I have long been a fan of Jeffrey Steingarten - a Harvard- and MIT-educated lawyer-turned-culinary critic/columnist. The first article of his I remember reading was this absolutely lyrical piece on the perfect espresso - in Vogue, of all places. He has two books, The Man who Ate Everything, and It Must Have Been Something I Ate: The Return of the Man who Ate Everything, which are both compliations of essays written for Vogue and other magazines. He is known for his "strong opinions and obsessive techniques," and his articles about making the perfect bread, catching bluefin tuna so he can eat as much o-toro as he wants, and yes - how salad is a silent killer - are all must-reads.
In case you're interested, the bit on espresso (reprinted in his second book):
The taste of espresso is bittersweet, with an initial impression of acidity. From your first sip, the aroma is intense and explosive. Afterward, you are left with a very pleasurable coffee taste that can last for half an hour. The predominant flavors are caramel, flowers (including jasmine), fruit, chocolate, honey, and toast - but only if you do everything exactly right. One false step and you are totally doomed. One false step and you will never taste the jasmine.I almost applied to be his assistant a couple of years ago before I realized that I would technically be a freelancer for Vogue - which meant no benefits and probably a crappy salary to boot. I very nearly did so anyways.
More videos with Jeffrey Steingarten, from Serious Eats
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