Portland, Oregon-based photographer Jordan Hughes stirred up vehement debate on TikTok earlier this year when he made an espresso martini—a latter-day mixology flex—and finished it with a shower of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

“I tried it and I can report back that it’s just crazy enough to work!” wrote one viewer. “Straight to jail,” condemned another. Some were appalled, others tickled, and still others traced the combination to a concrete place in their sensory recollections. “This unlocked my memory of coffee cheese! It’s a Swedish bread cheese (no bread, just sturdy) served in coffee,” one user shared. 

Hughes’ Parmesan-scented concoction may have sparked mixed reactions, but the drink is part of an ever-growing range of salty, spicy, and briny creations showing up on drinks lists all over the world. According to Dave O’Brien, a veteran wine and spirits developer who helped launch Aperol in the U.S., the trend towards savory sips is rooted in the mixology craze of the late aughts—and the evolution of American drinkers’ palates have traced a clear arc. “I’ve seen our collective tastes change from more sweet, to embracing bittersweet, to finally a more bitter and adventurous palate,” he explained. On the other side of the equation (and bar), business owners face stiff competition. “I think bartenders feel the need to innovate to help their drinks programs stand out,” he added. 

As savory drinks take up growing real estate on bar menus, mixologists are incorporating brine into their beverages in surprising, and highly sippable, ways. 

A global movement

Marian Beke, owner of erstwhile London bar The Gibson (which will be reopening in Berlin later this year), is arguably a pioneer of the savory cocktail movement. The Slovakia-born mixologist has been experimenting with unexpected flavor profiles for years. In 2018, he collaborated with Belgium’s Copperhead Distillery to roll out a savory gin featuring five botanicals and 13 pickling spices, including mace, pepper, cassia, bay leaf, ginger, allspice, fennel, and dill seeds. In 2019, Beke launched a liqueur line with Italian spirits producer Casoni featuring flavors like Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.   

According to Beke, savory cocktails correlated with UK customers’ relatively salty palates. Consider the classic English breakfast—back bacon, eggs, sausage, baked beans, fried tomato, fried mushrooms, black pudding, with fried and toasted bread—a sodium-rich way to start the day (at odds with many American breakfast staples like pancakes and waffles). Beke said that UK imbibers were already stalwart fans of unsweetened classics like martinis and old-fashioneds. When he began serving savory drinks, like a martini aged in balsamic barrels and served with truffle onions, it was immediately apparent that customers were into them. So he continued to experiment. “We tried to introduce an element of savory or umami into each cocktail,” he explained. Think sea salt, smoked fruits, a hint of balsamic for syrups, pickled eggs for martinis, or pickles as a garnish. 

In other regions where palates skew sweeter, Beke noted, one might expect a savory cocktail to be met with more skepticism. Take Spain, for example, where people don’t bat an eye at mixing coke and red table wine (hola, kalimotxo). And yet, the country has seen its own savory mixology boom, including recent openings like Especiarium, a cocktail bar in Barcelona’s El Born neighborhood dedicated to exploring the world of spices. There, the menu features cheeky, thoughtfully made sips like the popular Saltbae: Gin Mare, a spicy tomato juice, sriracha, a mix of salsas, and salt and pepper “al gusto” (to your liking). Partner and head bartender Antonio Naranjo described it as their spicy take on a Bloody Mary. “You expect something that everyone does the same—the Bloody Mary—and instead you taste a bomb of flavors. And as the ice melts, you get sensations in different parts of the mouth and the nose.” He called it a “complete sensory experience.” 

Bartenders are flexing their creative muscles, and—despite the authoritative ring to the term “mixology”—not taking themselves too seriously 

Finding inspiration in food

As Beke’s English brekkie-inspired drink suggests, a staple ingredient or time-tested recipe can be a solid jumping-off point for cocktail innovations. In New York City, the menu at Noho haunt Jac’s on Bond features a caprese martini, with notes of olive oil, tomato, basil, and balsamic vinegar. According to beverage director Trevor Easton Langer, the creation phase often starts with seeking inspiration from dishes or ingredients that one already loves—no matter how far off they might seem from the world of cocktails. On the rise of savory mixed drinks, Langer noted, “There have been fine variants of classics like the Dirty Martini, Gibson, and Bloody Mary, but there’s been a massive influx of thought-inducing tipples that you’ll want to try purely out of curiosity—like, ‘How’d they turn this into a drink?’” 

Over in New York City’s Meatpacking District, Genesis House puts yet another spin on a classic with their Kimchitini. Head bartender Leslie Hong, who had been daydreaming about a kimchi-infused martini for some time, used her vegan kimchi recipe as a base. Through trial and error, she figured out the ideal ingredient ratios for the cocktail. “I created a cold-brewed gochugaru-and-salt solution to pull the color and flavor,” Hong explained. “The final cocktail also gets a little muddled fresh Asian pear to bring back a little fresh sweetness.” The resulting drink “marries the best parts of the traditional dirty martini with a beloved element of Korean cuisine,” added Kevin Prouve, Genesis House’s general manager. 

When Dave Kupchinsky, bar manager at Bar Moruno in Los Angeles, was looking to shake up the classic martini, he beelined to the restaurant’s kitchen for ideas. There, chef Chris Feldmeier told him about a salmon martini he onced sipped at Dr Stravinksy, a trailblazing cocktail bar in the seaside city of Barcelona (where the team also produces a curiosity-piquing gorgonzola cheese rum). This birthed Bar Moruno’s popular salmon martini, a fish-forward, briny, and unexpectedly balanced cocktail. “I take smoked salmon and infuse it into Tanqueray gin. That sits for about three weeks, then I strain it off, including a lot of fat—but you have to leave some of the fat because that’s where all the flavor is,” Kupchinksy explained.

It makes sense. Consider the dirty martini: a briny cocktail with an oily touch from the olives. Kupchinsky pointed out that fat has been finding its way into the cocktail shaker for some time now. He recalled the bacon old-fashioned at mythical New York speakeasy PDT, adding, “That was probably 10 years ago.” More recently, mixologists have taken the fat-washing method—infusing a spirit with something fatty, freezing it and skimming off the fat—and run with it, incorporating plant-based ingredients like coconut oil, peanuts, avocados, and more. In New York City, the restaurant Hutong serves its Ancient Old Fashioned with sesame-washed bourbon. Curio Bar in Denver offers a sip called Heathen made with green chili vodka, rhum agricole, coconut, and lime oil. The effect of fat-washing is a richer, rounder flavor and, as Naranjo of Especiarium suggested, a fuller sensorial experience. 

