than intended. “A lot of dishes, iconic dishes, came out of mistakes,” he explained.