Los Angeles Times Food covers of 2019

Since the Los Angeles Times Food section launched in April, we’ve published 36 editions featuring illustrations from artists around the world and photography from our all-star team of staff and freelance photographers. Here’s a look back at every cover we published in 2019.

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor / Los Angeles Times)

Cover story: “Welcome to your new Food section” by Peter Meehan

Illustration: Clay Hickson

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor / Los Angeles Times)

Cover story: “I get one last Lent with my Mami. I’m using it to learn our family’s capirotada recipe” by Gustavo Arellano

Illustration: Gaby D’Alessandro

Los Angeles Times Food cover, April 25, 2019

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Five or Fewer: Get dinner on the table fast with these easy pasta dishes” by Genevieve Ko

Photo: Mariah Tauger

Also featured:

• “Review: At Sonoratown, worship at the altar of flour tortillas and mesquite-grilled beef” by Patricia Escárcega
• “The official domestic beer power rankings” by Lucas Kwan Peterson

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor / Los Angeles Times)

Cover story: “Feasting and fasting: The meaning of the rituals of Ramadan” by Anissa Helou

Illustration: Saffa Khan

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor / Los Angeles Times)

Cover story: “Nashville hot chicken is taking over Los Angeles” by Jenn Harris

Illustration: Lale Westvind

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “In Berkeley, Cafe Ohlone brings back the Bay Area’s first foods” by John Birdsall

Photo: Ricardo DeAratanha

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Oaxacan cheese merges the taco and the quesadilla in this simple recipe” by Genevieve Ko

Photo: Silvia Razgova

Also featured: “A beginner’s guide to taco trucks” by Lucas Kwan Peterson

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “An ode to L.A.’s gay restaurants, where a community can find a home” by Ben Mims

Photo: Silvia Razgova

Also featured: “In San Quentin, prison inmates are cooking up gnocchi and brighter futures” by John Birdsall

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “How the restaurant industry is tackling its substance abuse problem” by Amy Scattergood

Illustration: Saskia Keultjes

Also featured: “Everything you didn’t even know you wanted to know about celery” by David Karp

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Master Class: Michelin-starred n/naka chefs on how to make the perfect onigiri” by Genevieve Ko

Photo: Mariah Tauger

Also featured: “The official candy bar power rankings” by Lucas Kwan Peterson

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Featured:

• “The secret pickle club we want to join” by Betty Hallock
• “Review: Seek out Sri Lankan hoppers and fish curry at Apey Kade in Tarzana” by Bill Addison
• “How many cacao beans does it take to make a year’s worth of LetterPress chocolate bars?” by Amy Scattergood
• “Banh cuon 101: Everything you need to know about Vietnamese rice sheets” by Andrea Nguyen
• “Forget bottles, cans and boxes: Kegged wine is what’s next” Jordan Michelman
• “A gluten-free, vegan bakery is opening in Santa Monica” by Amy Scattergood
• “What’s brewing in Chinatown: a microguide to four unique coffee bars” by Jordan Michelman
• “Review: The Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens suffers from convoluted cooking” by Patricia Escárcega
• “The spring Negroni you should make all summer” by Genevieve Ko

Illustration: Clay Hickson

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Exploring Hermosillo, northern Mexico’s great unsung food city” by Patricia Escárcega

Photos: Dania Maxwell

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “A Süprmarkt for the people challenges ‘food apartheid’ in South L.A.” by Heather Platt

Photo: Gina Ferrazi

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Fly fishing for ‘sewer salmon’ in the L.A. River” by Jesse Pearson

Photo: Jerry Hsu

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “A city without Gold” by Peter Meehan

Illustration: Clay Hickson

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “And for the Magic Castle’s next trick: Food that’s worth talking about” by Jamie Feldmar

Photo: Silvia Razgova

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Yes, pastry chefs are real chefs and women are leading the baking revolution” by Karen Stabiner

Photos: Mariah Tauger and Mel Melcon

Also featured: “17 places you probably have to try to understand birria in L.A.” by Hadley Tomicki

