From Absinthe to PDA (questions & stories)

This week on Flavorphiles, we’re skipping the theme and letting curiosity run the show.

We kick things off with a homemade absinthe for Amuse Booze—because if you’re going to go off-script, you might as well start with something a little dangerous.

From there, it’s a rapid-fire mix of questions and hot takes: what farm-to-table actually means (and when it’s just marketing), how to make non-alcoholic cocktails feel like a real experience instead of an afterthought, and whether vegetarian tasting menus should really cost less.

Then we look at what’s old becoming new again—jello salads, fondue parties, and lobster Newburg—and how to rethink them for today. Plus, a practical fix for one of the most misunderstood ingredients in modern kitchens: truffle oil.

After that, we get into fusion food—where it came from, why it matters, and why Japanese-Peruvian cuisine has us especially excited right now.

We close things out with stories from behind the bar at Apothecary, including the custom cakes you wouldn’t believe, a throuple that took PDA a little too far, and the kind of moments you only get in a place where people come to celebrate.

No central theme—just good taste, strong opinions, and a lot to talk about.