The hottest Food & Drink Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Food & Drink Topics

Investors still have faith in lab-made meat, despite plant-based industry’s tough year

Callaway Climate Insights • 39 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🍲 Food & Drink Plant-based Investment Startups
  1. Investors are still confident in lab-made meat despite challenges in the plant-based industry.
  2. Alternative proteins, including lab-grown meat, are receiving significant funding from high-profile investors.
  3. The commercialization of lab-grown meat may face challenges in terms of production scalability and cost competitiveness.

Espresso machine evolution

Norman’s Substack • 39 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🍲 Food & Drink Coffee Brewing
  1. The project machine is not the author's daily driver, they use a Gaggia Classic Pro for their morning coffee.
  2. The author made a new machine using parts from an older Gaggia machine and aluminum extrusion bars.
  3. Future plans include building a new machine with new parts like a circuit board, group head base, wider chassis, and a larger display.

Luxury Dining in 1899

Bird History • 39 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🍲 Food & Drink
  1. Delmonico's in 1899 offered a high-end dining experience with a menu that included expensive items like Canvasback duck, which was considered haute cuisine at the time.
  2. The journey of a Canvasback duck from its natural habitat to the dinner table at Delmonico's involved an elaborate system of market hunting, game processing, and transportation by rail.
  3. The demand for luxury game birds like Canvasbacks in urban markets drove a national network that transformed the way people consumed birds, impacting the environment and leading to concerns about wildlife conservation.
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Fozia Ismail’s Hibiscus and Xawaash Venison with Creamy Parsnip Mash

Vittles • 64 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🍲 Food & Drink Recipes Cooking Cuisine
  1. Game meat, like venison, connects us to the seasons and brings rich, comforting flavors to our meals. Cooking with seasonal ingredients can enhance our relationship with the food we eat.
  2. Using unique ingredients like hibiscus can add a special twist to traditional dishes, making them more vibrant and interesting. Hibiscus' tangy flavor works well with meats, similar to how cranberry might be used.
  3. Homemade spices, like xawaash, can deepen the flavor of dishes and make them more personal. Taking the time to prepare your own seasonings can elevate your cooking experience.

staples

let them eat cake • 79 implied HN points • 22 Nov 22
🍲 Food & Drink Baking Bread Pastry Food System
  1. Every artisanal bakery relies on ingredients from industrial-scale operations to meet consumer demand.
  2. Artisan mills needed a market of bakeries to sell to in order to become more common.
  3. Companionship is worth celebrating during Thanksgiving, despite the holiday's controversial origins.

Chloe-Rose Crabtree's Blackberry and Kiwi Lattice Pie

Vittles • 53 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🍲 Food & Drink Recipes Cooking Baking Desserts Ingredients
  1. This pie recipe combines blackberries and kiwi, perfect for adding brightness during winter. It's a delicious way to enjoy seasonal fruits.
  2. You can choose different decorative toppings for the pie, like a lattice crust or sugar on top. Even simple designs can look lovely and impressive.
  3. Making a successful pastry requires keeping ingredients at the right temperature and letting the dough rest. This helps create a flaky and tasty crust.

Does New York City have the world's best food?

Silver Bulletin • 191 implied HN points • 02 Sep 23
🍲 Food & Drink Cuisine Restaurants Comparisons Quality Experience
  1. There is a debate about whether the US or France has better food, depending on various factors like effort and definitions.
  2. New York City is praised for its diverse food options, due to its high tolerance for immigration and intense market-based competition.
  3. When comparing food cities, it's important to consider different definitions such as living for restaurant dining, overall food quality, and short visits.

Vittles Reviews: When Is a Viral Burger Worth the Wait?

Vittles • 133 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Restaurant Reviews Food Trends
  1. The column discusses the concept of waiting for a viral burger and the need for speed in food service.
  2. Supernova restaurant's viral success has been achieved by designing everything for social media, focusing on visual signature for recognition.
  3. The article emphasizes the importance of strong visual branding and the impact it has on virality in the food industry.

