[Via MetaFilter] I recently learned that the huge Japanese user-contributed recipe site Cookpad, which has over 20 million users and 1.5 million recipes, now has an English version. Cookpad seems similar to Food.com, and you can browse recipes by category or ingredient. Over 1,500 recipes have been translated into English so far, with more planned (the translations are not by a machine, though there are a few errors anyway). There are a ton of cool-looking recipes including Taro Root Croquettes, Somen noodles, Udon with Yuzu and Tofu with dashi sauce. Any fans of Japanese food should definitely explore. Did you find any favorite recipes?
Tonkotsu Ramen Style Somen Noodles via Cookpad
Purple Pig in Chicago (500 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL) is one of our favorite places to get cheese or charcuterie, that is, if you are able to get a table at this tiny no-reservations spot (don’t count on it). Purple Pig has an extensive selection of well-curated cheeses 
One half of the ETW team is crazy about coffee. However, we were both surprised to learn about the corner of the world where coffee reigns supreme: Scandinavia. Honestly, when we first think of coffee, our mind goes to Italy (
Every once in a while a restaurant comes along that has a concept so intriguing, you have to try it. Asitane has come up with such a concept: using authentic, historical Turkish dishes spanning nearly 1000 years. Each dish has either been re-created from original Ottoman menus, or re-created from descriptions of dishes served at the time. Each dish on the extensive menu is given a date, which may seem gimmicky at first, but really works. The setting of Asitane is quaint and beautiful, and is located on the ground floor of a renovated old building. We were lucky enough to arrive on a pleasant day, so we decided to eat outdoors, though there is also extensive indoor seating.
Though in the United States BBQ may seem as American apple pie, it has a special place in the national consciousness of many countries, none more so than in South Africa. 
Like any good rib place, 12 Bones does not give you much time: open only 11-4 on weekdays (or until the food runs out, whichever is first), by the time we arrived at 10:30 there was already a line. We were lucky to be early: there were multiple rub glazes to pick, and at the last minute, knowing the ribs were famous, M decided to opt for a standard 6-bones rack of brown sugar glaze. Among other potential choices was pineapple habanero, but we felt that could have been getting a little too playful if we wanted to get something traditional for our first time. 
There is something primordial about a rack of ribs that come out on an aluminum plate. No sides, no nothing else. And they did not need anything: the rack of ribs in the background of this photo were easily the best we have ever had – just amazing. Perfectly smoked, all the fat had melted away, leaving behind perfectly tender, well-seasoned, and artfully glazed rack of certified culinary cavemanliness. Extra points for the fun outdoor seating area! Meanwhile, as M was salivating over his rib plate, L was busy on her usual: pulled pork. It was good, but not memorable in comparison to the ribs. A solid, light smoke flavor with a sweet North Carolina vinegar sauce made for a worthy contribution to our meal. Between us, we split cornbread, macaroni and cheese, and cucumber salad as sides. But again, the star here is the ribs: if you have a chance to stop in Asheville, definitely pay a visit to 12 Bones.
M arrived at the Mercado de San Miguel with a single goal: eat jamón ibérico de bellota. “Iberian Acorn Ham” is the name given to the finest quality Spanish jamón, a fiercely protected product produced through a painstaking process. Black Iberian pigs, living in southern and southwest Spain close to the Portuguese border, freely roam oak groves consuming little besides acorns. Their hams are left to dry for weeks, and cured for another twelve months or more. The result is what is universally considered the finest jamón on the peninsula, if not the planet. The price definitely matches the quality – but it is worth it.
Eating The World 