Yogurt Flatbread
Back in November, before seeing Nigella Lawson at San Francisco’s Omnivore Books, I ate dinner at a nearby Chinese restaurant. The server asked if I wanted rice with my meal. Yes, I did. Astonished, he repeated the question. Yes, I repeated, I’d like rice with my meal. The entree arrived…
Spicy, Lemony Chicken
As I was working on this post and the prior one–pork parmesan meatballs–news of David Bowie’s death spread across the world. I mean, the Vatican tweeted the lyrics to “Life On Mars”. Go ahead. Top that. Like most of the rest of the planet, I did not take this news…
Pork Parmesan Meatballs
Many years ago we belonged to a meat CSA. Once monthly, I drove to beautiful home in Berkeley, where I fetched a box containing the finest meat we’ve ever eaten. Alas, we left the CSA. Members had to opt for specific monthly amounts: 11 pounds, 17 pounds, or another, higher number…
Potato Cardoon Gratin
Cardoons, which are seasonal for the next ten seconds, have long fascinated me.With their truly brief window–a few winter weeks in Northern California–cardoons remain that rare thing, a truly seasonal vegetable. This rarity means I’ve had little experience with them, and until now, that experience has been of…
Braised Short Ribs
Braised Short Ribs belong to the important family of stews, braises, and daubes, those heartily earthy dishes of winter. In this discussion, the term “stew” is synonymous with “braise,” signifying a dish requiring long, slow cooking, usually in a low oven. My passion for braising began in grad school, while reading…
New Year’s Greens
To wildly twist a Marilyn Manson phrase, it’s not that I don’t like the vegetables, it’s that they don’t like me. How to put this delicately? Ehlers Danlos attacks the entire digestive system, causing heartburn and G.I. issues not discussed in polite company. Suffice to say, the vegetables I do eat…
Kitchen Kit and Singing Chickens
What follows is an unusually long post, and isn’t indicative of future writing. Given the holidays, I felt this was the time write about equipment, and perhaps take a risk with a longer piece. Feel free to skip to the end and check out the recipe for Chicken with…
Irish Lamb Stew and bad pickup lines
“You look like Stevie Nicks.” “Before or after the cocaine?” I retorted. — This exchange took place last Friday night. After a dreadfully long week, I was looking forward to a nice dinner followed by a San Francisco Ballet performance of The Nutcracker. Alone. This was not to be. Bay Area Rapid Transit…
Pork Belly With Beans
Over at Gluten Free Girl And The Chef, Shauna James Ahern admits it’s been difficult getting into the holiday spirit. I couldn’t agree more. The past week has seen me writing and discarding countless drafts to that effect. All sounded too whiny, too negative, too miserable. But recent months have seen…
Nutella Sandwich Cookies
So Christmas is next Thursday and I am so late to the “Food Blogger-Must-Have-Holiday-Cookie-Recipe Party.” What can I tell you? Yeah, I’m late. But I bring Nutella.