How to Make Pickles

Autoscriptorium • 39 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
🍲 Food & Drink Recipes History Preservation
  1. Pickling is a process that uses an acid solution to preserve food and enhance its flavor.
  2. The process of pickling dates back to ancient times, showcasing the rich history behind this preservation technique.
  3. You can make quick and easy refrigerator pickles at home using vinegar, cucumbers, and simple ingredients.

no. 57: the sound of bells

let them eat cake • 99 implied HN points • 30 Jul 22
🍲 Food & Drink Wine Culture Business Romance Legacy
  1. Selecting wines based on a personal 'bell' moment is a unique and intuitive approach that embraces the ineffable nature of taste.
  2. The story behind a wine, including the winemaker's journey and the vineyard's history, can add depth to the wine-drinking experience, regardless of scientific accuracy.
  3. Romance and mystery play a significant role in the allure of wine, transforming personal experiences and stories into tangible aspects of wine production.

🐟 Food Find Friday - Jan 12, 2024

Mister Branzino's Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history Cooking tips
  1. Mister Branzino explores food finds weekly, sharing interesting discoveries from the past 7 days.
  2. National Quitter's Day is real, happening around January, when many people struggle to stick to their new year resolutions.
  3. Caesar salad, often associated with Italian-American cuisine, is actually a Mexican invention from Tijuana, sparking a food historical war.

How The Sugar Tax Ruined Soft Drinks

Vittles • 120 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Policy
  1. The sugar tax led to the reformulation of soft drinks with artificial sweeteners, making them taste worse and impacting people's enjoyment of these beverages.
  2. The reduction in sugar content in popular soft drinks like Sanpellegrino and Irn-Bru due to the sugar tax led to significant backlash from consumers and changes in taste perceptions.
  3. Consumer experiences and health effects were not fully considered in the implementation of the sugar tax, leading to unintended consequences like gastrointestinal issues from artificial sweeteners.

Nick Bramham's Caponata for All Seasons

Vittles • 112 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Recipes Cooking techniques Seasonal Ingredients Culinary culture
  1. Caponata is a diverse dish with fried vegetables, pine nuts, raisins, olives, vinegar, and tomatoes, showcasing the variety and uniqueness of this Sicilian classic.
  2. Caponata can be made year-round by using preserved ingredients like olive oil, vinegar, sugar, pine nuts, olives, and raisins, allowing for seasonal variations in vegetables to be incorporated.
  3. Consider trying a new version of caponata with pumpkin or squash, offering a denser and sweeter flavor profile that contrasts well with the other traditional ingredients, making it a standout dish on its own.

#20: Finding a forgotten flavour of chips

Pea Bee • 113 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history Nostalgia Digital Archives
  1. The search for a forgotten flavor of chips led to a journey through old blogs, archives, and random discoveries.
  2. Discovering the missing flavor brought a mix of nostalgia, satisfaction, and the joy of finally solving a mystery.
  3. Unintended discoveries like old marketing strategies and technologies enlivened the search experience, making it more than just finding a chip flavor.

no. 59: third wave

let them eat cake • 79 implied HN points • 14 Sep 22
🍲 Food & Drink Cuisine French cuisine
  1. The post discusses a meal experience at Michel Guerard's place in southern France, highlighting his reputation as one of the last chefs of the Nouvelle Cuisine movement.
  2. Michel Guerard, at 89 years old, is recognized for his contributions to the culinary industry, including creating a line of frozen foods for Nestle.
  3. Readers are encouraged to subscribe to let them eat cake to access more content and enjoy a 7-day free trial.

Potato Leek Soup

Mister Branzino's Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink Recipe Ingredients Equipment Tips
  1. The recipe shared in the post is for a super simple yet fancy Potato Leek Soup, also known as Vichyssoise.
  2. The ingredients required for the soup include chicken or veggie stock, leeks, onion, potato, chives, Half-and-Half, butter, and olive oil.
  3. For equipment, you'll need two pots, a blender, cutting board, knife, and spatula or wooden spoon to prepare this delicious soup.

165 | 7 Food Safety Risks for 2025 | Food Defence Case Study | Crackers |

The Rotten Apple • 52 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Health Risks Industry Trends
  1. Cyberattacks can threaten food safety, especially for people with allergies. A recent case showed how menu tampering could harm those sensitive to allergens.
  2. Seven new food safety risks for 2025 have been identified, including issues like allergen management and e-commerce fraud. These are becoming more important as food production changes.
  3. Menu software is often overlooked in food defense systems, but it can be a security risk. Businesses need to ensure that this software is protected just like other critical systems.

