All posts tagged: comforting

The comforting treasures of Alsatian cuisine

The comforting treasures of Alsatian cuisine

Published by Sam Flores

Margaux Albrecht’s résumé is dizzying. Born in Strasbourg, this hardworking 35-year-old first trained as a pharmacist before becoming a doctor, but she is also a volunteer firefighter with a pilot’s license. In the kitchen, she displays the same hunger for knowledge. “When I was 18, my father pointed out that I had my baccalauréat [French high school diploma] but still didn’t know how to cook pasta,” she said, laughing. She has more than made up for lost time. Alongside her studies and career, she earned a CAP [French cooking diploma] in pastry, a CAP in baking, won a myriad of regional culinary awards and took part in the TV show Objectif Top Chef in 2023. This impressive track record contrasts with the humility and discretion of the copper-haired young woman whom we met at her home to explore the treasures of Alsatian cuisine. Admittedly, she now lives in a village, Cirey-sur-Vezouze, in Meurthe-et-Moselle within the Lorraine region – not, in fact, in Alsace, as her partner Guillaume Maire mischievously pointed out. But here, it is …

The “Ted Lasso” way is comforting – and a counter to the hollow nationalism Americans have embraced

The “Ted Lasso” way is comforting – and a counter to the hollow nationalism Americans have embraced

Published by Sam Flores

Citing a single favorite scene in “Ted Lasso” may not be impossible, but it is certainly difficult. That’s the burden of a comedy devoid of wasted dialogue or pretentious cleverness – and that merely refers to the joke setups and punchlines. Honestly, if memorable scenes were gems, “Ted Lasso” would be an encrusted splendor fit for the Queen. But there is a monologue nestled within the eighth episode that burrows straight to the core of why this little comedy has sparked something dormant in our hearts. It takes place in a pub where Ted, a character inventively reimagined by Jason Sudeikis, has repaired for a business meeting with his boss Rebecca (West End musical theater favorite Hannah Waddingham). This being a situational comedy, the pair happen to run into Rebecca’s repellent and excessively wealthy ex-husband Rupert (Anthony Head, at his most nefarious) who, in so many words, lets them know that this run-in is not random and proceeds to lord his presence over them. Understand, Rebecca and Ted are known to the tavern regulars but …