Omnivoracious

The Part-Time Vegan: Mark Bittman Talks VB6

As a long-time food writer for the New York Times and the author of several best-selling cookbooks--including the essential How to Cook Everything--Mark Bittman is all about food. So when mounting weight and health issues prompted doctor's advice that should consider a vegan diet, he said (somewhat incredulously), "Come on. You know what I do for a living."

But as he thought about it, he came to a career-friendly solution: If he was good most of the time, maybe he could be a little less good part of the time and still reap the benefits of a healthful diet. He called his plan VB6, or Vegan Before Six. In short: eat good foods from waking until 6:00 p.m. (or as good as you can get/abide), then do whatever you want after. And through four years of living the "Flexitarian" lifestyle--during which he lost 35 pounds and gained the attendant rewards of a plant-based diet--he realized he had a book on his hands. The result was VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health ... for Good.

Bittman stopped by the Amazon offices for a chat with Senior Editor Mari Malcolm and our guest  Makini Howell, a Seattle restaurat eur and the author of Plum: Gratifying Vegan Dishes from Seattle's Plum Bistro, her new book from Sasquatch Press. Even though he was coming to the end of a long book tour, he thoughtfully commented on the challenges of part-time veganism (and how it's changed his non-vegan hours), the wider implications of industrialized farming, and the despair of engineering a no-regrets meal at a typical airport restaurant.

Watch the interview:

Drinks with Edward Lee, Author of "Smoke and Pickles"

An interview series in which Amazon Editors meet authors at their favorite bars.

Edward Lee's new cookbook, Smoke and Pickles: Recipes and Stories from a New Southern Kitchen (one of our Best of the Month picks for May), celebrates the chef's Brooklyn upbringing and his move to Louisville, Kentucky, where he opened his restaurant 610 Magnolia. Lee is also a multiple James Beard Award nominee and has been a competitor on both Iron Chef and Top Chef.

The bar he picked was KGB Bar, a barely lit dive bar with a certain Soviet charm. But I learned that KGB Bar is also a venerable writers' haunt, known for hosting literary events almost every night of the week. In fact, when I met up with Lee, there was a poetry reading going on, so the bartender gave us plastic cups for our drinks and headed for the stoop outside, where we talked about the book, bourbon, and his new baby.

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So why'd you pick this bar?

For me, it was a number of reasons. It was the bar I used to frequent when I was in New York. It has a lot of nice memories for me, probably spent a couple of nights here sleeping on the banquette in the corner. For me, it represents an old school New York, back when people drank really hard and smoked really hard. It was an awesome place. Right out of college, I started working at a literary agency, so there were some writers that introduced me to it. I don't know if they still do now--it was fifteen years ago. But a lot of writers used to hang out here. So, it was just a great place to get drunk but also to trade ideas, and there were a lot of interesting people who were hanging out here--a fermentation tank of interesting people. What little memories I do have of here are fond memories.

What are you drinking?

I'm drinking bourbon on the rocks, Knob Creek.

Is that your go-to?

It's not, but they don't have anything else here.

One thing I like about this bar is that there are no mixologists. You don't come here for the drinks, you come here for the booze. There's a difference: they don't make cocktails, they serve drinks.

Where would you go for a nice cocktail in New York?

There are tons of places: Pegu Club, Pouring Ribbons, Please Don't Tell, for nice mixology drinks. But sometimes you just need a stiff drink.

Anthony Bourdain and Daniel Vaughn Talk True BBQ

If you keep your ear to the food-world ground, you may have heard that Anthony Bourdain--chef, storyteller, tastemaker, traveler, and fearless eater of Parts Unknown--is launching a line of books. Aside from rumblings of a Mark Miller kickboxing memoir, he's mostly (no surprise) focused on food. His inaugural offering, The Prophets of Smoked Meat, comes from Daniel “Barbecue Snob” Vaughn of Full Custom Gospel BBQ blog fame. It's aptly billed as a "rollicking journey through the heart of Texas Barbecue." You'll find the occasional recipe, but it's much more of a guidebook and tribute to the holy men of Texas meat than a traditional cookbook. It's also on my list of May picks for the Best Books of the Month in Cookbooks, Food & Wine.

