Portside

More than a century ago, billions of American chestnuts were wiped out by an invasive fungus. Scientists are working to restore the tree to its former glory.

My childhood dinners were an international smorgasbord. The scents of these dishes beckoned me from my bedroom to the kitchen, where I’d watch my mother in the final stages of sprinkling garnish. Now, in my forties, I feel I owe it to my children, to the generations that follow, to fully and actively educate myself in my family’s food.