In the heart of Brighton’s downtown, the Brighton Art Fair brings 125 juried artists together. Attendees can shop craft items, make their own goods, and listen to live music—not to mention visiting Brighton’s established shops and restaurants in the area!
The Mural People and Allen Park’s Downtown Development Authority host Paint the Park this weekend, alongside Slow Roll Detroit. As eight murals come to life across the city, guests are welcome to watch art demonstrations, shop vendors and get craftkits. Plus, Slow Roll Detroit hosts their first Downriver bike ride on Saturday morning.
The Arab American National Museum hosts the premiere of “Eve”, a retelling of John Milton’s Paradise Lost through the lens of queer Palestinian resistance. The play is a 90 minute live performance written by Arab American National Museum writers-in-residence George Abraham and Fargo Missim Tbakhi.
With vibrant music, cultural performances, and workshops all around, WIDAfest promises to bring carnival energy to Lanspeary Park and offers plenty of delicious food to buy and unique artisan crafts too. This year, the African and Caribbean celebration joins forces with the Toronto Caribbean Festival to bring more fun than ever before.
Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston hosts iconic artists including Don Was and the Pan Detroit Ensemble, the Avett Brothers, Sierra Hull and more, headlined by Willie Nelson. As it returns for the eleventh year, the eclectic show brings rare talents together across generations for a boot-stomping performance.
Holly, Mich. Aug. 22-Oct. 4 $50 in advance, $55 at door
Enter a realm of medieval magic, with trained performers, artisans, pub crawls and more at Michigan’s Renaissance Festival. This weekend marks the opening of the season, with the theme “Pirates and Pups.”
For the fourth year running, Detroit Bourbon and Blues brings live music, bourbon and whiskey tasting, and great vibes to the Eastern Market. Stop by to enjoy the songs and drinks anytime from noon to 7 p.m.
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This weekend offers a feast of food-based festivals around metro Detroit, including a pierogi fest, a vegan extravaganza, the aptly named Detroit Foodie Fest and a zesty Pickle Festival. In the coming week, it’s time for live music with WDET’s Sounds Like Detroit and more.
Dearborn Homecoming is back. Visit a collection of local artists and non profits manning the booths. Meet DCFC players, PAWS the Tigers mascot and more. Activities include crafting, a kid-centered “Baby Bash”, live music with headliners Martina McBride and Chance the Rapper. Plus, we can’t forget the firework show! Check the schedule to see what events are going on, from noon to 10:30 p.m. both days.
Sit back and enjoy a curated showing of feline films. Handpicked by organizers who receive unique submissions throughout the year, the CatVideoFest is an annual event at the Detroit Film Theater. Tickets cost $11.50 for general admission, with a discount for members, seniors and students. A portion of ticket sales go to supporting pet-centered charities, shelters, and humane societies.
Starting at noon both days, this festival offers Polish culture on a platter. Enjoy cuisine like the pierogi, live music, a beer tent, a resale shop or take a stroll through the church’s gift store.
Blake’s Orchard and Cider Mill in Armada, Mich. Aug. 8-9, 15-16 $11.37
Pickle lovers, this one’s for you. Blake’s Pickle Festival gives attendees the chance to get hands-on pickling experience from picking cucumbers to building your own brine, as well as an array of pickled food and drinks. And no festival would be complete without a unique blend of music and market stalls to catch your eyes and ears. There’s also pickle contests to properly celebrate the pros. Stop by between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The 7th annual Detroit Foodie Fair is hosted in conjunction with Detroit Vegan to offer a wide spread of delicious bites from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Taste the best food truck court Detroit has to offer and browse stalls selling kitchen wares and goods. Learn more about getting plant-based foods in your diet. You’ll have the chance to vote for Detroit’s Best Foodie Find as well.
Cranbrook Institute of Science Aug. 12 $50 in advance, $55 at door
Stay late at the Cranbrook Institute of Science to catch a meteor shower alight in the night sky. Cranbrook offers a spread of activities to keep guests engaged, including yard games, a dusk nature walk, astronomy lessons and more. The Warren Astronomical Society will be in attendance to speak to the science behind the stars and provide telescope viewings. Get tickets in advance— pre-sale ends on Monday, Aug. 10!
Join WDET at Batch Brewing in Corktown for a Detroit Tiny Desk concert! Selected by listener votes, four local artists will be performing live and on stage, including KTCHN, Aisha Ellis, Jubilee Jackson, and Michelle Held. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show going from 7-10 p.m.
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The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has lifted the precaution to avoid bagged mixed salad mixes. Officials say new cyclosporiasis case reports and emergency department visits are on the decline. Data show most exposures occurred in late June and early July.
Officials are saying the majority of contaminated lettuce is likely no longer available for consumption. The department will continue updating outbreak data every Thursday. Officials continue to recommend avoiding the recalled lettuce.
Additional headlines for Aug. 6, 2026
Dearborn Homecoming
The City of Dearborn’s 45th Homecoming Festival starts tomorrow Aug.7. The festival opens at noon at Ford Field Park with an official ribbon cutting will take place under the park’s covered bridge at 12:30 p.m.
The event will feature live music, carnival rides, an arts district, a vendor village and more. Musical headliners include country singer Martina McBride on Saturday and Grammy award winning artist Chance the Rapper on Sunday. Both performances will be followed up by a fireworks show at 10 p.m.
Festival hours are noon to 10:30 p.m. daily. After 4 p.m., children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Admission is free. The festival runs this weekend only.