Here, Bourdain gets the low-down from Vaughn on all things BBQ. Enjoy. --Mari Malcolm

Bourdain: Why Texas BBQ? Why not NC or KC or Memphis?

Vaughn: There is only one state where the barbecue culture holds the brisket up to the highest regard, and that is Texas. The brisket is the hardest of the smoked meats to master and the hardest to do well consistently. In Texas we celebrate great brisket by not messing with it. If it's done right then you slice it pencil thick and slap it on a piece of butcher paper. It's naked, quivering and vulnerable, so it has to stand on its own.

Bourdain: Is enough ever enough BBQ for you?

Vaughn: I recently took a road trip to North Carolina just for barbecue. On the first day we ate at seven different barbecue joints across the eastern side of the state and came back to Raleigh where we were staying. We were stuffed, but wanted some pie at Poole's Diner. At the counter there we learned from another diner that a place down the street did North Carolina pulled pork empanadas. It was midnight and we were beyond the uncomfortable point, but we paid our bill and immediately went to order barbecue empanadas for our real nightcap. The short answer: No, I don't get sick of barbecue, especially good barbecue.

Bourdain: Define "the cookie"; also, "pink ring."

Vaughn: The sugar cookie is the intersection of fat, salt, smoke and time at the corners of a brisket slice. When the fat starts to render and contracts it concentrates the flavors of the rub and the smoke and the fat nugget even tastes a little sweet like a buttery sugar cookie. The smoke ring is the pink line just beneath the crust of smoked meat. It doesn't taste like smoke, but it does show that the meat has been cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time with good air (smoke) flow across the meat while it cooks. When those all come together a smoke ring forms and chances are the meat will taste good and smoky.

Bourdain: Competition BBQ or stationary: what's the difference? What's better?

Vaughn: I prefer the discovery of barbecue joints around the state and the country rather than eating bite after bite of faceless barbecue at a competition. Learning the stories of who is cooking your meat and how it ended up on your plate the way it did is part of the fun, and that connection isn't possible in the blind tasting setting of a competition. I'm also a bit of a purist, so simple seasoning with salt, pepper and smoke is what I prefer on my smoked meat. Loads of brown sugar and squeezable margarine that are common on the competition are no way to treat a defenseless brisket in my opinion.

Bourdain: What are some warning signs which definitely indicate imminent arrival of sub-optimal BBQ?

Vaughn: If you don't see a stick of wood around the property, there's really no need to get out of the car. Barbecue joint signs that include 'catfish' or 'salad bar' are also dubious, but I still try to go most anywhere that serves smoked meat.  

Bourdain: Does anyone in NYC come close to "great" BBQ by Texas standards? Anywhere else up north?

Vaughn: I haven't eaten at a barbecue joint in New York that comes close to the greats in Texas, but I'm hopeful that something will come up in my search when I visit again in May. Smoque in Chicago is the furthest north that I've eaten great brisket.

Bourdain: Is wrapping brisket or ribs in foil EVER okay? Why not?

Vaughn: Foil is known as the "Texas crutch." Once the briskets are wrapped, it's hard for them to dry out because they steam inside the foil package. This might result in tender brisket, but it sacrifices a great crust and can easily lead to slightly smoky pot roast instead of well smoked brisket. It's hard to condone, but there are a few places out there that can still use it successfully. The best joints either don't wrap at all or wrap them in butcher paper.

Bourdain: Sauce or no sauce?

Vaughn: Good barbecue does not require sauce. Period.

Bourdain: When Australians refer to the “Barbie,” what the hell are they talking about?

Vaughn: I have no idea. I think I've only seen American actors with fake Australian accents refer to the "Barbie," but I think it has something to do with grilling, which isn't barbecue.

Bourdain: Which BBQ joint would you currently choose to die in?