Fermenting is another savory technique infiltrating the beverage menu. At Workshop, a new Portland restaurant with a vegan tasting menu that makes heavy use of chef Aaron Adams’ fermentation lab, the cocktails are inspired by people and places culled from Adams’ memories. One, the K&A, is a tribute to Kevin Farley and Alex Hozven of the Cultured Pickle Shop and features Rittenhouse rye, Cynar, and celery kombucha vinegar. It sounds almost nutritious enough to negate any detrimental effects of alcohol (except, perhaps, that late-night text sent an ex).

Be it fatty, fermented, or generously spiced, you can have your cocktail and (sort of) eat it, too.

A twist on nostalgia

Savory cocktails may be as old as the dirty martini itself, which dates back to 1901, but it’s clear that mixology experts are going bolder than ever with briny ingredients. Sometimes, in getting patrons to embrace seemingly strange combinations, it helps to tap into a spirit of nostalgia, drawing on profiles that might hit a sentimental note of familiarity for cocktail creators and customers alike.

Recently, I popped into Abricot Bar, a buzzy new cocktail spot in Paris’ Belleville neighborhood. Co-owner Allison Kave, a Brooklynite cum Parisienne, served me their instant-hit minitini—a teensy-weensy dirty martini at the right price of five euros. It was perfectly chilled and packed with savory flavor. Kave explained that the team makes their own brine, blending lactic acid, salt, and water, and also uses Baldoria Dry Umami vermouth for its strong notes of mushroom and seaweed. (Obvious by now: the OG briny cocktail is catnip for savory spinoffs.) 

For the next round, Kave poured one of the cocktails on tap—the Cel-Ray, a fresh take on a G&T inspired by the cult-favorite vegetable soda and Jewish deli mainstay of the same name. It’s made with the juice of lemon peels, Citadelle gin, aquavit, and a celery syrup produced in-house using fresh celery and fennel seeds. I sipped the bubbly elixir from its tall glass and got an instant hit of celery. But there was something deeper—an earthy, nutty, maybe even malty character, which I asked Kave about. “That’s probably the rye bread notes that come through from the aquavit,” she told me. The aquavit, Kave explained, is flavored with the same caraway seeds that stud rye bread in those Jewish delis of our native New York. We shared an IYKYK smile. For an instant, two New Yorkers in a bar on a quiet street in Paris’ 10th arrondissement were transported to warm memories of the place they used to call home. 

“This is amazing,” I told Kave. It was easily drinkable—nothing cheesy or gimmicky about it. The woman next to me leaned over the bar and ordered the same.

The post Everyone Is About to Be Drinking More Savory Cocktails appeared first on Saveur.

In an eerie new cookbook, Castle Rock Kitchen: Wicked Good Recipes from the World of Stephen King, author Theresa Carle-Sanders draws inspiration from dishes that appear in King’s stories set in fictional Maine towns.

It’s almost hard to believe that the homey recipes throughout the volume are plucked from the same pages wherein prom queens are doused in pigs’ blood and house cats get resurrected from the dead. 

While King’s settings, such as Castle Rock, may be imagined, the spirit of Maine, where the prolific novelist was born and raised, is not. Throughout his 55 years and counting as one of the country’s most prominent horror, crime, and suspense novelists, he’s been peppering his works, from Carrie to Pet Sematary, with edible references to his New England childhood.

Carle-Sanders, a seasoned cookbook writer and lifelong King fan, had previously penned two volumes filled with recipes based on Diana Gabaldon’s historical fiction series Outlander: Outlander Kitchen and Outlander Kitchen 2. When she wrapped the second, she knew immediately which fictional universe she wanted to tackle next. “You need a certain type of author for a fictional cookbook. They have to be very prolific, they need to have a large fandom, and they need to write food into their stories,” said Carle-Sanders. Check, check, and check. 

While King’s and Gabaldon’s writings may seem worlds apart, both novelists allude frequently to eating. Carle-Sanders shared, “People always tell me, ‘I don’t see the food in those books,’ and I say, ‘That’s because you’re not looking for it.’”

Even King’s most blood-curdling stories include thoughtful and often comforting descriptions of food—and plenty of inspirational fodder for Carle-Sanders. For example, a passage from Cujo (a King novel about a killer canine) in which a mother and her son, trapped in their car by the rabid St. Bernard, daydream about large family breakfasts, including French toast. Carle-Sanders excerpts the chilling scene in her recipe for “Dog Days French Toast Casserole,” topped with cranberries, maple syrup, and walnut streusel.

Carle-Sanders reimagines food from such dreary settings as new and mouth-watering dishes grounded in New England flavors. The oatmeal from Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, a story set in a bleak prison yard, appears in Carle-Sanders’ cookbook as a cozy morning porridge featuring blueberries, maple syrup, and creamy coconut milk. She also plucks a meal from the pages of The Body (known to many for its 1986 film adaptation, Stand By Me) called “Pioneer Drumsticks”—essentially, burger meat on a stick that the protagonists roasted and wolfed down despite it still being raw inside—and recreates the dish as generously seasoned (and fully cooked) seekh kebabs. 

For Carle-Sanders, the process begins, unsurprisingly, with a lot of reading. “I started from the beginning [chronologically], reading on a Kindle, and as I went through, I highlighted all the mentions of food,” explained Carle-Sanders of how she worked her way through King’s 65 novels. Later, she narrowed her focus to stories set in Maine, organized the dishes by course, then started to mold the table of contents.

During the research and recipe development stages, Carle-Sanders relied on a range of sources: Maine cookbooks, old newspaper recipe columns, and King’s own meals growing up. 

“He gave me 20 minutes on the phone, which was very generous,” said Carle-Sanders. During that call, King shared his history with food and the quintessential Maine dishes that his mother would prepare for him and his brother.

One, for example, was poor man’s soup, which King’s mother made using two-day-old lobster. Back then, Carle-Sanders explained, lobster was 19 cents a pound; if a guest came over to the house, King’s mother would hide the pot inside the oven, as lobster was considered “poor food.” She would let the lobster simmer for days and use the meat to prepare lobster rolls, or sometimes add cream to make soup out of the broth. In Castle Rock Kitchen, Carle-Sanders’ version is enriched with butter, cream, and dry sherry to make what she describes as “a lovely lobster stew.”

