Editor's letter

How long has it been since you grabbed a hairbrush and danced around the living room pretending you were on stage? Well, that time has come again, as the Eurovision Song Contest is almost here. To get the party started when the finals air on SBS on 27 May, we’ve created a multi-country Eurovision buffet (p72). Don your favourite sequinned outfit and get set for an evening of over-the-top musical numbers and great food.

If you end up enjoying Eurovision a little too enthusiastically, the Ulster fry from our Celebrate story (p43) might be just the medicine you need. We joined a group of Irish expats who come together to share the flavours of the Emerald Isle – from potato farls to brown-bread ice-cream. While Irish food is comforting, our Sichuan recipes (p62) are full of heat and are a great way to spice up your next Chinese banquet – plus, who can resist a dish with a name like bang bang chicken?

New York has long been a cultural melting pot, and the vast variety of food available is delicious proof. There are options to sate your hunger in every borough at every hour, and we have tasted a selection of food from the city’s favourite late-night dining spots (p100). Closer to home, we explore the history behind New Italy – an almost forgotten outpost on the NSW North Coast that was once home to a group of intrepid Italian immigrants who travelled the globe on the promise of a new life. Today, their descendants are working to keep the history alive. Which foods define your family’s history?

P.S. Our new star symbol denotes our Everyday Feasts. As some of our recipes can involve unfamiliar ingredients and techniques, they can appear to be trickier than they actually are. We wanted to make it easier to spot the recipes that we think are surprisingly simple and quick (under 1½ hours), with ingredients that are easy to source (or substitute).