Vaughn: Franklin Barbecue. When I die I want to be forever preserved in a brisket fat confit from Aaron Franklin's brisket.

Bourdain: What is the best beverage to enjoy with BBQ in an ideal situation?

Vaughn: I love beer, but I don't love it with barbecue. I'd rather have something sweet, so give me a Dr. Pepper or a half sweet, half unsweet iced tea.

Bourdain: What's the most egregious misconception about BBQ?

Vaughn: The most egregious misconception about barbecue is that every pitmaster has some sort of secret ingredient or sauce that makes their barbecue superlative. To a true pitmaster the rub is about as important as the brand of sandpaper is to a master wood carver. If you think knowing that "secret" will substitute for having the skill and experience of a master, then you're an idiot.

Michael Pollan's Favorite Cookbooks

After transforming the way we think about our  relationship with plants and the world-altering impact of what we eat, Michael Pollan invites us to rediscover the elemental pleasure of transforming raw ingredients into meals--through grilling (fire), braising (water), baking (air), and fermenting (earth)--in his fantastic latest, Cooked.

Pollan contends that learning to cook elevated our ancient ancestors from lone animals into increasingly intelligent, civilized groups--and gave us the fuel for expanding brains--it's one of the essential acts that made us human. Now, we spend scant time doing real cooking, but we've become obsessed with watching people cook, a paradox that signals longing for that lost experience.

In his own quest to close the seed-to-table loop, he spent three years learning to cook with great pit masters, chefs, bakers, and “fermentos,” making Cooked a lively, passionate exploration of the elemental appeal of making a meal.

In the spirit of diving back into our own kitchens with renewed gusto, we asked Pollan to send us his favorite cookbooks.

The Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler: As much a philosophy of everyday cooking as a cookbook (though the recipes are terrific), Adler's book shows us how to cook beautifully with the most modest of ingredients and skills.

A Platter of Figs by David Tanis: A former head chef at Chez Panisse (and now a columnist for the Dining section at the New York Times), Tanis offers a gorgeous cookbook with perfect, elegant menus to suit the season. A mainstay of our dinner parties.

The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters: All of Alice Waters’ cookbooks are wonderful, but this once is the most readily approachable and offers the essential recipes for everything from a great vinaigrette to salsa verde, roast chicken and polenta. Reminds me of The Elements of Style, and just as necessary.

Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson: An inspiring book for the bread baker--my favorite primer on bread.

The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz: The definitive volume on all the arts of fermentation, from yogurt to kvass, sauerkraut to pickled anything you can imagine.

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman: If it’s not already in your collection, you’re either already a great cook or in deep trouble. The basics on everything, and indispensable.

2013 IACP Award's Cookbook Winners

The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) announced their 2013 awards last night. The winners included many of our favorite cookbooks of the past year, and many that are poised to double-medal with James Beard Awards, announced May 3. Browse highlights here or check out all 2013 IACP Award winners at Amazon. Congrats to all the winners and nominees!

Cookbook of the Year and International Winner
Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi: Powerhouse London restaurateurs born on opposite sides of Jerusalem came together for this cross-cultural culinary exploration--and celebration--of their home city.

American Winner
Hiroko’s American Kitchen: Cooking with Japanese Flavors by Hiroko Shimbo: A brilliantly easy method draws from one of six sauces in 125 recipes that put traditional Japanese dishes on the everyday American table.

Baking Winner
Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza by Ken Forkish: Portland's most beloved baker delivers a master class in exceptional artisan breadmaking at home.

Chefs and Restaurants Winner
Vietnamese Home Cooking by Charles Phan: In the words of Alice Waters, Phan's book "captures the very heart of Vietnamese food: fresh, pure, full of life, and vibrant with flavor." I heartily concur.

Culinary Travel Winner
Burma: Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid: Once again, Duguid transcends our expectations of a traditional cookbook with a gorgeous, coffee table-worthy tome that invites readers to the feast of a new culture.

First Book: The Julia Child Award Winner
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deborah Perelman: The lauded food blogger's debut effort wowed old and new fans with (as Deb says) "approachable recipes made with accessible ingredients that exceed your expectations."