While Maine may bring lobster and clams to many people’s minds, the cuisine of King’s home state, as Carle-Sanders discovered, is rich, varied, and decidedly comforting. As King wrote in the book’s foreword, “When I think of Maine cuisine, I think of red hot dogs in spongy Nissen rolls, slow-baked beans (with a big chunk of pork fat thrown in), steamed fresh peas with bacon, whoopie pies, plus macaroni and cheese (often with lobster bits, if there were left over).”

By the time the book was finished, Carle-Sanders’ own pantry looked like that of a born-and-bred Mainer, teeming with staples like Allen’s Coffee Brandy, the state’s most popular liquor, and Bakewell Cream, a rising agent invented in Maine. If you cook your way through Castle Rock Kitchen, these mainstays, outlined in the cookbook’s “Pantry Notes” section, will likely become fixtures of your kitchen, too.

Food tends to play a supporting but important role in fiction. “When people are gathered around the table, emotions rise and stories get told,” said Carle-Sanders. A whole spectrum of human sentiment appears in the thrilling excerpts throughout Castle Rock Kitchen—followed, of course, by delicious and wholesome recipes that transport you to Maine. In King’s own words, “We like to see you up here in Vacationland, always glad to fix you up with all the crabmeat salad and lobster rolls you can eat (extra points if you ask for lobstah), but if you can’t come, you can always browse the recipes in this book.”

The post The New Stephen King Cookbook Is as Spooky as it Sounds appeared first on Saveur.

It’s festival season. From wine celebrations in the hills of Paris to carbon-neutral gin tastings in Turks & Caicos to cooking competitions in the land of Don Quixote—there are so many enticing food events this month (some making their first appearance since the pandemic). They’re a great way to sample regional cuisines and traditions, and also to support local businesses and burgeoning culinary talent. 

The October cookbook lineup is nothing to snooze on either. If you’ve ever wanted to recreate the simple and sublime Italian recipes from Via Carota in New York’s Greenwich Village (like arancini with ‘nduja or hand-rolled spaghetti with duck ragu) then you’ll definitely want to keep reading. Here are all things gastronomic the SAVEUR team can’t wait to dig into this month.

Caribbean Food & Wine Festival—Turks & Caicos

The Caribbean Food & Wine Festival puts the rich culinary heritage of the Turks and Caicos Islands center stage, while fostering local talent in the process. Now in its 12th year, CFWF will feature a range of food and beverage events, including a celebration of women winemakers, a whisky-mixology and cigar session led by master distiller Brendan McCarron, a Caribbean-Indian dinner prepared by Chef Niven Patel with wine pairings from John Legend’s LVE Collection, and more. From Oct. 13-16.

New York City Wine & Food Festival—New York

This year marks the 15th anniversary of this mouthwatering festival celebrating some of the best food and drink the Big Apple has to offer. Some highlights among the 80+ events include: a Cantonese-American cooking class with Calvin Eng of the buzzy Brooklyn restaurant Bonnie’s; a champagne and dim sum brunch hosted by Food Network personality Molly Yeh; and an intimate dinner with chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Lexis Gonzalez at Ginny’s Supper Club in Harlem. From Oct. 13-16. 

Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival—Paris, France

Once a year, the narrow streets of Montmartre erupt into a multi-day celebration of France’s unofficial national beverage: wine. The 89th edition of the Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival, or La Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre, will include musical performances, dance parties, parades of winemakers, vineyard visits, and more. From Oct. 5-9.

Hawaii Food & Wine Festival—Hawaii

Kalo, or taro, is an important food source for native Hawaiians, so it makes sense that the tuber is also the star ingredient of a multi-course dinner at this year’s Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. For two weeks, 150 chefs will bring their talents to 20 events across three islands, with a bourbon and barbecue feast on the Island of Hawaii, a dinner hosted by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto on Oahu, and more. From Oct. 21-Nov. 6.

La Mancha Saffron Festival—Consuegra, Spain

Consuegra, a town in Don Quixote’s La Mancha, will host the Saffron Festival (la Fiesta de la Rosa del Azafrán) in late October, to celebrate the annual harvest of saffron. The two-day event will promote the region’s culture through its food, crafts, and history, and kick off with the proclamation of the Dulcinea, an annual tradition of recognizing a distinguished local woman. From Oct. 29-30.

San Sebastián Gastronomika—San Sebastián, Spain

Thomas Keller, Gastón Acuria, and Elena Arzak are just a few of the world-famous names on this year’s program at San Sebastián Gastronomika, one of the world’s most highly anticipated gastronomy conferences, which aim to showcase the latest trends in haute cuisine through talks, demonstrations, and tastings. Now in its 24th year, the event has announced its theme this year will be “United Kulinary”—which, according to the conference website, is “a nod to gastronomy’s ability to unite cultures beyond politics.” From Oct. 2-5.

Phuket Vegetarian Festival—Phuket, Thailand

Once a year, during the ninth lunar month, one of Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations  transforms to host the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. For 10 days, the streets are lined with food stands serving a smorgasbord of plant-based foods. Come for the food, stay for the traditional processions and events. From Sept. 25—Oct. 4.

Latin Restaurant Weeks—Miami

Latin Restaurant Weeks is a multi-city celebration that promotes and amplifies Latino voices in the culinary industry. Participating Miami restaurants will offer special menus for LRW, as they call it “El Tour de Sabor.” Vamos. From Oct. 7-21.

Via Carota Cookbook

James Beard Award-winning chefs Jody Williams and Rita Sodi are revealing the secrets behind the scrumptious menu at their beloved West Village restaurant, Via Carota. Organized by season, the authors describe the book as veggie-forward. As the introduction reads: “Use this book to create your own meals around the produce available to you, to eat how you want to eat.” Forza! Available on Oct. 11.

The Fast Five Cookbook by Donna Hay

Bestselling Australian cookbook author Donna Hay is taking on one of the most common struggles for home cooks, fast and delicious weeknight dinners, in her forthcoming cookbook, The Fast Five: Shortcuts to Deliciousness. In it, you’ll find classic recipes like lasagna, tacos, and more, all with time-saving twists. Available Oct. 25. 