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Two food writers eat at all the Persian restaurants in SoCal (OK, 18 of them)” by Bill Addison

Photo: Christina House

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Why it’s harder than ever to run a restaurant in Los Angeles” by Jenn Harris

Photo illustration: Danielle Evans

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor / Los Angeles Times)

Featured:

• “L.A. Farmers Market Guide: O’Henry peaches are coming” by Amy Scattergood
• “Review: Los Angeles, this should be your sake spot” by Bill Addison
• “From the motherland to the U.S., a Vietnamese fish sauce with umami oomph” by Andrea Nguyen
• “Up your summer grilling game with lemongrass-marinated Vietnamese pork chops” by Genevieve Ko
• “The ultimate mapo tofu recipe has a California twist” by Lucas Kwan Peterson
• “Stay chill once you grill with these 3 summer soups” by Ben Mims

Illustration: Alice Clark

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “How chicken sausage links became a centerpiece to South L.A.’s black food culture” by Garrett Snyder

Photo: Mariah Tauger

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “We eat econo: Mike Watt on pork sandwiches, punk rock and the future of San Pedro” by Jesse Pearson

Photo: Myung J. Chun

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “How Post & Beam, the successful black-owned South L.A. restaurant, stayed in local hands” by Amy Scattergood

Photo: Christina House

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “For over 137 years, no newspaper has covered Mexican food better than the L.A. Times” by Gustavo Arellano

Illustration: Jennifer Hewitson

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Musso & Frank Grill, 100 years later” by Bharbi Hazarika

Photo: Tina Whatcott Echeverria

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “The king ate sticky rice: Cooking, past and present, in Luang Prabang, Laos” by Austin Bush

Photo: Austin Bush

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “An indigenous community in Mexico finds its voice — and strength — in wild mushrooms” by Michael Snyder

Photo: Felipe Luna

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “South Korea born, East L.A. bred: A Seoul taqueria for a homesick chef” by Victoria Kim

Photo: Marcus Yam

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “When is an Original Tommy’s burger not an original? When it’s one of these 67 look-alikes” by Daniel Miller

Photo: Mariah Tauger

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story:“A new soup dumpling spot in the OC wants to dethrone Din Tai Fung” by David Pierson

Photo: Marcus Yam

Also featured:

• “Eat your fears with these creepy Halloween recipes” by Genevieve Ko
• “Between heaven and earth, a spirited communion on Day of the Dead” by Ben Mims
• “I tried five over-the-counter hangover cures. This is what worked” by Jenn Harris

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Kung pao chicken’s legacy, from the Qing Dynasty to Panda Express” by Fuchsia Dunlop

Photo: Yuki Sugiura

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “Nutmeg, a pumpkin spice staple, takes the spotlight in Malaysia” by Austin Bush

Photo: Austin Bush

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “The best Thanksgiving turkey has no crispy skin” by Ben Mims

Also featured: “The official Thanksgiving food power rankings” by Lucas Kwan Peterson

Photo: Leslie Grow

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Featured:

• “Review: 20-plus courses. 10 seats. Insanity. At Somni, it’s all a dream” by Bill Addison
• “Exclusive first look at Socalo, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger’s new restaurant in Santa Monica” by Jenn Harris
• “Review: In Sawtelle, Mogu Mogu is a ramen shop without the soup” by Patricia Escárcega

Photos: Mariah Tauger and Ricardo DeAratanha

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “12 Days of Holiday Cookies” by Ben Mims

Photo: Leslie Grow

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “The easiest holiday recipes start at Costco. Because of course” by Genevieve Ko

Photo: Evan Sung

Also featured: “Quick prep and no-fuss baking for the best candied nuts” and “Avocado smash gets fancy in this holiday party dip” by Genevieve Ko

(Martina Ibáñez-Baldor)

Cover story: “What’s in a name? When it comes to fruit, economic and genetic forces have a major say” by David Karp

Illustration: Lisa Kogawa