Food and Beverage Reference Winner
Modernist Cuisine at Home by Nathan Myhrvold and Maxime Bilet: The inventive Cooking Lab champions of the Modernist culinary revolution infiltrate kitchens with home-scale bleeding-edge technology. Jaw-popping photos.

Food Photography and Styling Winner
Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller, Sebastien Rouxel, and Deborah Jones: An astonishingly accessible guide to making swoony Bouchon magic. Another beauty you may want to permanently display when it's not propped next to your mixer.

Literary Food Writing Winner
Yes, Chef: A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson: The renowned chef's life story takes us from a harsh childhood in Ethiopia to his grandmother's Swedish kitchen to his coming of age in the most celebrated (e.g., cutthroat) restaurants of Europe and New York, where he opened Red Rooster in Harlem. Told with disarming candor and humility, his journey feels miraculous and inevitable.

See all 2013 IACP Award winners at Amazon Books. --Mari Malcolm

Related articles

Amy Stewart and Brad Thomas Parsons on the History and Future of Botanical Mixology

The Lee Bros. on Five Underappreciated Charleston Ingredients

Amy Stewart and Brad Thomas Parsons on the History and Future of Botanical Mixology

Amy Stewart has a knack for making plants utterly fascinating, and The Drunken Botanist--one of our Top 10 Editors’ Picks for the Best Books of the Month--takes her trademark blend of scientific sleuthery and intriguing anecdote to intoxicating heights. This brisk tour of the origin of spirits acquaints curious lovers of spirits with every conceivable cocktail ingredient, from classic to esoteric. Stewart talked with Brad Thomas Parsons, author of Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, winner of 2012 James Beard and IACP Cookbook Awards--and an Amazon Best Book of the Year pick--about the medicinal roots of cocktails, the importance of great ingredients (in the booze and in the glass), and the pleasures of testing cocktail recipes.

AMY: Brad, what strikes me about your book on bitters is the close connection between medicine and cocktails. So many bitters started out as straight pharmaceutical formulations, back in the day when the only medicines we had were plants. You and I both know that it's a bit of a stretch to call a cocktail a health drink, but do you get a lot of people asking you asking you if the bitters they're drinking are actually good for them?

BTP: Many of the individual botanicals used to make bitters have their own purported benefits for health and well-being, but remember these medicinal plants people were consuming as a patent medicine were often composed of over 50% alcohol, with claims to cure everything from headaches, rheumatism, indigestion, constipation, and diarrhea to malaria. That's my kind of medicine! I do stand by a tall glass of bitters and soda as a most effective restorative after a rich meal. Trust me, it works. And a sugar-dusted lemon wedge soaked in Angostura bitters can cure hiccups. That's a promise.

I loved when you wrote in The Drunken Botanist, "It would be impossible to describe every plant that has ever flavored an alcoholic beverage. I am certain that at this very moment, a craft distiller in Brooklyn is plucking weed from a crack in the sidewalk and wondering if it would make a good flavoring for a new line of bitters." As a bitters enthusiast who lives in Brooklyn, I have indeed encountered some unexpected housemade bitters, tinctures, and infusions. What's the most bizarre botanical-based spirit you've come across in your travels and research?

AMY: Well, all spirits are botanical-based, which is really my point--with very few exceptions, everything in every bottle is a plant. (Those exceptions, by the way, would include milk, which has just enough fermentable sugar for Mongolians to make fermented mare's milk and for a distillery in Vermont to make milk-distilled vodka).

But among the more bizarre botanical ingredients? I'd have to name sundew, a tiny carnivorous plant that was part of the original recipe for rosolio. Nowdays the term "rosolio" is applied to any number of homemade mixtures of wine, brandy, fruit, and spices, but in the fifteenth century, you were actually expected to pick the bugs off some carnivorous bog plants and add those to the brew.

