Complexity & Simplification
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You Can Buy Strawberries in January. So What Makes Strawberry Season So Special?
Why do the first local strawberries of the season taste so special? The answer may have…
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Ninety Seconds Used to Feel Fast: Microwaves, Generative AI and Our Perception of Time
Microwaves did more than speed up reheating leftovers. They quietly changed expectations around time, effort, and…
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Navigating Generative AI Tools: Think of it Like Running a Kitchen
The world of generative AI has changed significantly, and that impacts how we work with it.…
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More Isn’t Always Better: Why Decisions Get Harder the Longer You Look
We tend to assume that more comparison leads to better decisions. But sensory science suggests something…
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When a Recipe Works — Until It Doesn’t
I followed the recipe exactly — and it still didn’t work. Why? Because following the same…
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Progress Doesn’t Remove Trade-Offs. It Moves Them.
Improvements rarely eliminate complexity — they relocate it. A wheelchair-accessible self-checkout that shifts small frictions to…
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The Real Reason Food Debates Feel So Messy
Coffee is good for you. Then it’s not. Ultra-processed foods are harmful. Or are they? Food…
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Why Nutrition Labels Look So Precise (And Why They Were Never Meant To Be)
Nutrition labels on foods are simplified on purpose. This article explores how food variability, regulation, and…
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Why Expiration Dates Are Guidance, Not Truth — And Why That Matters Beyond the Kitchen
If you’ve ever stood in front of your fridge, debating whether a date is a rule…
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What Salad Dressing Teaches Us About Relationships
Oil and vinegar don’t mix easily — and honestly, neither do people sometimes. But food science…