Supplemental food program expands income threshhold
More Michigan families may qualify for Woman, Infant, Children (WIC) benefits. The state health department has increased the income threshold for the program, which provides women, infants, and children with supplemental food, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health and social services. A family of four can now qualify with an annual income of up to $61,050.
WIC helps about 187,000Michigan residents every month.
DDOT public hearing
The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) is hosting a public hearing on August 20 at 4 p.m. to discuss and receive feedback on potential service changes taking effect on Sept. 7. The public hearing will be virtual.
The Asian American based non-profit Rising Voices is announcing their 2026 artist and creative cohort exhibition. Titled “Revolution, Resistance, and Joy”, the exhibition showcases the work of Michigan Asian American artists.
The show starts August 7 with an opening reception from 6-9 p.m. at the Swords into Plowshares Gallery located on 33 East Adams Street in Detroit. The exhibition runs through Aug. 22.
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Rupak Ginn, host of ‘Spice Road,’ says the boldly flavored Naga and Ghost Pepper Pizzas stand out from other fusion-foods he’s tasted on the show. “There were flavors that were similar to home, so I thought that was so innovative.”
Documentary Film Producer Razi Jafri directed and produced the latest episode of Spice Road. He lives in Hamtramck and says with food tourism shows, it’s important to strike a balance between spotlighting a restaurant and upending the charm of a local favorite.
“We want people to know about this cuisine, but we also want to keep it a secret as well,” says Jafri.
Jafri and Ginn joined The Metro to talk about Hamtramck’s one-of-a-kind culture and what the public gets wrong about the city. Hear the full conversation using the media player above.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and stream on-demand. Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Metro onApple Podcasts,Spotify,YouTube,NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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The 2026 Metro Times Best of Detroit readers poll is officially open, inviting readers to vote in 263 categories covering nearly everything that makes this region worth exploring.
The Detroit Department of Construction and Demolition gave city council an update on the removal of the contaminated dirt in the city on Monday.
The Department has replaced tainted backfill in more than 100 properties. That’s out of the 450 lots that were identified. The average cost of the fill removal and replacement is about $36,000 per site.
Department Director Tim Palazzo says they have tightened up process for approving construction fill materials over the last several months. “The first thing is that we collapsed the number of sites and sources from which we receive fill material down to seven public pits. These only excavate native sand, gravel, soil from longstanding operations.”
Palazzo says they inspect those sites on a monthly basis and send their staff—as well as a third-party environmental consultant—to oversee operations at the sites. He says they have also started sampling the fill before it even leaves the source site.
The Southfield Neighbors Action Committee is hosting a community discussion Wednesday about ICE enforcement in Southfield. “What Does It Mean To Be A Good Neighbor When ICE Moves In?” will be moderated by Kermit Williams, political director of Oakland Forward.
Panelists include Elida Reyes from Community Action for Empowerment, Lauren Fink from Southfield Neighbors Action Committee, Dr. Patricia Talley from Mexico Negro and U.S. House Representative Rashida Tlaib.
The event is Wednesday from 6:30- 9 p.m. in Room 115 at the Southfield Pavilion at 26000 Evergreen Road.
Good Food for Michigan
Dearborn Public Schools has received a state grant designed to bring more Michigan-grown food to its cafeterias. The Good Food for Michigan Project is giving the district more than $460,000. Dearborn schools serve more than 3 million meals to around 20,000 students at more than 30 sites.
The Good Food for Michigan Project is a collaboration between the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, the Center for Good Food Purchasing, and the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems.
Detroit Riverfront hosts art exhibit
People visiting Detroit’s Riverfront and Southwest Greenway can now take in a little bit of the DIA’s art collection. The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is hosting the museum’s Inside Out project featuring large-scale reproductions of 7 works. The pieces will be in place until October.
Girls soccer clinic
The Hamtramck Parks Conservancy and the city’s recreation department are partnering to offer a girls soccer clinic on August 17. Women coaches and trainers will work with girls between the ages of 10 and 17 years old. Balls, nets and pennies are provided.
The clinic runs from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Veterans Park Soccer Arena at 8684 Joseph Campau.
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For the last month Americans have been watching soccer with the World Cup being played on U.S. soil for the first time in more than 30 years. The final game is this weekend.
As people from around the globe visit, the tournament has highlighted a sharing of cultures. Not only as people show off their own communities in support of their national teams, but also as tourists try American cuisine.
Videos on social media have shown people from Europe coming over and being impressed by the food. That raises the question of what makes the culinary landscape in the U.S., a country founded by immigrants, so different.
Chef Nick Sanchez is an immigrant who serves as the director of the Patchwork Culinary Project. He joins The Metro to discuss the impact of immigrants and refugees on the country’s culinary landscape.
“They bring their food and culture and their flavors with them,” Sanchez say. “Those flavors eventually become our daily meal staples.”
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Hear the full conversation using the media player.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and stream on-demand. Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro onApple Podcasts,Spotify,YouTube,NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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In America, the “amber waves of grain” have come to represent the strength of American agriculture. But not all Americans are included in this idyllic picture. Those same waves of grain contain wheat, a crop that can pose serious health risks for people with celiac disease.
Raleigh Minning, a cancer survivor, is the owner of a gluten-free bakery: Made With Love Donuts. Through her work, she said she has come to understand some of the harmful symptoms her customers experience.
“Some people have rashes, they’ll get indigestion issues, all of these things, and I think that the community that is not celiac, or maybe they just want a couple of dollars out of it, don’t understand how serious it is,” Minning said.
Minning’s son was diagnosed with celiac seven years ago, and she wasn’t happy with how most restaurants handled his food.
