You Suck at Cooking (YouTube)
Finally, a cooking show that’s honest with me. You Suck at Cooking is an anonymously run comedy cooking channel that offers unintimidating recipes and forgives us for never having any of the correct kitchen utensils. What got me hooked? Episode 80, which confronts the scourge of college students everywhere with five incredible instant ramen recipes that are realistic about what’s actually in your fridge. This video enlightened me with two things: an analogy between the infinite potential of 13-cent noodles and that of my own life, and a recipe for “hangover ramen.”
Binging With Babish (YouTube)
Turns out that fantasy food from the silver screen is more achievable than you thought thanks to Binging With Babish, a channel that feeds the souls of film fanatics and foodies alike. Host Andrew Rea combines his love for movies and his culinary talent in an effort to discover what food from fiction tastes like, from Ratatouille to Bob’s Burgers. My personal favorite recipe is the pasta aglio e olio from Chef, a surprisingly easy dish so good it’s borderline erotic, even without Scarlett Johansson making bedroom eyes at you.
Taco Chronicles (Netflix)
Las Crónicas del Taco is an immersive docuseries that explores the history and craft of tacos in the Mexican regions that perfected them. Learn why tacos al pastor are the jewel of Mexico City, while tacos de carnitas rule the stage in Michoacán. Humble taqueria owners and their loyal clientele share why tacos are a language in and of themselves, a cultural idiosyncrasy that has united Mexican communities for centuries. Watch volume 1 for a valuable history lesson on taco ancestry before ditching that fusion restaurant and heading to an authentic taqueria that gets down to the corazón of the matter.
– Editorial intern Katelyn Landry
This article appears in July 19 • 2019.