So here's something I'm wondering about. I have this theory that distillers who make such a big deal about their secret recipes are a little behind the times. It seems like the trend right now is towards greater transparency about the botanicals in the bottle. People actually want to celebrate ingredients and talk about what they are and where they come from. I know so many American gin, liqueur, and bitters makers who list all of their ingredients and really explain why they chose each one. Do you see the same thing? It's a real departure from the "Our secret recipe comes from King George, who gave it to his footman to thank him for saving his life" or whatever.

BTP: You're on point that calling out the botanicals and celebrating anything unique or locally sourced is becoming a way to make your product stand out. Bitters, too, have a long association with proprietary formulas, and it's even trickier as they're classified as a "non-beverage" alcohol product. While 45% alcohol, they're not intended to be consumed on their own, but applied in dashes and drops. Essentially, they're classified as a food product (which is why, depending what state you live in, you normally won't find them in liquor stores). There's a lot of small-batch bitters being sold that don't, in fact, list much about their ingredients at all. Bittermens Bitters, who used to be based out of Brooklyn but now call New Orleans home, set the bar for their bitters-making peers by establishing a Craft Bitters Alliance that helps educate bitters makers about the byzantine bylaws of the TTB and the FDA to encourage everyone to live up to the law and present their products in the best light possible. Certain botanicals must specifically be called out on the label, while others are allowed to be bundled under "spices." But it's more about the specificity of the source--like Seattle's Scrappy's Bitters highlighting their use of cocoa nibs from Seattle's Theo Chocolate in their chocolate bitters.

The Lee Bros. on Five Underappreciated Charleston Ingredients

If you're born in Charleston, you absorb the vernacular of its rich local food culture just as you learn to talk. The Lee Bros., who moved from New York to Charleston as kids, found themselves swimming in a whole new language of strange and amazing new food names, flavors, and traditions. As they discovered the pleasure of gorging on mulberries, luring blue crabs with chicken necks on strings, peeling loquats to enjoy their sweet-tart flesh, and so many more food-centered adventures, they developed an abiding sense of wonder about food that's followed them into the kitchen--and eventually fuelled a career as food journalists and writers of award-winning cookbooks.

Their new book, The Lee Bros. Chaleston Kitchen, pays tribute to their adopted hometown's deep and delicious culinary roots. To celebrate its arrival, we asked Matt Lee and Ted Lee to share five unsung, forageable Charleston ingredients--and what they like to do with them. Enjoy, and don't miss the book's beguiling trailer, after the jump! --Mari Malcolm

From Matt Lee & Ted Lee: Charlestonians are no strangers to foraging. We come by it honestly—and early—because as a kid it seems so magical to to climb a loquat tree downtown, and to pick and eat these weird little yellow fruits. (Besides, we learn that it’s also fun to throw them at your friends, and at the occasional carriage tour!) Here, we present five favorite Charleston-foraged foods.

CHAINEY BRIAR (Smilax bona-nox) “Chainey briar” is what Charlestonians of a certain age call the tender shoots of the smilax—or cat briar—vine, which can be found growing in the dunes and in sandy disturbed sites and fencelines throughout the area. The distinctive spade-shaped leaves distinguish smilax from other vines growing in the same terrain. Raw, chainey briar has a delicious asparagus- and olive-like flavor that is fresh and green. We typically grill it, then dress it with a vinaigrette or tamari-based sauce. Or we tuck a few tendrils into a baked flounder in parchment.

 

LOQUATS (Eriobotrya japonica) No more flavorful than a Granny Smith apple, and a whole lot harder to eat since they’re smaller than a lime and have three big seeds in them, loquats don’t have leagues of champions, even in Charleston. What the most old-school Charlestonians—and we!—love to do with them is load a quart-size canning jar with washed fruit, top up with neutral spirits like vodka or brandy, and let stand for a week, or as some prefer, one year. The fruit will oxidize and the alcohol will become infused with a beguiling cherry-almond flavor that’s a great shot over ice as an aperitif or nightcap, and a superb substitute for sweet vermouth in your favorite Manhattan cocktail recipe.

