A Forest Retreat in ‘Tokyo’s Backyard’

KARUIZAWA IS OFTEN called “Tokyo’s backyard” because it’s here, an hour northwest by bullet train, that city people come to escape the summer heat. For the executives and government officials who own villas in the resort town, it’s akin to the Hamptons or Malibu but, rather than coastline, this mountainous part of Nagano prefecture is…

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How Black Forest Cake Conquered the World

It’s a classic Trinidadian dessert — a chocolate cake soaked in overproof rum and topped with swoops of ultrapasteurized whipped cream. But wait: It’s also a signature Pakistani cake, saturated with cherry brandy essence. And a Chilean cake, festooned with locally grown cherries. And a Lebanese cake — not too sweet, with little to no…

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