Castle Rock Kitchen: Wicked Good Recipes From The World Of Stephen King by Theresa Carle-Sanders

Just in time for spooky season, cookbook author Theresa Carle-Sanders is out with a new volume featuring 80 recipes inspired by Stephen King’s Maine (in particular, his novels set in Castle Rock, Derry, and other fictional towns), with a forward by the Pet Sematary author himself. Available Oct. 4. 

“Food in New York” Exhibit—New York

The Museum of the City of New York has opened the doors to “Food in New York,” an exhibition that examines the city’s food systems, with a focus on sustainability, labor justice, and equitable access to food. According to the museum website, it explores “the city’s raucous restaurant scene; its ubiquitous street food; the current activist efforts to source food locally; the world’s largest food market in Hunts Point; and the artists, thinkers, and designers who are imagining new sustainable ways to relate to food.” September – through Fall 2023

Urban Hawker—New York

This month, head to Midtown West to experience the new 11,000-square-foot Singapore-style hawker center (think a sprawling food court) on 50th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan, with 17 vendors—11 of whom hail straight from Singapore—and so many delicious dishes to choose from, like sambal chili crab and cha hae mee (fried hokkien prawn noodles). Opened Sept. 28.

The post Cultural Calendar: Where to Go and What to Cook in October appeared first on Saveur.

In a world where so many things are available on-demand, from television shows to late-night hookups, the cocktail bar seemed like one realm where the romance—a well-stirred mix of spontaneity and serendipity—was intact. After all, it takes a bit of luck to nab a seat at a swanky, walk-in-only watering hole. Now, the nature of the cocktail bar may be shifting, as establishments increasingly turn to Resy and OpenTable to improve customer turnover. Just as video killed the radio star, are algorithms coming for the spirit of the cocktail bar? 

While some may see the idea of planning a fancy drinks outing in advance as the demise of spontaneity, others aren’t so sure. Bar expert and Drink What You Want cocktail guidebook author John deBary thinks that, while using reservation apps may be “less sexy,” they are a positive force overall. deBary, who previously tended bar at famed New York City speakeasy Please Don’t Tell (better known as PDT), remembers the culture of exclusivity that once surrounded cocktail bars. Even at establishments where reservations were already the standard, they were almost impossible to come by; PDT, for example, accommodated no more than 24 guests, which “really limited how many people we could bring in,” said deBary. Moreover, across the cocktail bar scene in general, there was a lot of “insider-y texting,” he recalled, resulting in systems that favored people in the business or customers who were personal friends of the bartender or owner. Apps, on the other hand, have a democratizing effect. “It strikes me as more accessible and hospitable because it’s very transparent,” he said. Anyone can search for available bar seats and make a reservation—the only barrier to entry is a valid email address or phone number. 

The apps aren’t necessarily inimical to spontaneity either. Say your friend is running late for dinner and you’re deciding whether to nudge the reservation back an hour. “With that time, you can check Resy, find an opening at a nearby bar, and grab it,” said deBary. Rather than fuming at your perpetually tardy friend, you can kill an hour with a cocktail and maybe even add a new heart to your pinned list on Google Maps.  

Elva Ramirez, drinks writer and author of Zero Proof: 90 Non-Alcoholic Recipes for Mindful Drinking, is likewise supportive of cocktail bar reservations, especially in more intimate bars, where space is tight and service is seated-only (no standing room). With a little planning ahead, customers can reserve a table at an allotted hour—and spend less time waiting outside on the sidewalk.

For traditionalists who refuse to download the reservation apps, there are workarounds for scoring a spot—and maintaining all the impulsivity of “Hey, wanna grab a drink?” As Ramirez recommended, “Be patient. Be unfailingly polite.” Even at bars where Ramirez considers herself a regular, “I won’t always have a seat when I walk in—and I don’t expect to.” If you’re pleasant and don’t apply undue pressure on the establishment, sometimes the host may even reciprocate the gesture with faster accommodation. “As in all things in life, being nice opens many doors,” she added.

Esther Tseng, a Los Angeles-based writer and Academy Chair for the World’s 50 Best Bars, agrees that you can still spontaneously score a table at a popular cocktail bar. Visiting during off-peak hours makes a big difference, “like Mondays through Wednesdays, before 6:30 p.m., or before the bar or restaurant is going to close out,” she recommended. In other words, if you’re thirsty, there will always be a way. 

Similar to restaurants that resist delivery, certain bars will continue to hold out against reservation apps. Those establishments won’t pose a threat to spontaneity, but the cost may be an air of exclusivity, difficulty nabbing a table, or simply a very long wait. Chances are, as time goes on, more and more bars will offer themselves up as clickable timeslots—but that doesn’t mean the experience will change once you’re in the door. 

Having gone to school in New York in the early aughts, I remember the heyday of speakeasy-style cocktail joints, like the legendary Milk & Honey. I saved up my work-study paychecks to foot the bill for a gently smoky, honey-and-ginger-tinged Penicillin cocktail. Walking through the door (or, rather, finding the unmarked entrance on a gritty street downtown—so New York) was the ticket to a front-row seat to watch someone measure and mix a bespoke, meticulously crafted beverage, to hear the rattle of the ice in the shaker, to taste something I wouldn’t dream of making myself. Had we simply booked a table online, would it have diminished the magic? I doubt it.

The post Reservation Apps Have Come for the Cocktail Bar appeared first on Saveur.

If you’ve noticed the price of your daily bread rising, you’re not alone—wheat supply issues are causing shortages and driving up grocery receipts across the globe. In the U.S., flour prices in July were up 44.8% compared to the same time last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Reminiscent of the early pandemic, shortages and accompanying price hikes may force restaurants and home cooks to find ways to improvise in the kitchen.

Called the “breadbasket of Europe,” Russia and Ukraine are two of the largest exporters of wheat, together accounting for nearly 30% of the world’s exports. Wheat production didn’t halt after Russia invaded Ukraine, but getting it out of the country suddenly became a logistical nightmare, adding strain to a wheat market already battered by COVID-19 and the ongoing climate crisis. 

While some countries, particularly those that rely on these exports, will face empty grocery store shelves, wealthier nations like the U.S. will more likely feel the repercussions in the form of price hikes. Though, with the compounding effect of fertilizer shortages and the massive elephant in every room, climate change, flour’s fate is far from certain. 

Whether you’re feeling the pinch in the wallet or the pantry, it seems prudent to tap the experts for their advice on how home bakers should navigate the ongoing wheat and flour shortages.  

