Few people understand the power of a four-hour dinner. For most Americans, that probably sounds like a nightmare. But in Italy, it’s normal. Expected, even. You settle in. You open a bottle of wine. You talk, and eat, and talk some more. There’s no rush to clear the plates or get to dessert.

Growing up, I was lucky to be part of a family that liked to linger. We’d close restaurants, migrate from the dining room to the patio, and stay out so late the neighbors would gently remind us they had work in the morning. That way of eating—of being, really—has always felt more natural to me. And it’s exactly the kind of spirit cookbook author John Bersani captures in his new book, 20 Amici – 40 Ricette: Friends and Food from the Heart of Chianti.

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It’s not every day you see a former three-Michelin-star chef slinging burgers and homemade potato chips out of a historic red train car. But at Dad’s Luncheonette, the low-key restaurant tucked off Highway 1 in foggy Half Moon Bay, that’s exactly what you’ll find—if you know where to look.

If you pull up, chances are you’ll find Scott Clark—chef, dad, and now cookbook author—chatting with customers, cracking jokes, and running the pass for their short-and-sweet seasonal menu.

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If you’ve ever thrown mushrooms into a pan and watched them shrivel up to almost nothing, you’re not alone. That’s because mushrooms are mostly water. Now what you do with that fact can take your dish from just fine to seriously good.

For example, most people’s first instinct is to salt mushrooms right away. But if you hold off, they’ll crisp up instead of steaming and potentially getting soggy. It’s a small shift, but one that can totally change the outcome and turn a basic ingredient into something seriously craveable.

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A lot of people grow up watching their mom cook—I was lucky enough to be one of them. Even before I could reach the counter, I was trailing behind her in the kitchen, hoping to graduate from taste tester to mixer. And while I’ve since picked up tips from test kitchens, TikTok chefs, and a lot of Ina Garten, the core of my love for cooking will always come back to my mom.

That’s probably why I was so taken with Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini’s story. Their new cookbook, French at Heart, isn’t just a collection of classic French recipes, it’s a celebration of their shared life in food. The mother-daughter duo first made waves when they opened The Cook’s Atelier in 2008, a cooking school, culinary, and wine shop nestled in the heart of Beaune, France. Their classes now sell out months in advance, drawing guests from around the world. And yet, what makes their story stand out isn’t just the stunning Burgundy backdrop or their rustic tartines—it’s the relationship at the heart of it all.

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Welcome to the latest edition of Food52 Founder Amanda Hesser’s weekly newsletter, Hey There, It’s Amanda, packed with food, travel, and shopping tips, Food52 doings, and other matters that catch her eye. Get inspired—sign up here for her emails.

I have a new (old) book out! My first book—The Cook and the Gardener—about cooking seasonally from a garden and about a crusty old French gardener whom I befriended when I worked as a cook at a château in Burgundy, France, was relaunched yesterday, on the 25th (26th!) anniversary of its original publication in 1999.

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