“They would just push things to the side, or we would notice that they weren’t changing gloves, they weren’t using different utensils, and that made a mama bear very nervous,” Minning said.
Celiac causes servere reactions to gluten
Lana Scales is a clinical dietician who also has celiac disease. She explained that gluten is a protein that comes from wheat, a grain that can be found in bread, pasta and pastries. Even ordinary items like some brands of lip balm have trace amounts of gluten.
“When you eat gluten and your body considers it an invader, an enemy, and when it attacks it, it elicits this huge immune response that can cause a myriad of conditions,” Scales said.
Celiac disease is different than gluten intolerance, Scales said. The biggest difference between the two is that celiac is an autoimmune condition, while gluten intolerance creates a less impactful inflammatory response.
Amy Rosenberg, an optician with celiac, understands this all too well.
“My doctor told me I was going to get cancer, and at some point, die,” Rosenberg said. “So I think it flipped a switch in my head, and I was like, I should probably do something about this.”
Eating with Celiac poses obstacles
Rosenberg has been on a gluten-free diet for 31 years. Along the way, she found friends who faced the same challenges as she did. I joined her, Kaylene Whitaker and Margaret Clegg at a restaurant in Novi that offered a variety of gluten-free options.
Whitaker, who had intense symptoms for two years before her diagnosis, struggled with being understood.
“It’s frustrating when people just assume it’s something I choose, and they think I’m being picky,” Whitaker said. “We get to have food preferences just like everybody else, on top of also having to accommodate for celiac.”
Rosenberg agreed, adding that even family members have a hard time understanding her dietary needs.
“A lot of people were like, ‘oh, I’m sorry,’ but I’ve been gluten-free for 31 years, so it’s what I know. But I do have some family members that are still confused by it, and it’s kind of offensive,” Rosenberg said.
After the food arrived, Clegg brought out her phone to take photos for her blog, MI Gluten-Free Gal. She was working on a post about the restaurant’s gluten-free items.
Hamburger with gluten free bun.
She talked about how her father’s celiac journey led her to helping people across Michigan find safe, reliable restaurants to enjoy.
“I have a whole blog post on my website telling the story about me and my dad, and all of that, and how after I was diagnosed, that helped him to pay attention to the diet and do what he needed to do to make himself better,” Clegg said.
Gluten-free restaurants can minimize risk, create comfort
One restaurant Clegg highlights on her blog is Tru Pizza Co. in Wyandotte. They have a completely gluten-free menu, and Anthony Cipolla is the owner. He said he was inspired to join the business because his wife has celiac.
From there, he made it his mission to be a place that truly has food for everyone.
However, Cipolla said he sees a stigma surrounding a completely gluten-free restaurant. He points towards celebrities glamorizing the diet and comedians making it the butt of their jokes.
“When I was a kid, peanut allergies were so much more common,” Cipolla said. “That was the only allergy that anyone really cared about in the field. If everybody treated every allergy like that, it would make this a lot easier.”
Scales, the dietician, spoke about the dangers of cross contamination that can result from restaurants not taking proper precautions.
“The amount of gluten that can fit on the head of a writing pen; you might not be able to see that, but it’s enough to cause a reaction,” Scales said.
But at places like Tru Pizza or Minning’s bakery, the fear of cross contamination is nearly eliminated. Minning said she finds fulfillment in being able to give back to her community and hopes to see more gluten-free establishments in the future.
“I love the people who come in here, the stories that we’re able to share,” Minning said, “we’re able to hug, cry, laugh, smile, all of the things that I definitely don’t think that I would be getting out of it if I was doing regular food.”
Minning said she understands why most restaurants don’t take the risk of trying to accommodate celiac, but she sees a huge reward in it for those who do.
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Ice Cream Detroit is a seven-year labor of love turned premium, sometimes boozy, ice cream shop.
Ice Cream Detroit is run by Ysahai Honor-Marie and Kiaira May. They offer unique flavors From Red Faygo to pop rocks. Every scoop is made from scratch, with an optional liquor-infused twist.
The store started as a pop-up, but has had its own permanent home on Second Ave in Midtown since September 2025.
As the duo continues to grow, gaining loyal customers, the new clientele hasn’t changed who the shop is for. It’s for the community. Ice Cream Detroit offers discounts, which aims to connect to all members of the neighborhood.
Whatever’s next—a trailer, an ice cream bar, a second grand opening, it’s safe to say they’re doing it for the culture. They’re doing it for Detroit.
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CONTAINER On The Metro is a WDET produced storytelling series that brings Detroit’s creative heartbeat to the airwaves.
CONTAINER is a program created by The Love Building. It’s goal is to showcase Detroit’s creative talent across music, fashion, fine arts and food. Done in collaboration with WDET Public Radio with major support from the Gilbert Family Foundation.
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Higher prices at the store are affecting the pocketbooks of people across an array of backgrounds.
Adrian Matti, founder of Marcus Market said rising cost have changed the way customers shop. While maintaining a stable customer base, Matti says they’ve seen a slight decrease in sales. Matti said more customers are swiping the credit card and opting for the generic brands as opposed to their name brand counterparts.
“For example Jiff peanut butter, it could be like a generic peanut butter next to it and there’ll be like 50 cents difference. They’ll go for the generic.”
Marcus Market.
For his business, however, fuel surcharges pose the biggest challenge. Despite the increased cost to do business, Matti has said the store has been able to maintain their product selection and availability.
Across town in southwest Detroit, Honeybee Market has found itself dealing with similar challenges. In addition with fuel surcharges, Honey bee also is battling supply chain and sourcing issues.