 

Amazon Asks Melissa d'Arabian, Author of "Ten Dollar Dinners"

One of the absolute highlights of the Amazon Books team's trip to New York for Book Expo America was meeting Melissa d'Arabian at the Food Network Kitchens--and noshing on fantastic food from her new book, Ten Dollar Dinners. Based on her Food Network show of the same name, which she's been doing since she won The Next Food Network Star in 2009, her book has an ingenious system she designed to help a home cook make delicious dinners for four people--for under $10. (And yes, that does include dessert.)

A mom of four young daughters (born within three years!), Melissa earned an MBA from Georgetown University, but her passion for streamlining her family's budget is hard-wired from her childhood. Her single mom raised Melissa and her sister while putting herself through college. She recalls a time when the only thing left in the fridge was a jar of pickles, so they stayed up late making candles to sell so they could buy groceries.

Her mom's inventiveness in not just putting food on the table but actually feeding people taught Melissa an invaluable lesson that she passes on to other families every day. This story from Ten Dollar Dinners is especially poignant as we head into the holidays:

"Waste was never a temptation in our house. That said, my mom still wanted to teach me the joy of hosting others, something we rarely had the budget to do. I vividly recall the first time we invited her girlfriends (and their daughters) and my friends (and their moms) over for a ladies' holiday cookie and hot cocoa party at our home in Tucson, Arizona. Even though we had no cushion cash to be throwing a party, we still managed to put together a beautiful celebration on a shoestring budget. We decorated the Christmas tree, ate cookies, drank hot coca, and sang songs around the piano. It was simple and lovely. That single experience taught me how beautiful it is to cook for people. Not to just make food pretty on a plate, but to really make friends and loved ones happy by creating something delicious just for them. My mom passed away when I was twenty years old, and to this day, I still hold our holiday cookie and cocoa memory close to heart--in fact, every December I now host a mother-daughter holiday tea with my four girls and their friends and their mothers."

We asked Melissa about her favorite books, what she treasures, the best place she's eaten recently, and what's she's up to next.

What's your elevator pitch for Ten Dollar Dinners?

It's about so much more than cooking with inexpensive ingredients! It's a full philosophy of spending with purpose and managing our resources wisely while nourishing our bodies.  

Which new cookbooks or chef memoirs are you most excited about?

I can't wait to read Marcus Samuelsson's Yes, Chef and Michael Symon's Carnivore.  

What’s the best place you’ve eaten recently?

I had an incredibly special dinner at Uchi in Houston... truly one of the best dinners I've ever had.  

What's been your most memorable author moment?

Opening the envelope that had the very first copy of my cookbook in it. I opened it with my husband, very delicately, as if it were fragile.  

What other talent would you most like to have (not including flight or invisibility)?

I'd love to be a genius at organization. (To do that, I think you have to be able to really think in 3-D, and I'm very linear.) 

What are you obsessed with now?

Doing splits. I'm almost there!  

What's your most treasured possession?

My grandma's confirmation bracelet. She gave it to me as my "something old" at my wedding, and I wear it all the time--unless I'm filming Ten Dollar Dinners. She passed away last month, so it's extra special now.  

What's on your nightstand?

They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Benjamin Ajak, Benson Deng, and Alephonsian Deng.  

What's next for you?

After book tour, I'm settling into the new school year with my four daughters--and then get straight back to work on Book # 2!

Thanks for visiting us at Amazon, Melissa! We wish you all the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mari Malcolm, Melissa d'Arabian, and Neal Thompson

Amazon Asks Deb Perelman, Author of "The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook"

The eagerly awaited Smitten Kitchen Cookbook (arriving October 30) brings all the best ingredients of Perelman's award-winning Smitten Kitchen blog--enthusiastic and frank guidance for unfussy, delicious home-cooked food--to over 100 recipes, mostly new, accompanied by hundreds of her own luscious photos.

Thanks for satisfying our curiosity, Deb!

What niche do you hope this book fills?

My hope is that The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is filled with your new favorite things to cook--approachable recipes made with accessible ingredients that exceed your expectations.