Frank Barron, better known as @cakeboyparis, knows a thing or two about baking through scarcity. The Paris-based cake maker was in the thick of recipe development for his latest book, My Sweet Paris, when the pandemic rippled across Europe. “My go-to flour for baking here in France is T-65, which I find to be the closest to American all-purpose flour. It was often sold out during those first three months of the pandemic so I had to get creative with substitutions,” he recalled.

For an alternative to all-purpose, Barron often used spelt flour, which was always in stock at his neighborhood natural grocery store. “I also made the pleasant discovery of rice flour as a substitute for all-purpose flour. The brown rice variety has a distinct nutty taste, which is delicious in recipes like banana bread and carrot cake,” he continued, noting that it’s important to choose finely ground rice flour to avoid a gritty texture. 

To conserve your all-purpose flour supply, Barron also suggested subbing in nut flours, like pistachio, almond, or hazelnut, which he did for several recipes in his book. The result, explained Barron, is a crumblier texture but with a rich nutty taste—a flavor that works well in, say, a Persian almond cake, or Barron’s own pistachio cherry tea cake.

Andrew Ullom, owner of Union Special Bread in Raleigh, North Carolina, has faced no shortage of challenges in the three years since opening his bakery. During his 36 months in business, flour prices have increased by 115%. 

Running a professional bakery doesn’t allow much wiggle room for substitutions—“it would take us six weeks, at least, to retool our formulas,” said Ullom—but when he bakes at home and finds himself short on bread flour, Ullom combines Vital Wheat Gluten (VWG) with all-purpose flour (or any other low-protein flour). Just a small proportion of VWG (2-3%) goes a long way toward boosting the much-needed protein content, he explains.

Or, let’s say whole wheat flour is the only available option. It could make a great substitute for AP flour—but, Ullom cautioned, be ready to augment your liquids. “If you’re making bread, you’ll have to use more water, “ he explained. When subbing in whole-wheat flour in fluffy baked goods like muffins, “you’ll use more fat and more egg.” Not upping the liquid content could result in a texture that’s too gritty. “And it will also be a brick,” Ullom added. Whole-grain flours absorb more water and, as a result, cause dough or batter to stiffen. “We love using as much whole grain as we can—it’s delicious, it’s healthy, and it works with great fermentation—but it is definitely tricky to make whole-grain chocolate chip cookies.” 

Finally, to extend the lifespan of the supply of flour already in your pantry, Ullom recommends refrigeration. “If you keep flour cold, it lasts a lot longer, especially if it’s freshly milled—the fats won’t go rancid. Or, by all means, put it in a Ziploc bag and freeze it.”

In early August, Reuters reported that the first wheat-hauling ship to depart Ukraine since the conflict erupted in February had left the harbor, per a safe-passage agreement brokered with Russia. It may be a glimmer of hope for the wheat market, and a sign that falling prices are on the horizon—albeit, likely not anytime soon. In the meantime, home bakers can lean into some experimentation. 

When testing new flours, Barron encouraged adjusting expectations: “There might be a little trial and error when it comes to substitutions until you get results you are happy with.” 

Ullom echoed that sentiment: “Every once in a while, you’re going to try something and it won’t be good,” he said. “That’s the learning process.”

The post Excited For Fall Baking? Here’s How to Navigate the Wheat Shortage appeared first on Saveur.

While the end of summer may inspire September blues in some, I’m feeling very Earth, Wind, & Fire about it. I’m looking forward to my three-year-old daughter starting school in Paris, and I can’t wait to spend school nights toiling away in my own kitchen. 

From highly anticipated cookbooks to wine festivals to a celebration dedicated entirely to meat, this month will be rife with food inspiration—for cooking something new, or making memories you’ll cherish (you know, dancing in September). 

Here are the food and culture events the SAVEUR team is jazzed about this September. 

Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund Hosts Inaugural Benefit At Chelsea Market—New York City

Honoring the life of renowned artisanal cheesemaker Anne Saxelby, the Inaugural Benefit for the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund (ASLF) will see Chelsea Market transformed into a gallery of gastronomic delights, featuring 60 top chefs and local artisans. Proceeds will support the ASLF, which offers fully paid apprenticeships on family or community-run farms. On Sept. 14. 

Cabrales (Asturian Cheese) Fair—Asturias, Spain

In the heart of the Picos de Europa Mountains in Asturias, Spain, the Cabrales Cheese Competition is a celebration of the region’s famed variety of cheese, cabrales, considered one of the world’s finest blue cheeses. Featuring demonstrations of the traditional cheese-making process, as well as fun exhibitions, and much more, the fair attracts thousands of (cheese-seeking) pilgrims every year. On Aug. 28.

Singapore Food Festival—Singapore

A deep dive into a country’s rich and diverse cuisines, the Singapore Food Festival will feature celebrated chefs from Singapore and around the world, sharing both classic recipes and unique dishes created especially for the festival. Expect roving pop-up markets, guided tours of popular food districts, and more. From Aug. 24 to Sept. 11.

The Vegan Chinese Kitchen

In The Vegan Chinese Kitchen, SAVEUR’s Cookbook Club pick for October/November, Hannah Che shows us how nearly every dish in the Chinese repertoire can be prepared sans meat, with recipes like Blistered Dry-Fried String Beans and Sweet and Sour Tofu. Available Sept. 13.

Home Is Where the Eggs Are

The newest cookbook from OG food blogger and Food Network host Molly Yeh, Home Is Where the Eggs Are blends Yeh’s Chinese and Jewish heritage, her time living in New York, her husband’s Scandinavian heritage, and their farm in the upper Midwest. Expect cozy recipes like Doughnut Matzo Brei and Ham & Potato Pizza. Available Sept. 27.

Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest—Rhinebeck, New York

Located in the town of Rhinebeck, a veritable upstate cultural hub, the Hudson Valley Wine Fest showcases wine and food from the Empire State. Mingle with hundreds of local winemakers while sampling bites from beloved local restaurants and taking in a couple of cooking demos. From Sept. 10 to 11.

Atlanta Food & Wine Festival—Atlanta

The theme of this year’s Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is “A Love Letter to the South,” featuring chefs, pitmasters, sommeliers, brewers, and mixologists from 13 Southern states, all highlighting the region’s culinary culture. Look out for the South’s leading chefs, like Josue Pena of The Iberian Pig Buckhead in Atlanta, Giorgio Rapicavoli of Luca Osteria in Coral Gables, Florida, and John Tesar of Knife in Dallas. From Sept. 15 to 18.

