For Haitian Americans like the chef Gregory Gourdet, 49, potato salad bears little resemblance to the deli counter mainstay. Growing up in Queens, he instead ate salade russe, a traditional Haitian recipe in which potatoes are combined with peas, onions and beets, which turn the dish bubble gum pink. Today, Gourdet serves his own take on that dish as part of the summer menu at his restaurant Kann in Portland, Ore., smoking the beets and binding the ingredients with creamy rémoulade. It’s just one of a number of variations on Russian potato salad, known as Olivier — which was created in 19th-century Moscow and now shows up everywhere from Sweden to Korea — currently appearing on restaurant menus. At Eel Bar on New York’s Lower East Side, the chef-partner Aaron Crowder, 39, makes what he describes as a “New York version of the Spanish version of Russian potato salad,” informed by the ensaladilla rusa served at tapas bars that often includes green olives and roasted red peppers. He tops his with orange trout roe. Tyler Akin, 41, the chef and a partner at the Mediterranean restaurant Bastia in Philadelphia, makes potato confit in chicken fat and then mixes it with saffron-spiked aioli and shavings of Sardinian bottarga. Potato salad, he says, “just so clearly wants to be served warm and soft,” like the bacon-flecked, mayo-free German-style version that his family favors.
Where To Shop in Baku—Azerbaijan's Up-And Coming Fashion Destination
28.11.2024 - 13:19 / cntraveler.com
Considering Azerbaijan spans two continents, has a colorful history dating back millennia, and a culture influenced by surrounding countries from Russia to Armenia, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that this country is a melting pot of creativity. Just half a decade ago, even Azerbaijanis looked elsewhere for fashionable finds, as designer Nazrin Agharzayeva tells Chris Schalkx on a visit. Now, things are changing, and the capital is becoming a must-visit for adventurous shopaholics. Here, we take a look at where to shop in Baku, whether you're in search of hand-woven carpets that'll catch your dinner guests' attention, or one-off bazaar buys designed to start a conversation when you return.
Designer Nazrin Agharzayeva launched Azerbaijan’s first local fashion platform, Stock, in 2019.
Before designer Nazrin Agharzayeva launched Azerbaijan’s first local fashion platform, Stock, with business partners Anar Iskandarli and Saida Nazirova in 2019, Baku’s style crowd only had eyes for foreign brands. “The attitude towards local designers wasn’t great,” she says. “Everyone thought clothes imported from abroad were better.” With Stock, the trio aim to shift that mindset by bringing together more than 75 labels from Azerbaijani-diaspora and Baku-based designers in its industrial-chic showroom along the city’s boulevard. Highlights from the ever-changing collection include sharp-cut blazers lined with reclaimed silk kimonos by Isabeyli, boldly silhouetted tops and dresses by MMMDM, and tees with tongue-in-cheek slogans by Off-White-esque streetwear label Estudio Barcode. Hit up nearby Concept Store 27 for silk shawls by textile designer Menzer Hajiyeva, who puts a new spin on the traditional block-printed kelagayi head scarves worn by Azerbaijani women.
Chelebi, a home goods store founded by artist and curator AIda Mahmudova, recasts the country’s traditional arts and crafts as contemporary home decor.
Founded in 2013 by Azerbaijani artist and curator Aida Mahmudova, Chelebi recasts the country’s traditional arts and crafts as contemporary home decor. As part of a redesign, its showroom on the perimeter of Port Baku Mall reopened last September as a shoppable gallery for furniture, home fragrances, and ceramics. In collaboration with the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art, Chelebi reinterprets heritage materials and techniques into high-design homeware: ceramic plates and cups take inspiration from the frescoes in the 18th-century summer residence of the Shaki Khans, while the whimsical works of the late Azerbaijani painter Rasim Babayev live on as woven throw blankets. The brand has also worked with Moscow- and Grasse-based perfumery Aadre on a collection of diffusers, hand soaps, and scented candles
Travel Zagatala: Tour Azerbaijan's abundant Land of Roses
A rose-scented region in Azerbaijan’s mountainous northwest, Zagatala attracts travellers seeking a sweet, scenic escape.
We gave up city life and moved to New Zealand. We earn less, but the tradeoffs are worth it.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Brandon Chia, 31, a nurse in the South Island of New Zealand. Chia moved from Singapore to New Zealand in 2022. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Chilling Out in Coral Bay, Where Even Flip-Flops Are Optional
Ever daydream about vacationing alone on a tropical beach, where it’s just you, fluffy clouds and welcoming waves? That quiet relaxation is what I was looking for this fall on St. John, the smallest and wildest of the U.S. Virgin Islands. It has a reputation for being an off-the-beaten-path Caribbean gem. But I wasn’t sure what I’d find.
Police carry out anti-LGBTQ raids on some of Moscow's bars and clubs
Russian police raided several bars and nightclubs across Moscow on Saturday as part of the government’s crackdown on “LGBTQ+ propaganda,” state media reported.
Cruise passengers stage hunger strike after Antarctic stops cancelled due to engine failure
Passengers on an Antarctic cruise have staged a hunger strike after the ship’s engine failed, forcing the expedition to be cut short.
Sweden asks for China's cooperation in probe over damage to Baltic Sea cables
Sweden has formally asked China to cooperate in explaining the recent rupture of two data cables on the Baltic Sea bed in an area where a China-flagged vessel had been sighted.
Reliable snow, cheap passes and uncrowded slopes: Why you should go skiing in Georgia this winter
When Taylor Beckwith-Ferguson first visited Georgia in 2015, he thought he would spend a few days on the piste.
I traveled from Canada to more than 60 countries and decided to stay in Rio de Janeiro. Here's why.
Around this time last year, I found myself on a two-week trek in the Himalayas, burned out. I wanted to scream into the snowy mountains, "Will I ever find a place where I belong?"
Apple and Airlines Team Up to Track Lost Luggage
One of the biggest worries when flying is that your luggage will get lost. Arming your suitcase with an AirTag has become quite popular, and Apple has now teamed up with over fifteen airlines to make it even easier to track down your checked baggage.
Holland America’s Black Friday Sale Has Up to 25% Off Cruise Fares, Free Additional Guests, and More
Holland America Line cruise line is celebrating Black Friday with 25 percent off sale on sailings and other perks for the ultimate holiday at sea.
David Lammy and Jean-Noël Barrot warn of risk of attempted 'Putinisation' of the world
France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has met his British counterpart David Lammy for talks in London against a backdrop of what Lammy called "tough geopolitical times".