Samantha Razook Murphy, creator of girls camp Curious Jane, attended a totally random dinner party. And got hooked on having strangers in the kitchen.BROOKLYN – Last fall, I chanced upon an Edible Brooklyn article about Chaos Cooking, a DIY dining event wherein a stranger opens up his/her kitchen to a bunch of other strangers bearing pots, pans, and groceries for an impromptu dinner party among new friends.No designated menus, no specific t

November 3rd is National Sandwich Day. Wed like to take a moment to honor the humble handheld meal by sharing stories about transcendent experiences at home and abroad.We asked our favorite travelers about their tales of bread and butter and beyond.Because really, who doesnt love a good sandwich?

Fashion photographer and caffeine enthusiast Nicolas Clerc trained in New York before bringing the artisanal coffee movement back home to Paris. Lindsey Tramuta, the writer behind Lost in Cheeseland (one of our 24 Best Blogs and Websites 2014) talks to the owner of the charming Parisian coffee bar Télescope. Photographer Ashley Ludaescher snapped the scene.PARIS – After more than ten years working as a photographer for the likes of Vogue, C

Fathom contributing editor Stephanie March has been everywhere on earth, but this sunset in Sicily sounds like her best travel day ever. Ever.ERICE, Sicily – The single best cannoli Ive ever had was in Erice, a small hilltop town in Sicily. Im not a dessert person, and this is a tough call for me, but the memory of that cannoli will forever activate my salivary glands. Something about a group of Campari-soaked thirtysomethings piling into a

This sponsored post was produced in partnership with Bounty. Bring it!Who doesnt love a big bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce?No, really, who? That person doesnt exist.Spaghetti with a simple tomato sauce is a fundamentally satisfying, crowd-pleasing bowl of comfort and deliciousness and love. Yes, love: It was, after all, invented by an Italian mamma billions of dinners ago — Italian mammas being globally recognized as experts

This sponsored post was produced in partnership with Bounty. Bring it!The galette is one of the easiest and most basic French pastries. Unlike so much French cooking (especially pastry), the galette is imprecise and flexible, not bound by rigid rules and shapes. That its so rustic and free-form is part of the appeal. And its what makes it so great for home cooks and young cooks.This recipe is a variation on a classic Jacques Pépin recipe fo

Kate Donnelly heads southwest to take in the old city of Bordeaux, meet the man behind Lillet Rouge, and swim in the Atlantic.BORDEAUX, France – The mission, as I chose to accept it: Take an early, high-speed train from Paris to Bordeaux. Read a book while coursing through 17th- and 19th-century homes and vineyards in the countryside. Nap. Arrive ready to tackle a new town.LAY OF THE LANDLocated on the bend of River Garonne, Bordeaux is con

At Fathom, we believe its never too early to start traveling or to start talking about it. Our young Parisian friend Lila had a special family lunch on the Amalfi Coast the day before her 13th birthday. Heres her story (English is not her first language) — and her amazing photos.POSITANO, Italy – Im French, Im thirteen, and I live in Paris. This summer, I had an amazing lunch at Il San Pietro in Positano.My mother took me and my 11-ye

The contest is now finished. Thank you for entering. And dont worry if you missed it. We do these great trip giveaways often. Fathoms newsletter is the best way to know what were up to.Were not finished with our June Free Trip Bonanza. Were extending it with one of the best prizes yet: A Gourmet Wine Trip to Tuscany. One lucky winner and a very happy friend will win this once-in-a-lifetime trip:MAGNIFICO!Hotel! A week in the Tuscan cou

Show up to a dinner party where you dont know the host. Or any of his guests. Or a word of their language. Fathom reader Gretchen Finn did and has no regrets. A reader story.MENDOZA, Argentina – Im standing in front of a small house on a dark side street of Mendoza. I blink in an attempt to revive myself from the mornings flight. Ive come a long way, from the United States through Chile and to my much-anticipated destination in Argentina. I