The Demon in the Can

Vittles • 112 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Policy Health Social Issues Industry
  1. The sugar tax introduced in the UK aimed to reduce sugar consumption and combat obesity, but there is uncertainty about its effectiveness in delivering health benefits.
  2. The sugar tax generated revenue, but there are concerns about whether the funds are being used as promised for health-related interventions.
  3. The sugar tax embodies a broader societal issue of shifting blame onto individuals for their food choices, rather than addressing underlying social justice and inequalities.

How would you improve food in the UK?

Vittles • 110 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Policy Agriculture Nutrition Food culture
  1. Minimum Wage Tied to Cost of Food: Consider including the cost of food in minimum wage and benefit calculations to ensure everyone can afford to eat.
  2. Reform Universal Credit: Reforming the Universal Credit system can help end the reliance on food aid and inconsistent income, promoting food security for all.
  3. Agroecology Development Officers: Implementing Agroecology Development Officers can help transition to more sustainable agroecological food systems with regional collaboration.

Homesteading: Terrorizing Snakes and Marauding Birds.

Who is Robert Malone • 18 implied HN points • 18 Jun 25
🍲 Food & Drink Homesteading Gardening Cooking
  1. Homesteading can be challenging, especially when dealing with snakes and other predators that threaten young birds. It's important to secure coops and keep an eye on your animals.
  2. Gardening can be a rewarding experience, and growing your own vegetables doesn't have to be expensive. You can use creative containers and save seeds to keep costs down.
  3. Raising chickens and other birds can be fun and fulfilling. It connects you to nature and provides a sense of responsibility for their care.

no. 51: not written down

let them eat cake • 119 implied HN points • 23 Mar 22
🍲 Food & Drink Restaurants Supply Chain Food System Sustainability
  1. Andy's story highlights challenges in the food supply chain, like labor shortages, logistical issues, and the impact on small suppliers.
  2. Restaurants face pressures from both the supply side and consumer demands, leading to compromises in sourcing and menu offerings.
  3. There is a tension between the ideal of sustainable, ethically sourced food and the practical constraints faced by restaurants in meeting diners' expectations.

no. 58: all dressed

let them eat cake • 79 implied HN points • 21 Aug 22
🍲 Food & Drink Food culture
  1. Food has become a significant cultural element in cities, replacing the role that music used to hold in drawing people out of their homes.
  2. The distinction between food as culture and food as commodity is determined by its ubiquity and the values it aligns with.
  3. The food industry has evolved to sell itself like fashion brands, focusing on values, viral hits, and product differentiation rather than traditional criteria like quantity or price.

🐟 Food Find Friday - Dec 22, 2023

Mister Branzino's Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food news Food Trends Recipes Cookbooks Food culture
  1. Ikea is offering a limited-edition turkey-sized meatball, sparking interest for a unique holiday feast.
  2. McDonald's fries get their unique taste from adding beef flavoring in the oil, which can be recreated at home with beef tallow.
  3. Stews, like coq-au-vin, are highlighted as a delicious and satisfying meal option, perfect for holiday celebrations.

Homesteading: Eat Your Vegetables

Who is Robert Malone • 16 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
🍲 Food & Drink Gardening Homesteading Preservation Cooking Nutrition
  1. Growing your own vegetables can lead to better quality food and lower grocery bills. Homemade products like pesto and pickled vegetables taste much better than store-bought options.
  2. Using fresh garden vegetables in recipes like gazpacho allows for flexible cooking. This can be a fun way to make meals and encourage trying new flavors.
  3. Raising animals and managing a farm involves a lot of work but can be rewarding. Tasks like breeding horses and caring for livestock require patience and care.

Kimchi for my Flatmates

Vittles • 102 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Recipes Cooking
  1. Sharing homemade kimchi and pickles can create a sense of home and friendship among flatmates.
  2. Making kimchi and pickles can help keep in touch with the seasons by using locally sourced vegetables and adapting to seasonal changes.
  3. For optimal kimchi, ensure proper salting of vegetables, store at appropriate temperatures, and consider adding a porridge or paste to aid fermentation.

Cream is thicker than blood: the rise and fall of the Devon split

Vittles • 94 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food culture
  1. Devon has a rich history in dairy, with a strong tradition of clotted cream and unique dishes like the Devon split.
  2. The rise of the Devon dairy industry was closely tied to the development of the railway system, which allowed for the transport of fresh milk and cream to London.
  3. The decline of the Devon split mirrored the decline of the railways in the latter half of the 20th century, as competition from road transport and industrialization changed the dairy landscape.