Which upcoming fall cookbooks are you most excited about?

I am ridiculously excited about Ottolenghi's new Jerusalem book, as I've loved everything he's made so far. I have already tried out a couple recipes from The Mile End Cookbook, and can tell it's going to be an obsession all winter. I just spied brown butter snickerdoodles in the new Baked Elements book; I am pretty sure that needs to happen immediately. And I've been cooking out of the Sprouted Kitchen cookbook and everything has been fresh, wholesome and stunning.

What's on your nightstand?

An Everlasting Meal (Tamar Adler), The Tenth Muse (Judith Jones), A Peace to End All Peace (David Fromkin), and I Want My Hat Back (Jon Klassen), all print. Can you guess which one my toddler left there?

What’s your favorite restaurant—or the best place you’ve eaten recently?

My husband and I are the last people to get to the Breslin in the Ace Hotel, but it doesn't matter--we fell head over heels and have been back three times in three months. The crispy boiled peanuts, lamb burger, fresh, crunchy salads and their grapefruit gin-and-tonic are unforgettable.

What's been your most memorable moment so far as an author?

The process of planning the book tour--making the jump from someone who types things to strangers who might or might not be listening via her laptop to someone who is going to show up in various cities at specific times to hang out with these strangers--is wild. I am not sure I've gotten my head around it yet, but I still can't wait to get on the road.

What other talent would you most like to have (not including flight or invisibility)?

Well, I wish I could dance.

What are you obsessed with now?

I've been on a running kick, although I'm really bad at it. No really: terrible. But strangely, that's my favorite part. Starting my day completely humbled by my inability to run half as long or fast as these people on the other treadmills (who can probably dance, too), well, the day only gets better from there. I'm hooked.

What's next for you?

The moon! Just kidding. I really hope to just keep doing what I'm doing--cooking, writing, having fun with my family and running around NYC like a tourist. My goals are less rooted in a desire for a designer kitchen (though, you know, if you have one lying around...) and balcony overlooking Central Park and more a hope that I'll keep having fun doing what I do, so that it feels as unwork-like as possible.

How to Survive in Anthony Bourdain's New Graphic Novel

In Get Jiro!, renowned chef, author, and television personality Anthony Bourdain makes his first course in graphic novels a memorable one. The comic takes place in a near future, where Los Angeles is ruled by (surprise!) chefs, with patrons literally begging to get into the door of the top restaurants. Maybe this isn’t a surprise for Bourdain’s fans—after his dishes, he is known for his sarcasm and humor—but co-writer Joel Rose and artist Langdon Foss bring a shocking level of violence to the tale. There are knives aplenty, and there is no shortage of beheadings and blood splatter. Two factions of chefs are at war: the Internationalists, power-and-pleasure-seeking capitalists, and the Vertical Farm, militant vegetarians—and Jiro, a quiet sushi chef, is adrift between them.

What I took away from Get Jiro!, though, is that I’ve been incorrectly (and possibly offensively) eating sushi for the past decade. Very early in the book, three obnoxious patrons visit Jiro’s restaurant, and one of them is quickly dispatched for his lack of tableside manners. This scene was so brutal that I had to do a little investigation into what the now-headless customer did to break etiquette. Learn from my mistakes, Omni readers. Here is how to eat sushi without risk of beheading:

• Never dip the sushi into soy sauce with the rice-side facing down. Sushi rice is already seasoned and a soy soak can damage the flavor balance.
• Try picking up a piece with your fingers instead of chopsticks. This is a smart way to let the chef know that you are ready for a proper roll.
• Place the sushi onto your tongue with the fish-side down. I could kick myself! Of course the tastiest part should be the first thing that hits your tongue.
• Never, ever order a “California roll”—at least in Bourdain’s future Los Angeles. Yikes.

Get Jiro! releases next month, and it’s every bit as feisty as culinary mind behind it. The above breaches are all punished with tongue-in-cheek severity, but the presentation was enough to forever change my eating habits—a sure sign of a palatable narrative.

--Alex