What is the purpose of cooking? To feed? To nourish in a healthful manner? To create Dionysian orgiastic pleasure in each and every bite? I vote for C, though arguably all of the above apply. Sam Sifton of the New York Times shared a recipe a few months back that has become the template for
I’m always on the lookout for a fun drink that I can test on my adventurous wife and next-door neighbors. And I’m not too proud to admit that I spotted this one in my weekly Whole Foods flyer. I was originally going to title the column “Your Father Smelt of Elderberries,” which I know is
Hands off the keyboard. Put down the phone. Close your eyes. Breathe deep. Now fantasize. What is your favorite dish, ever? What smell draws you into a place? What food takes you back so palpably that you feel like you’re 5 years old again, tasting something for the first time? I was reading a piece
“The meek shall inherit the Earth.” So we are told in the bible, Matthew, 5:5. That was written a long time ago and its author has not met today’s kids. Meek is the last word I would use to describe them. In three separate conversations with three college kids home for the summer, the main
Great news, mollusk lovers. The revered Food section of The New York Times has deemed mussels, clams and scallops a wise eating choice to offset climate change. Throw in oysters, which are one of the great cleansing agents for natural bodies of water and I think we’ve got something. I am a huge fan of
I live in Los Angeles. Not surprisingly, Cinco De Mayo is a big deal throughout the city. Don’t even try getting into a Mexican restaurant on May 5th. So it is slightly ironic that the Margarita, the drink synonymous with this south-of-the-border holiday, might not even be from Mexico. One take on the original story
A week ago Saturday it was 70 degrees in Chicago. Sunday they had 6 inches of snow. Go figure. At least Central Park is starting to turn green. The winter of our discontent is drawing to a close and one might argue we can all use a little fresh air. If the downside of mobility
Who, among us, does not remember the infamous Alan Arkin scene from LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE? If you somehow missed it, please take 14 seconds to sample this pure cinematic and culinary joy. If you turn to the Web for your weeknight poultry inspiration, you know there are an abundance of chicken recipes online. At last
Chef Paul Prudhomme tossed some spice on a hunk of catfish about three decades ago and started a craze that has not abated. You can still find his smiling countenance on a tall thin jar of his eponymous seasonings at your grocery store, but I like to tackle this one with whatever I can find
I spent half of my childhood in Vermont and one of my fondest memories is of maple syrup. After all, that’s where the good stuff comes from. Between February and April, all across Vermont and northern New England, you will see buckets hanging from many, if not most, of the region’s iconic Sugar Maple trees.