Tammy Alfaro Koehler, owner of Honeybee Market said certain products have been more difficult to obtain. Pointing to crop losses in Mexico that have affected the availability of jalapeños and tomatillos. While shortages may not be noticeable right away it could take months for the impacts to reach store shelves.
Honeybee Market.
Koehler also mentioned that shortages can create difficulties not only for grocery stores but also for people who rely on consistent access to ingredients for their work such as restaurants that source their produce from stores like Honeybee Market and small business owners as well.
Shifting the business model
Angela Davis, a recipe developer, digital content creator, and freelance chef who goes by Thekitchenista on Instagram said both items not being available and cost have affected her business.
Smoked duck sandwich with Carolina vinegar sauce and slaw. by Angela Davis TheKitchenista on Instagram.
Davis has scaled back some services, and eliminated others like her pop-up events due to uncertainty around cost and customer turnout.
“Actually, I just eliminated popups right now. I was doing popups through the winter, and it got too expensive because it is a lot of guesswork, not knowing what foot traffic will be like for events where you can’t sell tickets.”
To adapt, Davis has looked at what ways she can maximize the ingredients she purchases. One strategy that has proven beneficial is buying whole ducks. By buying the whole duck, she’s supplied with multiple parts allowing for many different dishes at a lower price point thus reducing waste.
Careful spending and creative solutions
As food prices continue to affect households and businesses, flexibility is becoming increasingly important.
Retailers, food professionals and consumers alike are finding ways to adapt to rising costs.
A survey of consumers revealed several strategies being used to stretch their grocery budgets. Participants noted finding themselves at the store less often all the way to the types of stores they shop at, with a majority saying they have changed what stores they visit.
Survey on grocery prices.
One respondent mentioned comparing prices between big box retailers and smaller local businesses for the best quality and value. Cross shopping between various stores, cutting back on snacks and novelty items, and preparation methods have all been areas consumers mentioned where they’ve made changes.
“We’re buying less meat like chicken and turkey, since prices for those have skyrocketed. And switched to buying more canned and dry goods that are more rich in protein. We’ve also stopped trying new brands for things like snacks out of fear we’d waste money on something we end up not liking.” one respondent said.
Another shopper shared that they were buying family-sized packs in order to prepare meals and make it last 2-3 days depending on the household size. Others brought up buying less juice and coffee creamer.
Another participant noted going to farmer markets to source produce. “The produce is often fresher, locally grown, and cheaper. It might be easier than you think to cook a meal you love if you get creative.”
While there’s no one single solution to rising food costs, many are finding that with careful planning, reducing waste, and remaining flexible, one’s budget can go a little bit further.
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Longtime chef Tyrrell Hutchins curates meals with a dual purpose: connect ancestral traditions with contemporary technique. He demonstrates this through his Happy Sunday pop-up events. It’s an immersive multi-course dining experience that takes place every other month.
On June 14, the menu will feature Black American cuisine in anticipation of the Juneteenth holiday.
Happy Sunday is a culinary experience curated by Tyrrell Hutchins every other month.
Hutchins joined The Metro to explain what inspired this month’s menu and the Happy Sunday format. Additionally, Hutchins discussed why it’s important to connect and work with local farmers.
“I feel like it’s very vital to capitalize on the things around us,” Hutchings said. “Our urban farmers are using a lot of ingenuity to create and produce and I want to highlight what they’re doing at the highest level.”
Hear the full conversation using the media player above.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and stream on-demand.
WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Since we last spoke to food critic Melody Baetens, new restaurants have opened, Detroit’s culinary scene has the opportunity to gain national and international attention, and the summer food festival calendar has rounded into shape.
Melody is a restaurant critic and dining reporter at the Detroit News. She joined the show to catch us up.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Food is more than what’s on your plate. It’s a direct reflection of identity, of history, it’s a reflection of access and or lack of justice.
In communities across this country, where you live can shape what you eat, how you eat, and even how long you live. The truth is that our food systems are rooted in histories that include displacement, inequity, and harm.
Josmine Evans; curator and steward for The Joy Project.
Who’s responsibility is it to actively repair these systems, when we all collectively share this knowledge?
The Joy Project is not only asking those questions, but working to create space for education, and community healing through food.
Gabrielle Knox; Curator and farm manager for The Joy Project
Founded by Detroit native Gabrielle Knox and Oakland California native Josmine Evans, The Joy Project wants to reconnect people with ancestral foodways and land practices. They aim to educate and spread joy through building historical and cultural relationships between Black, brown, and Indigenous communities and the soil.
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MIAMI (AP) — Rachael Ray isn’t sick. Her marriage is healthy, too. And yes, she’s still on TV.
Rumors have swirled around the woman who gave us 30-minute meals since she stepped away from her daily show. But that hasn’t diminished her thrill at rolling through her mid-50s still cooking on television and still pulling crowds for beachside burger parties.
Welcome to Ray’s third act, the recipe for which is equal parts serendipity and returning to her hands-in-pans roots.
Three years ago, the woman who turned culinary effervescence, EVOO and garbage bowls into a media empire stepped away from the Food Network and her syndicated daytime talk show. Today, she acknowledges, “It can be hard to find me.”
Ray sat down with the AP recently during a break from events at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival to talk about what’s next, what keeps her going and why she doesn’t care about her legacy.
“I’ll be dead, so who cares?” She said that a lot, actually. About her critics. About the gossip. About whether people today get her and her decisions.
