California’s new food critics, “Zaitoun,” and Tomatomania

Hosted by Evan Kleiman Mar. 16, 2019 Food & Drink

Excerpted from "Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen" by Yasmin Khan. Photo credit: Matt Russell

Soleil Ho and Tejal Rao belong to a new wave of food critics who are helping to redefine the craft. Writer and activist Yasmin Khan talks about her travels to modern Palestine, which have yielded a book full of humanizing stories and recipes. Plus: the return of the world's largest tomato seedling sal.

From this Episode:

San Francisco’s new food critic is changing the game

The San Francisco Chronicle’s new restaurant critic Soleil Ho recently published her first slate of reviews.

15 min

Meet the New York Times’ first California food critic

Last year the New York Times appointed its first California food critic in Tejal Rao —yet another sign of the state’s recognition as a dining powerhouse.

9 min

Real-deal Lebanese cooking at Hayat’s Kitchen

In search of Lebanese cuisine, Bill Addison recently paid a visit to the new location of Hayat’s Kitchen in the Hollywood Hills, where he discovered fresh kibbeh nayeh...

5 min

What is the Palestinian kitchen?

Yasmin Khan ’s numerous visits to modern Palestine taught her that the food there is not only inseparable from politics, but also its historical influences, including Arab,...

13 min

Tomatomania is back!

As we ramp up to tomato season, we look to an expert in Scott Daigre . Scott is the force behind Tomatomania , the largest tomato seedling sale in the world—and it’s...

7 min

Market Report: Garlic Chives

Also known as Chinese leeks or nira , garlic chives are favored in many Asian cuisines for their sharp, grassy flavor. Also a fan: executive chef Danielle Sobel of...

9 min