Meatopia—London

One of the best known UK food festivals, Meatopia London is a weekend-long celebration of food, drink, music, and fire. Featuring more than 60 of the world’s best live-fire chefs (past headliners include Francis Mallmann and Aaron Franklin), the event will showcase exclusive dishes using sustainably sourced wood and ingredients. From Sept. 2 to 4.

Oktoberfest—Munich

Inaugurated in 1810, this annual two-week festival is a toast to Bavarian culture, featuring bratwurst, giant soft pretzels, and plenty of good beer. With fair rides and special family days (reduced prices for rides and food), there’s something for everyone. Don’t forget your lederhosen! From Sept. 17 to Oct. 3.

Cairo Bites—Cairo

Serving over 10,000 food lovers each year, Cairo Bites aims to showcase Egypt’s rich blend of cultures through food. Visitors can expect concerts, competitions, and a whole lot of delicious samples. From Sept. 9 to 10.

2022 Billion Oyster Party—New York City

Just in time for oyster season (if you subscribe to the ‘r’ rule), the 2022 Billion Oyster Party is an ode to the sexiest mollusk, featuring live music, oysters from dozens of farms across the country, and plenty of delicious bites. On Sept. 29.

Slutty Vegan—New York City

Slutty Vegan, the cult-favorite plant-based burger joint hailing from Atlanta, will open its first New York City outpost in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Expect signature sandwiches like the Ménage à Trois (vegan bacon, vegan shrimp, vegan cheese, caramelized onions) and the Sloppy Toppy (jalapeños, vegan cheese, caramelized onions). Opens Sept. 17.

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The relationship between “healthy” food and inclusivity tends to be inverse. Health food brands often project an aura of exclusivity around their products. Ghost Town Oats, the world’s first Black- and queer-owned oat milk company, wants to break down the barrier surrounding one of today’s trendiest health-promoting products—one delicious, creamy cappuccino at a time. 

As of late July, the LA-based brand is officially available in select coffee shops in Los Angeles, like Dayglow and Obet & Del’s Coffee, and Chicago, like Stan’s Donuts. It’s the fledgling company’s first step toward creating a deeply inclusive, widely available, and (attention, baristas) better-tasting oat milk. 

Like many newish and innovative food companies, Ghost Town Oats was a brainchild of the pandemic. Stuck at home, veteran coffee professionals Michelle Johnson, Ezra Baker, and Eric J. Grimm decided to join forces and create a product that they felt the industry needed. Their goals were threefold: taste, texture, and culture. “We really homed in on what flavors we wanted,” said Baker on a recent phone call, explaining that many of the existing oat milks tasted overwhelmingly “oaty.” Their goal was to create one with a taste and creaminess that approximated whole milk.

Because all of the founders are baristas at heart—Johnson, known for her blog The Chocolate Barista, was in fact the first Black woman to qualify for the U.S. Barista Championship—it was important that the milk alternative they created could steam exceptionally well. “That was the number one thing that we wanted to do,” said Baker. 

Finally, they wanted to reach customers they believe have too often been excluded from plant-based milk culture—specifically, communities of color. Currently, according to Baker, the target audience for alternative milks largely overlaps with wellness adherents—mostly white, mostly affluent. According to Baker, “we want to be the bridge” to a much wider, more diverse customer base. “We want to be the Sprite of oat milk,” he continued, in reference to how the lemon-lime soda was historically heavily marketed to African American communities. But unlike Sprite, oat milk carries nutritional benefits—and it’s lactose-free, a significant consideration for communities of color that Baker points out are more likely to experience lactose intolerance. 

The company’s commitment to inclusivity runs so deep that it’s even built into the financing. Through the WeFunder platform, the company invites anyone to buy a piece of the pie (for as little as $100) and potentially earn a return on their investment. As of this writing, Ghost Town Oats has raised $236,518 from 392 investors.

If investors have proven to be eager, so have customers (and wannabe customers). According to the company’s WeFunder page, the waitlist for coffee shops wanting to carry Ghost Town Oats has soared past 100. Reminiscent of the explosive growth of the bonafide unicorn startup Oatly, Ghost Town Oats stands to scale fast. “It’s almost scary for someone who’s never done this. I’m freaking out a little bit,” said Baker with a laugh. “But we’re having fun.”

When asked about his ultimate vision of success, Baker didn’t mention funding rounds or financials. He replied, “Success for us would be to go to any bodega in New York City or in Brooklyn and find our product there.”

The post Why Oat Milk Is Too White—And How One Brand Is Determined to Change That appeared first on Saveur.

Last week, on yet another sweltering summer day in Paris, I was once again at the counter shoveling tomatoes drizzled with spicy, crunchy, garlicky chili crisp into my mouth. Sauce dripped freely back into the bowl, forming oily, crimson swirls. The habit began in the name of research: to taste-test the salad that the internet will not shut up about. But where did the tomato-chili crisp combo come from, and why was it suddenly all the rage? 

Chili crisp reportedly arrived on the scene in 1997, when Tao Hubi, owner of a popular Guizhou province noodle shop in China, began selling her famed homemade chile sauce under the name Lao Gan Ma. While it’s unclear who first combined the condiment with fresh tomatoes, word of mouth and Google led me to Andy Baraghani, whose new cookbook, The Cook You Want To Be, includes a recipe for tomatoes slicked with homemade, Italian-inspired chili crisp. 

“It’s a play on textures and temperatures,” Baraghani told me last week over the phone. “You have these cool, juicy tomatoes that are seasoned and acidic, and then you have a hot, savory, crunchy oil on top.”  

While Baraghani’s salad calls for fennel seeds and cooked-down anchovies, many recipes making the social media rounds are paring things down to just two ingredients: tomatoes and a jar of store-bought chili crisp. 

Jess Damuck, author of the bestselling cookbook Salad Freak (our current SAVEUR Cookbook Club pick), supports that less-is-more approach to the viral salad and said in an interview that chili crisp makes its way onto almost everything she’s eating these days. 

Author and Roads & Kingdoms founder Matt Goulding sees tomatoes and chili crisp as a sandwich situation. He wrote in an email that he’s been drizzling chili crisp over thick slices of tomatoes with a generous layer of mayo on top of lightly toasted, crustless white bread. 

