Mussels in Vermouth
Many food blogs avoid discussing news. It’s easier to avoid politically fraught issues (oh, I can see the Facebook posts now….) and just leap to the recipe. Leaping was never my forte. Over at the Huffington Post, there’s a partial list of the dead. The single most shocking thing about these people–apart…
Plum Liqueur
So, plum liqueur. I know, we just made cherry bounce. Why more booze? What gives? Do we have a problem? Well, yes. We have many problems. Who doesn’t? But this is a food blog, and we’re discussing the steeping of fruits in alcohol, not our various woes. Why so many?…
Grilled Peppers
Lulu scorns the barbaric habit of turning peppers over a gas flame to blister the skins and holding them beneath running water to rub the skins off. Richard Olney, Lulu’s Provençal Table Since discovering roasted peppers–and realizing how easy it is to prepare them–I’ve gotten addicted. Sometimes I just roast…
Cherry Bounce
As Memorial Day draws nigh, I may be the only American blogger who isn’t discussing grilling, dining al fresco, or nattering on about the joys of summertime eating. Not that there’s anything wrong with grilling or the foods of summer. But if you’re hankering for yet another rib recipe, or…
Wonton Ravioli with Chicken and Artichoke Filling
Wait a minute…didn’t we already discuss wonton ravioli? Well, yes, we did, back in February. But that was a different ravioli. And midway through Sunday’s filling and folding marathon, I happened on a new and, to my thinking, improved fill n’ fold method that saves time, energy, and wontonnage. Doubling…
Eugenia’s Baked Cherry Jam
Tell people you preserve food–specifically, can it–and get a mixed response. People never know how to react to this information. Are you an adherent of some strange religion? Do you belong to a cult awaiting the end of days? Does a trapdoor in your yard lead to a bunker stocked with glittering…
On Canning
A few words on safe canning practices might be useful as we move into spring. Today’s post is an overview, as a comprehensive lesson would be overwhelmingly long. As it is, this post is already too long. Sorry for that. But I had a post on cherry jam all ready to go,…
Fava Beans and Peas with Creme Fraiche
This was one of those recipes I never planned to blog. But then I made it, and we agreed it was fantastic, so I jotted down what I’d done on my grocery list (yes, a paper list). You know how this story ends, right? Sure, I could excuse my foolishness…
Tea-Smoked Salmon
Cookbooks are full of suggestions for the smokerless (nonsmokers?). These range from relatively low-tech tinfoil and rice setups to some outright alarming suggestions. I have a book whose directions for a home-built smoker include words like “hinges,” “flexible aluminium tubing,” and “battens.” When you’re to a word like “battens,” I…
Garlic Cloves Pickled in Miso
He took one of the Excedrins from the counter, regarded it for a moment, then put it into his mouth and began to chew it, slowly and with relish. The taste flooded back like memory, making his saliva squirt in mingled pleasure and unhappiness. A dry, bitter taste, but a…