Except, clearly she does care. Particularly about the thread common to it all — giving people kitchen confidence. She once described her cooking as the food equivalent of a pop song. Which sounds flip. But when your entire career is built around breaking barriers to food, the easy digestibility of pop is an apt analogy.
“That was the message I wanted to bring to people. Don’t be scared of this,” she said. “If it doesn’t come out all right, who cares? It’s just dinner.”
From store demos to TV celebrity
Rachael Ray serves pasta alle vongole to guests at a private dinner during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
The story of Ray’s rise is well-trod. Young woman from upstate New York gets noticed while doing food demos at an upscale grocery store, lands a gig on the Food Network demystifying cooking with a focus on fast and affordable, parlays that into a daytime show backed by Oprah Winfrey, and in short order she and her rat-a-tat Yum-o!-punctuated vernacular — not to mention her knives, books, pans, magazine, pet food and all manner of other products — were ubiquitous.
Then, in 2023 — after 17 seasons on daytime TV — she jarred fans by walking away from much of it, a decision she’d been quietly considering for years. Network television brought with it armies of executives and lawyers.
“I just didn’t want to do that anymore. I didn’t want to live by committee,” she said. “I wanted to focus more on food the way I want to teach it, talking to people I want to talk to, and being just me.”
Stepping out of the limelight
Rachael Ray talks to guests during a private dinner at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
To many, she seemed to slow down or even disappear. After fire destroyed her home in upstate New York and flooding ruined her city apartment, she moved much of her life to Italy. A podcast was started, then quietly shuttered. All amid rumors of failing health and marriage.
Moved under the radar might be more accurate than slowed down. But let’s start with the gossip.
“We’re very volatile people. We’re loud, and then we’re lovey dovey, and I think we confuse a lot of folks because of that,” she said of her marriage to musician and lawyer John Cusimano. “I have a great marriage. My health is fine. I lift weights every morning, 4 o’clock, you know. I’m doing just fine.”
As for slowing down?
After ending her daytime show — the only thing she misses is the energy of the live audience — she created her own production company, Free Food Studios, an effort to control her content (sans layers of lawyers) and launch new talent. A&E soon acquired a 50% stake in it and ordered hundreds of episodes, including several new series starring Ray.
“People tell me on the plane or at the airport or at the grocery store, ‘Oh, I miss your show so much!’ And I’m like, I have many! You know, look on YouTube or look at A&E or look at Disney or Hulu,” she said. “It rotates through all these different platforms now, so it’s harder for people to find.”
Rachael Ray serves the main course to guests at a private dinner during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
In fact, her “Meals in Minutes” recently was renewed for more than 100 new episodes, and she’s producing two additional shows with other stars. Meanwhile, she’s planning an eighth humanitarian trip to Ukraine — she’s been collaborating on them with José Andrés since early in the war — recently launched her own gin, and still sells plenty of pots and pans and pet foods, the latter of which helps fund The Rachael Ray Foundation, which has donated $140 million to animal welfare and nutritional advocacy groups.
Crashing the chefs’ A-list
Today, culinary pedigrees among food celebrities are few and far between, making the early critiques of Ray — She’s not a serious cook! She’s not a chef! — seem quaint, sexist, maybe both. She’s thankful social media has lowered the bar for entry to her world, saying fresh faces no longer need money, connections, a culinary degree or blind luck to get noticed.
Rachael Ray and Lee Schrager, the founder of the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, listen to Brooklyn Beckham during the Burger Bash Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
What hasn’t changed is the way aging women are judged, particularly when they have the audacity to do so as a public figure. Her appearance has been a hot topic in recent years, but Ray said she refuses to join the beauty bandwagon. “I tried Botox here (pointing at her eyebrows) years ago,” she said. “And I just looked sort of shocked or something. And I thought, this isn’t you.”
At this year’s South Beach festival’s Burger Bash, which Ray has hosted for two decades — consuming some 568 burgers over the years, but who’s counting? — crowds swarmed her with stories of growing up on her recipes and shows. At a private dinner the next night, 20-plus people paid $500 each to clamor as she served pasta alle vongole and told family stories while Cusimano mixed cocktails.
Rachael Ray and her husband John Cusimano react after eating a hamburger during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival’s Burger Bash Friday Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
“Honey! I’m talking too much! This got hot!” Ray said, handing him a Martinez cocktail to refresh. “I don’t drink a hot cocktail. I almost never drink the second half of my cocktail.” The crowd of mostly middle-aged women nodded enthusiastically, clearly adopting a new Ray-endorsed rule to foist on their own spouses.
“I love the fact that it’s still relevant that I come here,” Ray said. “I’m a woman in her mid-50s that’s still employed, still making programming, and still can book an event and have thousands of people come out. That means a lot to me.”
Rachael Ray and her husband, John Cusimano, embrace after cooking at a private dinner during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/J.M. Hirsch)
What comes next?
“I like not knowing,” she said. “I like watching things evolve and discovering what’s next for myself. So there’s no plan. There’s no road map.”
J.M. Hirsch is a food and travel journalist, and the former food editor for The Associated Press.
Rachael Ray smiles while cooking at a private dinner during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
MIAMI (AP) — For nearly 10 years running, Lesley VanNess never missed the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, a beachfront bacchanal of celebrities, booze and bites that tens of thousands of attendees pay hundreds to thousands of dollars to join.
It was about access, the chance to nosh and gab with the likes of Rachael Ray and Bobby Flay, people she otherwise could experience only via the hands-in-pans purview of the Food Network.
