COVER
The Food Chains that Link Us All
Food is not just what we eat. It is an expression of who we are, how we live, and the world we inhabit
How the World Eats
In the Face of Westernization, families across the globe are abandoning traditional diets and dining habits
Taste Test: Same, but Different
Think a particular brand of tomato soup or ice cream will taste the same all over the planet? A trip to Nestl's food research lab reveals the science of localizing flavor
The Scout: The Food Hunter
Culinary explorer Mark Brownstein is on an endless quest for the ultimate taste sensation
Señora Carmen's Secrets
Preserved in the mountain mists of Galicia is a tiny village with no shop and one cow where the flavors of the past are as fresh as ever
Black Magic: The Perfect Espresso
After searching Italy for the perfect espresso, our correspondent finally divines the elixir's deepest mysteries right next door
Food: Second-Glass Citizens
How Margaret Thatcher, Gordon Gekko and the burdens of work killed the era of the liquid lunch
Food Aid: Hungry For Change
Food aid saves millions of lives each year, but it doesn't alleviate the root causes of famine. It is time to rethink how we feed the poor
Eating In: Home Cooking
Ensuring good food for all in the future means looking to the values of the past
A Cook's Tour
Fusion pioneer Jean-Georges Vongerichten never stops testing culinary boundaries. On the road with the busiest chef in the biz
Kaiseki: Perfection On a Plate
A modern master inducts a TIME writer into the mysteries of kaiseki, Japan's most exquisite and least international culinary tradition
Chili Peppers: Global Warming
How the chili spread from its South American home and spiced up world cuisine
Essay: One Man's Junk Food
Fast food used to be a symbol of bland conformity, but globalization has given it a whole new flavor
To Our Readers: On the Road and in the Kitchen
Food is a cornerstone of human civilization, and the centerpiece of our annual summer journey issue
ASIA
Pakistan's Reluctant Hero
Iftikhar Chaudhry just wants his job back, but the suspended jurist has become the symbol of a pro-democracy uprising
Thaksin Ups the Ante for Thailand's Generals
Ousted Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra threatens to return soon—raising tensions in the kingdom
SCIENCE
Stem Cells: Japan Gets Ahead of the Curve
How Japanese researcher Shinya Yamanaka beat the world (and the odds) to score a promising breakthrough in stem-cell science
GLOBAL ADVISER
Pack Your Trunk (The Great Outdoors)
Gabon's rain forest is home to orchids, elephants and surfing hippos
Remembering the Wall (Diversions)
A new 160-km trail in Berlin is a superb route for cycling — and history
Acquired Tastes (Local Fare)
Port of Spain's best restaurant, Battimamzelle, serves up seasonal menus that blend Trini traditions with haute Continental
Stars and Bars (Check In)
The Costa del Sol's glamorous Marbella Club provides a fantasy setting for a Spanish sojourn
Best of the Bistros (Food Chain)
Four Paris bistros worth making a special trip for