New York expat Nora Walsh moved to Mendoza for love, but she may be staying for places like Osadia de Crear, a winery restaurant thats delicious, relaxing, and open on a Sunday. Bring the family: Its that kind of place. MENDOZA, Argentina – When I moved to Mendoza from New York City in June 2013, I was introduced to the queen — the Queen of Torrontés that is. Susana Balbo trailblazed her way to the epithet by being Argentinas fir

Calling all meat lovers: Heaven awaits in the tiny Texas town of Lockhart. Marc Glosserman, founder of New Yorks Hill Country Barbecue Market, is dishing out the beefiest local joints. Make sure youre hungry for this one.HILL COUNTRY, Texas – In 2007 on a barren strip of West 26th Street in Manhattan, I opened Hill Country Barbecue Market, an ode to Central Texas barbecue and a love letter to my Texas family roots. Since then, weve opened f

Youre in Tuscany now, so youll need to think of something to do between all the meals. Truffle hunting in the hills of San Miniato makes for an easy afternoon jaunt from Florence.FIESOLE, Tuscany – Here I am, in a former 15th-century Franciscan monastery, now the Belmond Villa San Michele, in Fiesole, just outside of Florence. The grand hilltop hotel has a facade attributed to Michelangelo, spacious suites tucked into terraced gardens,

Copenhagen has become a pilgrimage town for the foodie crowd, a city they visit just to experience extraordinary meals prepared by extraordinary chefs. While attending the fourth MAD food and ideas conference (which he Instagrammed for Fathom), Lucky Peach editor Peter Meehan and a crew of Americas top chefs ventured off the well-traveled path in search of epic shawarma sandwiches at a divey but delicious kebab stand.COPENHAGEN – I did not

Though she now lives in New York City, Fathom editorial assistant Becky Cheang grew up in Singapore and has been pining for the local food ever since she left in 2012. With the greatest of ease, she ticks off a list of her favorite local dishes around the clock.SINGAPORE – Towards strangers, we Singaporeans are a pretty reserved group. But mention food and our eyes light up, the conversation gets going, and you have a new friend. I moved to

In the Italian Adriatic port city of Bari, the food — and the people who make it — weave a sensory tale. Contributing editor Erica Firpo takes folklore icon Italo Calvino along as her unexpected travel companion.BARI, Italy – There are two Marias: a Nunzia and a tiny street where women make pasta all day and night. That sounds like the beginning of Italian Fables by Italo Calvino that my nonno used to read to me —&nbs

Photographer and social media maven Lucy Laucht journeyed south to Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula to do what she does best: eat well, shop around, and capture the days best moments for sharing later.YUCATAN PENINSULA, Mexico – My three great loves: travel, food, and shopping (the last of which I have become particularly adept at thanks to living in New York City). I recently swapped the polar vortex of the East Coast for the solar vortex of Tulu

The giveaway is now closed. Thank you for entering!We love all our travel giveaways — and stay tuned, because we have a lot in store for you this holiday season — but this one holds a special place in our heart. Fathom founder Pavia Rosati travels a lot (as you might imagine), but she always spends at least a week every year in the same place (which you might not expect from someone whose job it is to travel as much as possible)

Fathoms Pavia Rosati continues her road trip through Napa and Sonoma at Meadowood, where the ony thing that exceeds the setting and the leisure activities is the famed Restaurant at Meadowood.ST. HELENA, California – Day two of my Relais & Châteaux Thomas Keller-designed Routes du Bonheur road trip through Napa and Sonoma counties started off with breakfast in bed at Hotel Les Mars in Healdsburg, which I wrote about here. I was reluctant to

Born in Tokyo and raised in New York, Shigeki Abe has always enjoyed the best of both worlds. As a child, his time spent exploring Japan and discovering the countys specialty foods was so sweet that it led to a deep love of Japanese treats, many of which cant be found outside Japan. Fast forward to present day: Abe is preparing to launch Snakku, a Japanese snack subscription service and one of our 13 Best Box Subscriptions for Travelers. He