“I’d get the Food Network Magazine and there would be advertisements for it. I’m like, ‘0h my god! You could go to that? Go to these great events and meet these celebrity chefs?’,” said VanNess, a 44-year-old former restaurant owner from Iowa. “I’m in!”
That was during the food festival heyday, a decade-long stretch starting around 2010 when copycat events popped up everywhere, creating a circuit-like scene for A-list chefs (and ample wannabes).
Then came social media, a force that melted barriers between fans and food celebs. People like VanNess realized that instead of crowding into football field-size tents to chance a chat with Flay, they could just DM him.
Or better yet, they could tune in to online #instafood chatter to perhaps discover the next Ray or Flay, a whole new level of social cred unlocked.
VanNess hasn’t been back to South Beach since at least 2020. “I’d rather see them on social media or go to their restaurant,” she said.
Attendees walk by the Florida International University 25th anniversary tent at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Bartender Victor Uceda-Vereo prepares cocktails at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Lee Schrager, founder of the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, is seen at a festival event Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Friends walk the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Chef Ryan O’Sullivan puts the finishing touches to samples of grilled Kvaroy salmon with fennel remoulade at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Patrick Garcia samples an array of Asian dishes during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Octopus empanadas with sweet pepper tobiko sauce are arranged on a table during the Asian Night Market at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Friends enjoy a band performance during the Burger Bash at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Professional cook Rachel Ray congratulates the staff at Coney Burger during the Burger Bash at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Tori Neville, center, and friends enjoy the food and drinks at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
A couple enjoys the Burger Bash at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Chicken tikka is served at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
An event participant adds bitters to Alabama oysters during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Friends take a break during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Butcher Dario Ceccini of Italy, welcomes guests to a private dinner at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
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Attendees walk by the Florida International University 25th anniversary tent at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Last weekend, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival turned 25, cementing it as one of the elders of the festival scene, along with its sister event, the New York City Wine & Food Festival, and the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado. By all accounts, all three are going strong. But many smaller festivals have disappeared, victims of the pandemic, slumping ticket sales, soaring food and labor costs, and chef disinterest.
So, are food festivals still relevant?
“South Beach and New York, they fill a niche and I can see them going on forever. But food events and food festivals are going in a whole other direction,” said Mike Thelin, one of the founders of the now shuttered Oregon festival Feast Portland.
Festivals’ success long hinged on the need of chefs, wineries, mixologists, food producers, and what only now are known as food influencers to reach a wider audience. In 2026, that’s an antiquated notion.
“In 2010, they wanted to get on the map,” Thelin said. “They don’t need that anymore.”
Seeking that local connection
That doesn’t mean festivals are dead. There’s a recalibration happening, he explained. What many call “white tent affairs,” a not-so-subtle nod to South Beach’s events that stretch along the sands of the Atlantic, are fading.
“If I’m going to a certain region, I want to know what makes that region special,” Thelin said. “I don’t want to go into a giant white tent that’s devoid of geography and drink a bunch of wines from California if I’m in Washington or Tennessee.”
Taking their place? A host of small, hyper-focused events grounded in people and place. Events like AAPI Food & Wine, a 3-year-old Oregon and New York City-based festival that highlights the work of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
“The foodie scene has changed so much,” said Lois Cho, one of the founders of that event, which draws about 1,000 attendees a year. “People didn’t realize wine and black bean noodles and izakaya and all these different Thai dishes — they had no idea they paired. Creating a different narrative and community where you can connect with people, those are the types of events we’ll see now.”
Social media, she said, unlocked so many overlooked voices.
“And a lot of people haven’t caught on because it’s been a lot of cookie-cutter events for the last 20 years,” she said.
It’s been a similar story for the Southbound Food Festival, which celebrates the culinary scene of Birmingham, Alabama. Started in 2022 and stretching over a week every fall, the event pulls support not just from chefs, but also the region’s art and music scenes.
“There’s less appeal today with these TV chefs. Great chefs are everywhere,” said Nancy Hopkins, one of the event’s founders. “People come to celebrate and uplift Birmingham.”
The OG festivals still draw crowds
Still, as Thelin said, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and it’s New York sibling aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, white tents, Food Network faces and all. Tickets to nearly all of South Beach’s 110 events, which featured 500-plus chefs and food personalities, sold out this year. In its quarter century, the festival has raised more than $45 million for the Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Lee Schrager, the force behind the two festivals, said the South Beach blueprint remains relevant today.
“There’s something very different about DM’ing Bobby Flay than going to an intimate dinner at a table of 10 that he’s doing that’s sold out in three days,” Schrager said. “Social media has made everyone available, but can you touch and feel it?”
The first South Beach event, attended by only 10 chefs, was little more than a wine tasting. This year, more than 30,000 people attended. Martha Stewart hosted a luncheon at Joe’s Stone Crab, Italian celebrity butcher Dario Cecchini tossed slabs of beef into an eager dinner crowd, and Ray reprised her Burger Bash, where everything from Kool-Aid pickles to foie gras adorned smashed wagyu patties on potato buns.
Schrager acknowledged that most smaller festivals can’t operate the way his do, including hosting events he knows will sell tickets even if they ultimately lose money. He said he sold $7 million in tickets this year and brought in $6 million in sponsorships — and netted just a little over $1 million.
“It’s a good number in the festival world, but it’s not a great return if you’re running a profit business,” he said.
Ray, who has participated in nearly every South Beach and New York festival, continues to show up. It’s about loyalty to Schrager, who took her seriously when much of the food world didn’t. But it’s also about in-person access to fans.
“I love talking to people, being with people, having people climb all over you, hang on you, give you a compliment,” she said. “I love being in the real-life experience.”
