Perfect Pound Cake Variations
You are either a baker or a cook. Very few people are both. Merrill Stubbs, A New Way To Dinner I believed the above until my late forties. Then humiliation got the better of me and I taught myself to bake. Because I was in my late forties–I am fifty…
Recipe failures and other disasters
The IK has been woefully quiet of late, and not for lack of interest. It’s at times like this that I recall David Lebovitz, who writes of having a 40-post backlog. This must be a source of confidence, virtual money in the bank, as it were. (It’s also a fine way…
Spicy Cold Chinese Noodles
More properly referred to as Spicy And Numbing Cold Noodles, Spicy Chinese Noodles hail China’s Sichuan Province, a place known for hot, muggy summers and the ingestion of chile-laden foods to counter said wet heat. I’ve prepared Spicy Cold Chinese Noodles with corn, wax beans, red peppers, chile peppers, fresh…
Miso Steak with Noodles
This is a fermented paste made from soybeans and grains, and it is used as a base for sauces and soups. Look for it in Japanese groceries or natural foods stores. Mollie Katzen, defining miso in The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. Until the early aughts, most Americans knew miso as the…
Recipe Failures
Hi–it’s been a while. Sorry for that. The above is a banana blossom. Either you’re totally familiar with these or you’ve never seen one in your life. Until recently, I fell into the latter camp. Banana blossoms are beautiful, so of course I wanted to try cooking with one. To…
Pasta, peas, and proscuitto
Never has writing about food felt more futile, privileged, or frankly ridiculous. Having said that, capitulate and the bad guys win. We don’t want that. Here are some ways to help: The American Civil Liberties Union Moveon.org raicestexas.org National Immigrant Justice Center/Immigrantjustice.org Amnesty International — Pasta, peas, and prosciutto began…
After Anthony (Macau-Style Pork Burgers)
Anthony Bourdain’s recipes were so deeply enmeshed in my kitchen life that I gave them little thought, which is to say I took them, and their author, for granted. I don’t apologize for that. It didn’t make me feel any better when I heard the news. — Macau-Style Pork Burgers…
Chicken Salad with Vermouth and Paprika
I am married to somebody who is deeply interested in plants. This is not an interest I share. Nor do plants seem interested in me. Vita at Sissinghurst I am not. Last weekend, John wisely accepted my advice and brought a plant whisperer to our yard. The two of them…
Cherry Chocolate Brownies
Apologies for the delays between posts. Until last month, I managed a long-term case of patellar bursitis with regular cortisone injections. My doctor warned these shots would eventually become refactory. Eventually has arrived. It means delays between posts. — Let’s talk about cherries. They are in season, and of course,…
Privacy Policy/GDPR updated
Like every other person/entity/internet product, the IK has updated its privacy page to conform to GDPR regulations. Suffice to say we never divulge, sell, or otherwise give away your information. Because we’re pretty private around here ourselves. A post on cherry brownies, much more entertaining, is in the works. Until…
