I used to snack on Wheat Thins until I felt like I had a baby growing in my stomach, which never felt good, especially when that too-full feeling stayed with me for days.

Whenever I am in Berkeley, California, I stop by Grègoire, a small takeout spot that serves a good menu that changes regularly. I like that Grègoire has the feeling of an intimate neighborhood spot (last time I went, Chef Grègoire fed pieces...

Where I grew up, stovetop-percolated Folgers was considered pretty good coffee. These days my taste has improved, but I was frustrated at how burnt my coffee was after sitting for a brief time on the hot plate of my automatic drip machine.

The slightly sinister mystique surrounding absinthe (also known as the green fairy) has hit critical mass over the past year, with a number of products storming the United States amid a new legal open-mindedness about the drink.

Marketers can’t seem to leave water alone. It gets pumped with flavor, charged with energy, and laced with nutrients, but the additives are all too much for me. Still, water gets boring if you have to drink it all day.