food . . . friendship . . . inspiration
Zereshk is what they are called in Persian and that’s what they’ll always be known as to me. As I write this post, I do so bittersweetly. Just as the tartness of these tiny berries which need to be sweetened slightly with sugar, so too are my thoughts as these berries evoke fond memories from my childhood. Barberries bring with them nostalgia, times cherished with a family who opened their hearts as they welcomed me into their home and their kitchen.
That’s what Suzy named the delightful fennel salad we created for lunch a few years ago. With several feet of snow piled outside the windows, we sat down to enjoy a light and lemony lunch.
Fiddleheads are actually the top of a fern. (See that picture on the left.) They only appear in the early spring and disappear quicker than most farmers’ market finds.
What to do with Thanksgiving leftovers! That’s the buzz this week everywhere in the world of food. Forget about the meal itself, let’s fast forward to the day afterwards when we will create an array of tasty meals with the mounds of leftover turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing!
Sometimes something from the past deserves a reinvention for a new time. Take this vintage cone sieve with wood masher which finishes your tomato sauce better than any sieve with a hand crank. I used it this afternoon to get the most puree out of the remaining seeds and skins which were leftover from my blanched tomatoes which has been seeded and skinned.
Reminiscent of old fashioned jelly filled donuts, cake flour makes these muffins light and airy. The cranberry sauce is a tart surprise with every bite of these sweet treats. They are a terrific way to use up your leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving.
These fresh salmon cakes served with Chipotle Lime mayonnaise are packed with spices, peppers and scallions which give them plenty of zing. Trust me, they will hit just the spot. Plus they freeze exceptionally well and can be pulled out for individual meals throughout the busy work days. Make them dinner sized or two bite sized and serve as a party appetizer.
A layer of buttered pecans, Dulce de Leche and dark chocolate set in heart shape molds are topped with just a hint of sea salt for a sophisticated take on the classic chocolate caramel turtle.
What I like about the Instant Pot and what this magical cooking device does to my food:
Quick
Flavorful
Tender
Creative
Forgiving
Healthy
Easy
Crowd pleasing
Affordable
Versatile
Back to school. Back to craziness. With this sweltering heat, the last thing you might want to do is cook, but as I crave some crisp fall days, I can at least write about how to make that task easier and of course enjoyable.
I’m a chip fiend — cinnamon, chocolate, butterscotch, white chocolate, peanut butter chocolate, jammy bits — you name it. So when I found out from one of my students who works at Nuts.com that lemon chips existed, I have to say I was beyond excited. I know, it’s amazing that a chip can have such a positive effect on my psyche.
I’ve written much about the sudden and mysterious ways inspiration will strike. Whether it’s the taste of something exotic or a new use for the mundane, you never know when or how it might happen but suddenly it will. Working full time, going through the process of a divorce and a big move, I haven’t…
You better like pumpkin or you’re in big trouble. Pumpkin is everywhere! Cereal, cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, breakfast treats, ice-cream, Oreos — It’s the flavor of the year! Maybe even the flavor of the century! It seems like there’s been a pumpkin explosion in the aisles of every grocery store, from Whole Foods to Stop & Shop to Shoprite to Acme.
With a reprieve from the summer heat, I welcome the fall season with open arms. It’s apple picking season! For some reason, I never get tired of walking through the apple orchards with my kids, finding trees chock-full apples is like looking for the next clue in a scavenger hunt.
This cookbook, by Jerrelle Guy is the most fun that I've had reading and flipping through the pages of a cookbook in I don't know how long -- maybe ever! The author's energy literally jumps off the page with absolutely gorgeous photos. Her deliberate ...
As glaciers melt and storms intensify, our world is changing faster than anyone can truly comprehend. To prepare for the inevitable effects of climate change on our food system, individuals, organizations and entire societies and are innovating to ...
Seven Spoons By, Tara O'Brady Maybe it was the cover of this delightful and delectable new book which lured me at first glance. Perhaps it was the freshly sliced figs which caught my attention and brought me back to lazy days filled with figs ...