Santiago Vargas
Editorial byline
Santiago Vargas is an editorial byline for Tastes Good Magazine, with a focus on Global City Food Guides, The History and Craft of Spirits, Street Food Vendor Profiles. Biographical credentials and external profiles are published only after verification.
Learn more about our editorial process and use of automation in our AI & Automation disclosure.
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Latest Articles
Terroir Explained: How Soil, Climate, and Human Craft Shape the Taste of Wine and Cheese
Terroir is the French concept that explains how a food or drink's unique character is shaped by both its natural environment and the human traditions involved in its production. Understanding terroir involves analyzing the interplay of soil, climate, and human craft in products like wine and cheese.
Oct 22, 2026 · 4 min read
How to Brown Vegetables: Controlling the Maillard Reaction with Heat, Dryness, and pH
Master the Maillard reaction for deeply savory, browned vegetables by controlling temperature above water's boiling point, surface dryness, and pH. This guide explains the science and practical steps to achieve a golden-brown crust consistently.
Oct 22, 2026 · 4 min read
From Stone Tablets to Bills of Fare: How the Restaurant Menu Evolved Over Three Millennia
The restaurant menu has evolved over three millennia, from ancient Assyrian banquet records and functional Chinese lists to the modern French-influenced document that reflects societal values and class aspirations. This evolution reveals the menu as a dynamic cultural artifact, not just a simple list of dishes.
Oct 21, 2026 · 5 min read
Why You Crave What You Crave—and How to Choose Your Response
Food cravings are complex, stemming from biological, psychological, and habitual factors, not just a lack of willpower. Understanding these triggers allows you to choose effective responses rather than succumbing to urges.
Oct 21, 2026 · 5 min read
PTFE, Ceramic, or Seasoned Metal: Which Non-Stick Pan Fits How You Cook
Choosing the right non-stick pan involves understanding the distinct trade-offs between PTFE, ceramic, and seasoned metal cookware. Each option offers different benefits regarding performance, safety, durability, and maintenance, catering to various cooking styles and priorities.
Oct 20, 2026 · 5 min read
How Taste, Smell, and Texture Fuse Into Flavor in Your Brain
Flavor is not a single sense but a synthesis your brain performs in real time, fusing signals from your tongue, nose, and mouth nerves. Understanding this multi-sensory fusion is the most useful science a home cook can own to improve dishes.
Oct 20, 2026 · 5 min read
How to Julienne Vegetables: Knife or Peeler, and When to Use Each
Learn to julienne vegetables using either a chef's knife for precision or a julienne peeler for speed and ease. This guide compares both methods, helping you choose the best technique for consistent, matchstick-style strips.
Oct 20, 2026 · 4 min read
Where to Eat Your Way Through New South Wales: A Region-by-Region Guide for Food-Loving Travelers
Plan a food-focused trip to New South Wales by exploring its distinct culinary regions, from Sydney's global dining scene to the Hunter Valley's wine country, Byron Bay's coastal flavors, and the Southern Highlands' produce-driven destinations.
Oct 19, 2026 · 5 min read
Choosing the Best Fat for Searing, Frying, Baking, and Finishing: A Three-Factor Framework
Choosing the right cooking fat involves more than just its smoke point. A practical framework considers heat tolerance, fatty acid stability, and flavor contribution to match fats to searing, frying, baking, and finishing tasks.
Oct 19, 2026 · 4 min read
Mindful Eating, Not Dieting: A Practical Framework for Changing How You Relate to Food
Mindful eating emphasizes paying non-judgmental attention to the experience of eating, shifting focus from restrictive dieting outcomes to the process itself. This practice fosters a calmer psychological relationship with food and improves physiological awareness of hunger and fullness cues.
Oct 19, 2026 · 4 min read
From Kaiseki to the Menu Dégustation: How the Tasting Menu Evolved
The tasting menu, a hallmark of modern fine dining, originated in 16th-century Japan as the multicourse kaiseki meal and was later adapted by French nouvelle cuisine chefs into the menu dégustation. Today, this format is diversifying into more accessible, sustainable, and varied options that reflect contemporary diner expectations.
Oct 18, 2026 · 5 min read
Match the Function, Not the Ingredient: A Plant-Based Substitution Framework for Home Cooks
Successful plant-based cooking hinges on understanding an ingredient's function in a recipe, not just memorizing swaps. This guide provides a framework to match plant-based substitutes to the specific job an animal ingredient performs, like binding, leavening, or adding moisture.
Oct 18, 2026 · 6 min read
How to Choose the Right Vinegar: A Cook's Decision Framework for Dressings, Marinades, and Finishing
Choosing the right vinegar for your cooking depends on the desired flavor impact and culinary application. This guide provides a framework to select the best vinegar by considering its base ingredient, flavor profile, intensity, and acidity.
Oct 18, 2026 · 5 min read
Balancing the Five Tastes: How to Build a Complex Non-Alcoholic Cocktail From Scratch
Master non-alcoholic cocktail creation by balancing the five core tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. Learn ingredient pairings and techniques to build complex, flavorful zero-proof drinks from scratch.
Oct 17, 2026 · 5 min read
Smoke Point Isn't the Whole Story: How to Actually Choose a Cooking Oil for High Heat
Choosing cooking oil for high heat involves more than just smoke point; thermal stability and refinement are equally crucial factors. Prioritize oils with stable fatty acid profiles, like monounsaturated or saturated fats, for better performance under heat.
Oct 17, 2026 · 5 min read
Which Sustainable Kitchen Gadgets Actually Match Your Goals? A Category-by-Category Comparison
Choosing sustainable kitchen gadgets effectively means aligning them with your specific environmental goals, whether that's reducing plastic waste with reusable storage, cutting energy use with efficient appliances, or ensuring non-toxic food prep with natural materials.
Oct 17, 2026 · 4 min read
Paperboard Trays Beat CPET and rPET on Climate Impact—In One Specific Life Cycle Assessment
A Life Cycle Assessment found paperboard trays with PET coating have a lower climate impact than CPET and rPET plastic trays, a scientific finding that contrasts with subjective consumer perceptions and underscores the need for evidence-based packaging choices.
Oct 16, 2026 · 5 min read
Two American Sunday Dinners, Two Very Different Histories
The American Sunday dinner encompasses distinct traditions, with the Southern/African American and Italian-American versions originating from vastly different historical experiences of resilience, community, and arrival.
Oct 16, 2026 · 4 min read
Why Natural Sweeteners Don't Bake Like Sugar — and How to Choose One That Works
Natural sweeteners are not simple one-to-one replacements for sugar in baking, as sugar performs crucial roles in texture, browning, and moisture. Understanding the unique properties of different natural sweeteners and making specific recipe adjustments is key to successful baking outcomes.
Oct 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Acid or No Acid? How to Choose Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder
Choosing between baking soda and baking powder hinges on whether your recipe contains acidic ingredients. Baking soda requires an acid to activate, while baking powder includes its own acid, making it versatile for various batters.
Oct 15, 2026 · 5 min read