All that mouth-watering research is how I got hooked on the tomato-chili crisp combo. Back in my kitchen, I quartered ripe tomatoes and added a splash of rice vinegar, a glug of oil, and a pinch of flaky salt. Next came a generous spoonful of chili crisp from my neighborhood Asian grocer, the perfect peppery garnish for the cool tomatoes. After a few bites, I threw in a few hunks of leftover mozzarella di bufala and spooned on even more chili crisp. And that’s the beauty of the salad of the summer—it is whatever you make of it.

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There’s a running joke among Americans in Paris about Europeans—Parisians especially—signing off the entire month of August. (True enough; I recently tried to reschedule a late July meeting only to be offered a raincheck for September.)

Sure, the joke’s a little tired, considering plenty of people work throughout the summer. But it does seem fair to say that August days are long and languid. Compared to the flurry of activity come September, big cities feel delightfully uneventful. And when it comes to cooking, no one wants to sweat by a stove, which means meals are often as simple and straightforward as dressing up seasonal produce. 

Despite the slightly muted vibe of the month of August, there’s still a lot that the SAVEUR team is excited about in the world of food and drink. We’ve rounded up the events that should be on your radar, as well as some of the forthcoming cookbooks we can’t wait to crack open, for filling the final dog days of summer with plenty of good food and inspiration.  

Smorgasburg — Toronto, Canada

The popular open-air food market that has become an institution in New York City is launching its first-ever international location in Toronto. Located at 7 Queens Quay East, the weekly market will feature dozens of local food vendors like Afrobeat Kitchen and LÀ LÁ Bakeshop. It will run for eight weeks, beginning July 23.  

EVERYBODY EATS — Houston

A novel concept from chefs Tobias Dorzon and Matt Price, EVERYBODY EATS is a multi-city dining experience that marries food and social media. The event’s name is also the very theme here: While in-person attendees will enjoy a multi-course menu, those unable to visit IRL can participate by accessing the chefs’ recipes via their social media. Additionally, part of the proceeds will be donated to charity to help feed families in need. The first dinners ran in Washington, D.C. in July, and the next will be hosted in Houston on Aug. 8. Future dates will be announced soon. 

Claud — New York City

Momofuku Ko alums chef Joshua Pinsky and wine director Chase Sinzer are opening a European-inspired restaurant and wine bar, Claud, in the East Village. According to the pair, their goal is to “create a space that leans on their roots but provides an everyday experience for the neighborhood.” With dishes like swordfish au poivre and half chicken with foie gras drippings, the establishment opens its doors on East 10th St. on Aug. 2.

Octopus Festival — Ourense, Spain

On Aug. 14, between 25,000 and 30,000 kilos (that’s 55,116 to 66,139 pounds) of octopus, or pulpo in Spanish, will be prepared in O Carballiño, a town in Galicia (pulpo capital of the world), for this year’s Octopus Festival. In addition to the main attraction, attendees can try other regional favorites like Cea bread and pies, with plenty of Ribeiro wine.

Prosperity Market Black Business Scavenger Hunt — Los Angeles

Throughout the month of August, a roving farmers market spotlighting Black farmers, food producers, and chefs will host a Black Business Scavenger Hunt across the city of Los Angeles. For the occasion, founders Kara Still and Carmen Dianne have partnered with more than 50 Black entrepreneurs across food, fashion, arts, and entertainment. Each week, Prosperity Market will release clues on its website and Instagram to unlock the designated locations, from wine bars to coffee shops to galleries and more. Participants earn points by visiting the locations, checking in, taking a photo with a QR code, and sharing on Instagram (or via email, for those without social media).

Forever Beirut: Recipes and Stories from the Heart of Lebanon

Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, is known for its unmatched cuisine that combines Arab, Turkish, and French influences. Forever Beirut, a love letter to the city’s vibrant dishes that publishes Aug. 23, is written by renowned chef and award-winning cookbook author Barbara Abdeni Massaad. 

I Am From Here – Stories and Recipes from a Southern Chef

Available on Aug. 16, I Am From Here takes readers on a journey through James Beard Award-winning chef Vishwesh Bhatt’s take on American Southern cuisine. The Indian-born, Mississippi-based chef shares dishes like Peanut Masala–Stuffed Baby Eggplant alongside fried okra tossed in tangy chaat masala, Collard-Wrapped Catfish with a spicy Peanut Pesto, and much more.

Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen

You might know Chef Gaby Melian from her viral videos during her reign as Bon Appétit’s Test Kitchen Manager. Her latest project is Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen, a cookbook aimed at young cooks in which the Buenos Aires-born chef shares her favorite recipes from Latin America, including Colombian-style Arepas con Queso and crepe-like Panqueques with sweet Dulce de Leche. It will be available Aug. 9. 

The Gracias Madre Cookbook

In California, the restaurant Gracias Madre is known for its tasty plant-based Mexican cuisine and exceptional cocktails. Now, the eatery is releasing a cookbook, which drops Aug. 9, featuring recipes from chef Alan Sánchez like Calabaza and Onion Quesadillas, Coliflor with Cashew Nacho Cheese, and Coffee Flan.

Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew

In Koshersoul, James Beard award-winning author and culinary historian Michael W. Twitty examines the crossroads of Jewish and African diaspora cuisine, and explores themes of identity, food, and memory. Part cookbook and part cultural exploration, Koshersoul includes over 50 recipes and is available beginning Aug. 9.

Secrets of a Tastemaker: Al Copeland The Cookbook 

Everybody knows Popeye’s, but the story of the man behind the famous fried-chicken empire has been largely overlooked—until now. Secrets of a Tastemaker shares stories from the life of New Orleans-born founder Al Copeland and includes more than 100 of his closely guarded family recipes. The book is now available for Kindle pre-order, and hardcover pre-order begins Aug. 13.

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Clean eating may have its benefits—like added vitamins and minerals, or an energy or mood boost—but who gets to decide which ingredients are “clean”? That’s the question activist and comedian Jenny Yang is tackling in her recently launched #DinnerWithGoop campaign. 

Yang, along with global food and amino acids manufacturer Ajinomoto, has publicly invited Goop, the lifestyle platform helmed by actress Gwyneth Paltrow that regularly espouses so-called “clean eating,” to an intimate dinner. On the menu? A multi-course feast featuring monosodium glutamate, better known as MSG, from soup to nuts—or rather, from MSG-infused cucumber cocktails to MSG-laced savory dumplings. Yang’s goal is to get Paltrow’s brand to reexamine some of its stances on MSG, an ingredient commonly found in Chinese cuisine. 

