Jasmine Sheth News Today

South Asia’s second-wave chai culture has steeped into America’s mainstream from Taylor Swift to "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."

Desserts like burfi shaped like chocolate cigars with edible gold show mithai’s transformation

Chai-infused beer can double as a holiday treat

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times Lively violin music played as dozens of shoppers strolled in the sunlight between two rows of tents, taking in the sights and smells of street food, soups, spices, sweet treats like doughnuts and baklava, and fresh produce. On Wednesday, the Andersonville Farmers Market opened for its 12th season and its second year operating during the pandemic. Kayla Taylor, an employee at First Slice Pie Cafe, said she is excited to be selling pastries now that conditions are less f...

Multimedia storyteller Woojae Julia Song (Medill ‘19) has always been interested in the food scene in her Uptown Chicago neighborhood. As a result, when COVID-19 hit, she immediately saw the beginnings of a story.  “The (Uptown) restaurants really reflect the broader community, and once the pandemic started, it was pretty clear early on that local restaurants and small businesses were being impacted pretty directly,” Song said. “And we’ve seen communities of color and immigrant commu...