A Note from the Author
Leslie Brenner is a two-time James Beard Journalism Award-winning writer, author of six books (including an acclaimed literary novel), former Food Editor of the Los Angeles Times and former Restaurant Critic of the Dallas Morning News.
Welcome!
My mission with this publication: To delight you with tasty morsels. Sometimes they’ll be stories, personal essays and other writing; other times something for you to cook or savor.
Who it’s for: Food lovers, sensitive souls, readers of lit. Love to eat? Love to read? This is for you.
Here you’ll find:
Everything organized on the Home Page, including Latest Stories and what’s delicious this seasonal moment. Stories linked on the home page are free for all.
The ever-expanding Cooks Without Borders Recipe Collection. Everyone can see the index. Become a paid subscriber to unlock the recipes.
Entertaining, inspiring, informative cooking stories, reviews and other posts. They’re free for all subscribers when they land in your in-box, and stay accessible for a week. I’ve made a few of them (linked below) permanently free for all, so you can sample some of my writing. Become a paid subscriber for continuing access to all archived posts.
The Cooks Without Borders Cookbook Club — featuring the most exciting new cookbooks, especially those we think will endure. (Everyone can see what’s being covered in the club on the page linked above; membership is only for paid subscribers. Cookbook Club is currently on summer hiatus.)
The entire archive of Cooks Without Borders posts. Become a a paid subscriber to unlock them.
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The kind of stories you’ll discover here:
• PERSONAL ESSAYS, usually involving food in one way or another, like these:
• PIECES ABOUT FOODS & DISHES I LOVE, and how to make them your own, like these:
• FOOD HISTORY, like these:
• CULTURAL CRITICISM, for instance:
Cooks Without Borders Recipe Collection
Everyone can view the entire CWB recipe archive and see a preview of each selection. See one you want to try? Paid subscribers have full access to all recipes, including downloadable pdfs. Free subscribers can try one for free. I’m constantly adding new recipes. Check it out below!
Cooks Without Borders has been an exciting voice in international cooking since its inception in 2016. This Substack destination builds on the spirit and content of the Webby Award-winning international cooking website and gives you direct access to what Leslie is marinating, cooking and musing — including things beyond the kitchen.
Exploring all the stories
You can also increase your food expertise and find inspiration by exploring the CWB Archive. Although the stories are available to all when they’re first published, only paid subscribers enjoy access to the archived posts.
On the homepage, you’ll see what’s fresh for the season; scroll down to find stories arranged by subject.
Paid Cooks Without Borders subscribers get:
• Biweekly newsletter featuring stories, essays, recipes and reviews
• Full access to all linked recipes — and the entire Cooks Without Borders Recipe Collection
• Access to the full archive of inspiring, entertaining, informative Cooks Without Borders posts
• Invitation to participate (at no additional cost) in the Cooks Without Borders Cookbook Club
• Community: Members-only chat, invitation to pop-up socials and more
• Perspective, inspiration, curation and expertise you can’t get anywhere else
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I also love and appreciate free subscribers!
Free subscribers get:
• Biweekly posts, accessible for free for 7 days before moving into the permanent paid archive
• Hungry for more? Want to try the recipes, have access to the archive or chat with Leslie? Would you like access to the materials that help you cook with the seasons and take deep dives? Treat yourself to all the benefits of a paid subscription.
What Leslie brings to the table
✺ Two James Beard Journalism Awards
✺ Two Webby Awards (the New York Times called the Webbys the “Oscars of the Internet”) — one for Cooks Without Borders Substack, the other for Cooks Without Borders the website
✺ Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Cooks Without Borders
✺ Author of six books:
• The Fourth Star: Dispatches from Behind the Scenes at Daniel Boulud’s Celebrated New York Restaurant
• Greetings from the Golden State: A Novel
• American Appetite: The Coming of Age of a National Cuisine
• Essential Flavors (co-author)
• Fear of Wine: A Guide to the Grape
• The Art of the Cocktail Party
✺ Four years as Food Editor of the Los Angeles Times
✺ Nine years as Restaurant Critic and Dining Editor at the Dallas Morning News
✺ Former Contributing Editor at Travel + Leisure
✺ Freelanced for The New York Times, Washington Post, Bon Appétit, Saveur, New York Magazine and many more
Are you on a fixed income or having financial difficulty? I’d be delighted to treat you to 3-month paid membership. Email me at leslie@lesliebrenner.com.
