Summer peppers: char, peel, and use them

A chef holds tongs over an open flame while charring summer peppers on a gas stovetop in a professional kitchen.

Summer peppers are at their most flavorful when you char them first, and every cuisine that uses them knows this well. Why charring changes everything Charring enhances the sweetness of summer peppers and adds a deep, smoky quality to the flesh. The raw skin is bitter and tough, but heat transforms it into something easy … Read more

Cold noodle bowl for hot summer days

A woman carefully assembling a cold noodle bowl with fresh vegetables and sesame dressing on a bright kitchen counter

A cold noodle bowl is one of the most practical and globally celebrated meals you can make when summer heat arrives, drawing on traditions from Japan, Korea, China, and beyond. Why cold noodle bowls have a global following Noodles appear in the food cultures of dozens of countries, served in different forms yet always familiar. … Read more