J.M. Hirsch is a food and travel journalist, and the former food editor for The Associated Press.
Butcher Dario Ceccini of Italy, welcomes guests to a private dinner at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Chicken simmered in a tomato sauce infused with onion, green pepper, and paprika forms the comforting foundation of this Hungarian goulash.
The key to its authentic flavor is using good-quality Hungarian paprika. It’s available in both mild and hot varieties and found in most supermarkets. This rich, savory goulash is served over pappardelle, a broad, flat pasta similar to extra-wide fettuccine, perfect for catching every spoonful of sauce.
HELPFUL HINTS:
Any type of pasta can be used.
Any type of sliced mushroom can be used.
To save preparation time, use diced onion and green pepper found in the produce section.
COUNTDOWN:
Place water for noodles on to boil.
Make goulash.
Boil pasta.
SHOPPING LIST:
To buy: 1/2 pound cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 jar reduced sodium marinara sauce, 1 green bell pepper, 1 medium tomato,1 container sliced portobello mushrooms, 1 small container reduced fat sour cream, 1 bottle Hungarian paprika, 1 container caraway seeds, 1 package pappardelle
Staples: olive oil, onion, salt, black peppercorns
Chicken Hungarian Goulash
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika or 1 1/2 tablespoons ordinary paprika
1 cup reduced sodium marinara sauce
1/2 pound cooked boneless skinless chicken breast 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons reduced fat sour cream
1 medium tomato cut into wedges
Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add onion, green pepper and mushrooms. Saute 3 minutes. Sprinkle paprika over vegetables and saute 2 minutes. Add marinara sauce and simmer 1 minute. Add chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve over pappardelle. Dot the goulash with sour cream. Arrange tomatoes on the side.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 369 calories (32 percent from fat), 13.0 g fat (3.0 g saturated, 4.3 g monounsaturated), 114 mg cholesterol, 38.0 g protein, 26.5 g carbohydrates, 7.1 g fiber, 132 mg sodium.
Caraway Pappardelle
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
1/4 pound pappardelle (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot with 2 to 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pappardelle and boil 3 to 4 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain leaving about 2 tablespoons water on the pappardelle. Toss with olive oil and caraway seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Divide in half and serve on two dinner plates with the Goulash.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 262 calories (20 percent from fat), 5.8 g fat (0.8 g saturated, 2.5 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 8.1 g protein, 44.1 g carbohydrates, 3.0 g fiber, 3 mg sodium.
Woe to the cookie, cake or waffle lover who discovers, often after years of stomach upset, fatigue and skin issues, that the culprit of their health issues is gluten, the protein found in grains like wheat, barley and rye.
Most everything you find in a bakery, grocery store cookie aisle or on the sweet side of a breakfast menu is made with flour. Which means that those with gluten sensitivities or allergies are often out of luck when it comes to sweet treats.
One of my sons has celiac disease so I’m always on the lookout for gluten-free products that don’t include hidden sources of gluten such as soy sauce or malt vinegar and actually taste good, or at least good enough to justify the high cost. (Gluten-free cereals, pasta and snacks can be up to 139% more expensive than their gluten-containing counterparts, according to the nonprofit Celiac Disease Foundation.)
Dilettoso, a gluten-free baking mix brand founded by Italian nutritionist Stefania Dilettoso in 2024, offers a tasty and super-convenient solution for the home cook.
Dilettoso baking mixes, which come in Vava Vanilla, Choc-o-Lotta and Bella Berry flavors, are an easy way to make a quick and easy gluten-free breakfast for your child. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)
Made with a blend of finely ground organic whole oat and brown rice flours, organic tapioca starch and natural flavorings, its Amore mixes are low-fat, preservative-free and because no sugar is added, fairly low cal (a serving counts just 120 calories).
For many people, texture is just as important as taste in baked goods. Because these mixes are made with naturally absorbent oat flour, the batter retains its hydration and bakes up light and fluffy. When it comes to breakfast foods, that translates into pancakes and waffles that rise beautifully, with an airy, light interior.
They’re available in three kid-friendly flavors — Choco-Lotta, Bella Berry and Vava Vanilla — and can used to make pancakes and waffles with the addition of water or milk (and an egg, if you want the extra protein). They also can be used as a gluten-free base for cookies, brownies, cakes and muffins with the addition of other ingredients.
One 10-ounce box of the Amore mixes — Italian for “love” — makes around 15 4-inch mini waffles or a half-dozen 7-inch regular waffles.
We tried the Vava Vanilla variety, which like the other mixes is leavened with baking soda and cream of tartar.
My toddler grandson gobbled them down just as quickly as the “regular” pancakes he gets to eat on weekends with my husband and me at Eat’n Park. But the real thumbs up came from my son, who said they were “pretty good” for a gluten-free product.
However, their price means they will probably be reserved for special occasions. They were $13.95 per box on Amazon (or $35 for a three-pack and $49.50 for a six-pack). That’s nearly $2 a waffle or 93 cents per mini waffle.
Dilettoso Amore baking mixes can be used to make waffles or pancakes or as a gluten-free base for cookies, brownies, cakes and muffins. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)
With New Year’s Day fast approaching, I want to plan on making the holiday delicious and easy. I have a one-dish lunch or dinner in mind. At my house, Jan. 1 is primarily spent relaxing in front of the TV watching the parade and football games. It’s part of our tradition.
