Our favorite award-eligible stories from <i>The Takeout</i> this week<em></em>-September 2024-www.zdask.com

　　The internet operates on hyperspeed—as fast as it takes for your thumb to flick up your phone screen. It means you may have missed some of The Takeout’s award-eligible food and beverage writing. Fear not! We’ve rounded up some of our proudest pieces of reportage from this past week.

　　Swing high and thwap: How the Greeks make their octopus delicious and tenderWhen we arrive in Monemvasia, our bus driver decides tonight is a good night for octopus and heads…

　　From slapping them on rocks to washing machines, a look at how octopus gets so deliciously tender.

　　A 60-second intro to Oaxacan foodRegional Mexican cuisine is, thankfully, beginning to break free of its overgeneralized reputation.

　　The Takeout’s Kate Bernot gives us a crash course on the bounties of Oaxacan cuisine.

　　The secret of baking great pies is love, not fearIn this month of pie-crust making, it has literally been one step forward, one step back. Did well…

　　Our Gwen Ihnat has been valiantly trying to improve her pie game this last month. Will this week’s Crisco lesson be a success or failure?

　　Ask The Salty Waitress: Why does the server ask if my wife and I need separate checks?Dear Salty,

　　Lessons from our resident restaurant-behavior advice columnist.

　　Lord have mercy on your casserole: In praise of church cookbooksCream of onion soup, honey, tubs of chopped chives, sugar, cream cheese, margarine, mayo, sour…

　　In an age when any recipe can be accessed on your phone in 10 seconds, an appreciation on the enduring charm of church cookbooks.

　　How restaurants can make dining out seamless for blind peopleI’m told I have a unique perspective on the restaurant world. I’m an entrepreneur with a Ph.D. in…

　　Dr. Hoby Wedler loves dining out. He’s also blind. Wedler offers tips to restaurant staff on how to make the experience of blind diners seamless.

　　What’s the fastest way to chill wine?I have the patience of a gnat, and am also a white wine fan. Like when I want some unoaked…

　　Tips to cool your Chardonnay, stat.

　　The Takeout’s guide to Persian foodMy dad was born and raised in Tehran, Iran. In the 1960s, he emigrated to the U.S., and soon after…

　　Shami, chelo, kebab, doogh—our 101 guide to the pleasures of Persian cooking.

　　How to make my mother’s stuffed shells, a 3-cheese crowd pleaserIn Hasty Gourmet, The Takeout writers offer reliable recipes that are dinner-party worthy with only

　　During a story ideas meeting last week, we asked The Takeout’s Gwen Ihnat what’s the best dish she makes. Without a pause, she said her mother’s stuffed shells. We talked Gwen into divulging her secret go-to recipe.

　　There's a sparkling wine for every occasion and priceWelcome to Gateways To Drinkery, where The Takeout offers an entry-level course on our favorite…

　　Everything you need to know to dive into the world of cava, champagne, and sparkling wine

　　Ask The Salty Waitress: Should I bring my kid to a tavern?Dear Salty,

　　Would customers at a tavern be annoyed if you brought your kid? Our Salty Waitress answers.

　　I was a bouncer in Chicago on St. Patrick's DayIn the life of a Chicago bar, there are three days that are worse than any others: New Year’s Eve,…

　　St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago is a wild scene. A former bouncer has stories to tell.

　　Master these essential potato dishes of IrelandMountains of boiled potatoes have rolled blandly across my dinner plate throughout my life. I was…

　　Potatoes are integral to Irish cooking culture. Learn these four classic recipes and you’ll be set.

　　Hangover Helper: Chug some pickle juice, do push-ups, and eat a Cobb saladHangover Helper is The Takeout’s feature on how to survive the booze flu.

　　This week I learned pickle juice is helpful to curing a hangover.