America's Secret Ingredient? Its People, Not Just Apple Pie

A dark green scoop of borage-and-lovage sorbet arrived on a white plate. It was salty, herbal, and unexpectedly magical. That moment happened at Estela, a restaurant on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. It remains as good as it was nearly a decade ago. Inside, stylish diners filled the quiet room. Outside, two shirtless men played checkers. Girls in tight dresses posed for TikTok. A woman in a bathrobe kicked a garbage bag. No one seemed bothered. We were in the US to promote a new book. We had not visited since before the pandemic. From Britain, America looks scary and confusing. But being there changed our view. Food, we learned, is the quickest way to connect. In Chicago, a TV host confessed that locals do not really like deep-dish pizza. Instead, we ate Greek-style pasta at a farm-to-table spot. As the US marks its 250th anniversary, the real flavor is not apple pie. It is the people—and their honest, surprising stories.