What exactly does it mean to be the chief correspondent at the New York Times, anyway? The current holder of the title, R.W. "Johnny" Apple, has turned it into a dream job, weaving back and forth between political and food journalism. Nowadays, readers are as likely to see Apple writing about cassoulet as political conventions; pot de crhme as pundits and pollsters. Weeks before the two major parties' political conventions in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, Apple was laying the groundwork, scoping out Wolfgang Puck eateries and cheese steak stands. A brief list of Apple's food musings follows.
| Place | Date Published | Food Activity |
| Seattle | August 18, 2000 | Eight restaurants, including one nine course, six wine extravaganza. Special mention for unctuous braised pork cheeks and Betsey's equally tasty seafood boudin at Campagne |
| Nashville | July 28, 2000 | Six restaurants. Loves the chicken and biscuits, gravy, mussels, quail. Also a big fan of a local delicacy, Goo-Goo clusters. |
| Paris | July 12, 2000 | Ten restaurants, bistro-themed trip. Cassoulet, raspberry/strawberry charlotte, snails, etc. What he doesnt want: "asparagus ice cream or foie gras with rhubarb" |
| Los Angeles | June 23, 2000 | Eight restaurants; touts the $400-a-head blow-fish special at sushi restaurant. Fails to recognize Gwyneth Paltrow or Brad Pitt at Chinois |
| Worcester, UK | June 21, 2000 | Visits Worcestershire sauce factory. Amazingly, no mention of any meals. |
| London | June 14, 2000 | Dover sole at Wiltons; For once, surprised by prices. Not on expense account? |
| Rowde, UK | June 7, 2000 | Theme is "gastro-pubs": pubs serving gourmet food. Gets in a jab at the "gastronomic philistinism of the royal family". |
| Bray, UK | May 31, 2000 | Visits the Fat Duck, where a chef and physicist collaborate on new recipes. Low-heat lamb fillet recipe got Celsius and Fahrenheit mixed up, leading to correction next week (or very rare lamb) |
| Philadelphia | May 26, 2000 | Seven restaurants. The cheesesteak at Pats is "in its own way, sublime" |
| Austin/San Antonio | April 28, 2000 | Nine restaurants, lots of calories and fat chicken fried steak, cue. Better at spotting old CIA hands than movie stars (see June 23 L.A. trip) |
| Charleston | April 26, 2000 | Breakfast, many times. Meatloaf sandwich is consumed with "an alacrity unbecoming in someone who gets paid to taste carefully" |
| Latrobe, PA | April 19, 2000 | Visit to a lamb farm. No meal, but references to lamb dishes at various restaurants elsewhere. Reveals friendship with Morley Safer. |
| Chicago | March 31, 2000 | Nine restaurants, plus more in hotels. General theme: "Hot Dogs and Fancy Stuff" |
| Mickleton, UK | March 22, 2000 | In search of English puddings. Unable to finish all on offer at the Pudding Club buffet. Admits to an "effete" preference for crhme anglaise with his pudding. |
| Atlanta | February 25, 2000 | Six restaurants. A note of humility at Seegers "you will wonder whether you deserve such refinement." |
| Minneapolis | January 28, 2000 | Six restaurants, plus more in the hotels. Unusually harsh about the staff at various places "dim", "klutzy" |
| Rome | December 29, 1999 | At least nine restaurants. Highlight is six-course meal from chef Heinz Beck, hence "I have joined the Beck fan club". |
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