Everyone seems to love this one-dish wonder, a baked pasta dish with sausage and black olives. You can change its personality by using a sausage that you prefer. Hot Italian sausage will yield a dish that is fiery, while mild Italian sausage makes a more kid-friendly meal. I like to use half hot and half mild. The choice is yours.
Happy New Year!
Baked Pasta with Sausage and Olives
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
1 pound Italian sausage removed from casings, sweet or hot, or some of both
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup pitted black olives, such as Kalamata, drained
Salt
1 pound penne or ziti
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use; see cook’s notes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Cook’s notes: Use the low-moisture style of mozzarella that is harder and often used for melting, not the fresh mozzarella.
DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil. Cook sausage in a large, deep skillet until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it up with spatula or wooden spoon. Transfer sausage to a bowl.
2. Drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and garlic; cook until fragrant but not brown, about 1 minute. Add crushed and diced tomatoes, return sausage to the skillet. Add olives and simmer until thickened, 15 to 18 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until slightly underdone. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot along with reserved water. Stir in tomato sauce.
4. Pour half of pasta into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of each cheese. Pour remaining pasta into dish, sprinkle with remaining cheeses and sprinkle with parsley. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Source: Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomasCooks.com.
Baked Pasta with Sausage and Olives is a great dish to start the new year and can be made with either ziti pasta or penne, shown here. (Photo by Cathy Thomas)
In my childhood home, we had a leg of lamb two Sundays a month. I loved those Sundays, as did my Shetland sheepdog who was the recipient of the leftover bone. Mom’s recipe was simple. The meat was topped with olive oil, salt and pepper prior to roasting.
This recipe takes it up a notch making it the perfect entrée for special occasion holiday entertaining. This approach studs the meat with little “bouquets” made of rosemary sprigs, slivered garlic and anchovies. Don’t be put off by the anchovies; they taste delicious, offering just-right saltiness. Plan ahead when making this version; it tastes best if it is seasoned 1 to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld.
My local supermarket rarely carries leg of lamb. I guess it is because it is so darn expensive. Markets such as Whole Foods, Bristol Farms and Gelson’s have them. I tested the recipe using a smaller bone-in leg, one that weighed in at a little less than 4 pounds. I used 2/3 of the amount of garlic, anchovy, rosemary and salt, and reduced the roasting time by about 25 minutes (roasting it only 48 minutes after turning the oven temperature down).
Yes, my guests will get smaller servings, but I will make up for it by providing loads of vegetables.
Roast Leg of Lamb with Anchovy, Rosemary, Garlic and Piment d’Espelette
Yield: 8 to 10
INGREDIENTS
1 whole bone-in leg of lamb, 7 to 8 pounds, preferably with hip bone removed, with 1/8-inch layer of fat, see cook’s notes
5 large garlic cloves, peeled, cut into thin slivers
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 20 little pieces
4 leafy sprigs rosemary, cut into twenty pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons piment d’Espelette, see cook’s notes
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
Cook’s notes: My local supermarket rarely carries legs of lamb. I guess it is because it is so darn expensive. Markets such as Whole Foods, Bristol Farms and Gelson’s have them. I tested the recipe using a smaller bone-in leg for this recipe, one that is severed at the knee, weighing only a little less than 4 pounds. I use 2/3 of the amount of garlic, anchovy, rosemary and salt, and reduced the roasting time by about 25 minutes (roasting it only 48 minutes after turning the oven temperature down). Yes, my guests will get smaller servings, but I make up for it by providing loads of vegetables.
Piment d’Espelette is a brick-red powder made from chilies from the town of Espelette in the Basque region of France. It is milder than cayenne; its light heat is nuanced with sweetness. It is available at Savory Spice Shop in Corona del Mar (928 Avocado Ave.), or from several sources online. If you prefer, substitute hot paprika (not smoked paprika).
DIRECTIONS
1. Using the tip of a paring knife, make 20 small holes on all sides of lamb. Stuff each hole with a sliVer of garlic, a bit of anchovy and a small sprig of rosemary, leaving the tips of the rosemary sticking out. (It may help to gather the seasonings into a little “bouquet” and use the point of the knife to tuck a “bouquet” into each hole.) Season surface with salt and piment d’Espelette. Set in a large baking dish and refrigerate, uncovered or loosely covered, for 1 to 2 days. Let lamb come to room temperature for about 2 hours before roasting.
2. Arrange oven rack in the lower third of oven and heat to 450 degrees (425 degrees convection).
3. Roasting: Rub surface with olive oil. Place lamb with the rounder, meatier side up in roasting pan just large enough to accommodate it (it’s fine if the top of the shank rests on the edge of the roasting pan.) Roast 25 minutes and then pour wine over lamb. Lower temperature to 325 degrees (300 degrees convection). Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meatiest part of the leg reaches 120 to 125 degrees for rare, about 1 hour from the time you lowered the oven heat; or 130 to 135 degrees for medium rare, about 1 1/4 hours.
4. Remove lamb to carving board, preferably one with a trough, to rest for 20 to 35 minutes. Tilt roasting pan and spoon off as much of the clear fat as you can. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the pan drippings (if they are too stuck to the pan to scrape up, add 1/4 cup water to dissolve them). Set aside the pan drippings to drizzle over the carved lamb. Carve and serve drizzled with the pan drippings, or layer the slices in the roasting pan so they soak up the pan juices and serve family style (I really like this soak-in-the-pan approach), from the roasting pan.
Source: Adapted from “All About Roasting” by Molly Stevens (W.W. Norton, $35)
A leg of lamb is shown with “bouquets” of rosemary sprigs, garlic and anchovies inserted before roasting. (Photo by Cathy Thomas)
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