Kristen Hartke

Kristen Hartke writes about food culture and history for the Washington Post, NPR, Food and Wine, and other media outlets. She is also a culinary producer/recipe developer for chefs. Her work appears in “2025 Best American Food and Travel Writing.”

pasta with cheese and green garnish in beautiful bowl with border of painted blue and green leaves and sunny yellow around rim, in focus over pot of pasta with tongs in background

comfort food

Hope on a Plate: the Power of Comfort Foods

I had craved the warming spices of the chai, but someone smiling at me with genuine warmth was the comfort I truly needed. In a world that often feels numbingly cold, comfort food and human community are both essential sources of warmth, and they are best served together.