Currently, the platform tends to treat MSG as something to be eliminated in order to live one’s best, dewiest life. For example, one post promoting a product called “Clean Cleanse” rattles off various “chemicals” that harm the body, including insecticides, fertilizers, lead, arsenic, and, further down the list, MSG. The cleanse, of course, helps to prevent the inevitable damage from those “recirculating toxins.” Paltrow, who penned the post’s intro, shares in the opening blurb that she just completed the 21-day cleanse (which sells for $485) and reported that “it worked wonders.” 

The message is subtle but clear: MSG is better avoided and dispelled than enjoyed.

“#DinnerwithGoop is an attempt to engage in conversation with them,” Yang told me over the phone. “They’re so influential. It would be powerful to be able to say, ‘This is a thing that you should be aware of if you care about stopping Asian hate.’ Anti-takeout food, anti-Chinese food—it’s all kind of connected in our collective stereotypical brains.” 

The history of anti-MSG sentiment dates back to 1968, when Dr. Robert Ho Man Kwok published a letter to the editor in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Kwok, who was a Chinese immigrant living in the U.S., claimed that eating Chinese American restaurant food caused him to develop an ephemeral numbness in his neck, back, and arms. Dr. Kwok hypothesized that MSG might be to blame. 

Following the publication of the letter, additional voices chimed in, also alleging symptoms, including dizziness and headaches. The New York Times covered the murky issue in a story entitled, “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’ Puzzles Doctors.” As the article notes, restaurant owners at the time were highly skeptical. Robert Kuan, proprietor of a Chinese restaurant on Mott Street in New York City, told the Times, “The only headaches I get are from running this place and paying taxes.” 

Still, the attitudes surrounding MSG and “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” had legs. They linger today, even though the FDA recognizes MSG as safe. Per the administration’s website: “Although many people identify themselves as sensitive to MSG, in studies with such individuals given MSG or a placebo, scientists have not been able to consistently trigger reactions.”

Yang, who was born in Taipei and regularly traveled there even after moving to California when she was five years old, has fond memories of her Taiwanese family’s cooking. Food was a means for her to bond with her family, especially the women. “I can remember watching them cook and talking about cooking in a very specific way. It’s not even an obsession, it’s just a part of our culture,” said Yang. 

Many of her grandma’s treasured recipes (none of which were written down, Yang notes with a laugh) fully embraced MSG. Her grandma’s red-braised pork belly strikes a particularly poignant note in her mind’s eye. “I will never forget how good it was—every other delicious red-braised pork belly dish will never compete with the memory I have of my grandmother’s. It probably had more fat than anyone else’s. Maybe it was the MSG, too.”

Blacklisting a specific food or ingredient may seem objective, but to Yang, it’s deeply personal. Though she still speaks Mandarin, she thinks that “for a lot of immigrant kids, when language fails, food is our only link to our culture.” 

Excluding MSG from the boundaries of “clean” eating can feel like an attack. “It’s upsetting to me, as someone who cares about my body and body positivity and not shaming each other for what we eat and how we live our lives.” What’s more, says Yang, to call a particular way of eating “clean” presumes other ways are considered “dirty.” It’s important to be cognizant of which foods carry the latter label—and why. 

Similar to how the introduction of umami into the modern (English) lexicon in the late 1970s changed the way people thought about flavor, Yang wants to usher in another shift in food culture—a watershed moment in which MSG is no longer demonized. 

So far, Goop hasn’t RSVP’d to the dinner invitation. But the brand hasn’t declined either. Yang, who is currently filming The Brothers Sun series for Netflix, is hopeful. 

“It would be really cool if they would step up and be like, ‘This is important to us. We got it wrong.’ Let’s, like, have a conversation. Let’s do it over good food.”

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Paris’ most emblematic sandwich, the jambon beurre, may be in danger. Last Tuesday, the French Government announced a “plan of action” to reduce the use of nitrites—an additive commonly found in cured meats—in food. The news came on the same day that the country’s national health security agency (ANSES) confirmed a link between the consumption of processed meats containing nitrites and certain types of cancer. 

The agency called for limiting the use of nitrites to what’s “strictly necessary”—as little as possible while not creating adverse health impacts. Nitrites serve as a preservative and prevent the growth of noxious microorganisms. But they also add flavor and color: in the case of baked ham, they lend the meat its characteristic blushing pink hue.

The cured meats industry, unsurprisingly, was quick to respond to the government’s announcement. But their reaction wasn’t quite what one might expect. 

According to Bernard Vallat, president of France’s cured meat industry federation (FICT), the organization was satisfied that the plan calls for reducing nitrites, rather than entirely eliminating them. As he explained on a phone call, the industry in France had been scaling back on nitrites since 2016, from 150 milligrams per kilo (the maximum allowed under European Union regulations) to 100 milligrams. 

“Along with Denmark, we are the country that uses the least nitrites in charcuterie. We did it because we knew we were facing societal pressure, as people are emphasizing more natural products and fewer additives,” said Vallat. In fact, the federation supports reducing the maximum permissible amount even further. “But first, there’s an enormous amount of research to be done.”

Baked ham, such as “Prince de Paris” (considered by many to be the gold standard for French ham), represents about 25% of the charcuterie industry in France. According to Vallat, approximately 15% of those producers are already nitrite-free. Instead, they’re using a newer additive called Prosur, which is made in Spain. But it’s not as effective as nitrites, so products made with it have a much shorter shelf life. The biggest barrier holding up its adoption is that it’s more expensive: “Only huge corporations have been able to use it. Smaller companies can’t afford it for now,” said Vallat.  

Vallat says the biggest consequence of the French Government’s proposed plan of action is a crisis of public perception. Since manufacturers had already been reducing the use of nitrites, the call for their reduction won’t impact production. “The problem is the media campaign that influences consumers and could hurt consumption. They’ll decide to eat something else,” he said. For now, all the industry can do is reiterate its commitment to adhering to government regulations and continuing its quest to minimize nitrites to the extent possible.  

Strictly speaking, the jambon beurre won’t be affected by the French government—not yet, at least. But whether the established cancer link prompts Parisians and visitors to opt for a different sandwich is another question entirely.

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