cooking for one... or two
A dear friend is writing her second book. She reached out because she hit a roadblock and wanted my opinion. She is brilliant in the way she can take extremely complex topics and break them down in a way that ordinary people can grasp. Her dilemma was between being “true” to the essence of her subject and being perceived as dumbing it down so the a
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food detective
I miss food trucks. They are such a bang for your buck. Getting in line behind one not only satisfies whatever you’re craving, they provide inherent camaraderie with your fellow cue-mates. An all-inclusive culinary passport, if only for the moment. Lately I’ve been transporting myself to faraway lands one recipe. As we near the one-year mark of
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food detective
Why are the simple things often the most difficult to replicate? Take salad dressings. I’ve pretty much mastered a perfect balsamic vinaigrette, a creamy caesar dressing, a wonderful emulsified dressing you can make for a crowd, and a nostalgic thousand island. You can find them all by clicking on the “recipe” tab on the upper right bar of this
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food detective
How about something sweet? I’ll confess I’m not much of a baker. My birthday cakes are endearingly lopsided and zucchini bread eternally crestfallen. What I’ve come to realize is that cooks and bakers are wired differently. Bakers tend to follow recipes to the law and measure precisely. Us in the cook-camp like to add a pinch of this and bit of
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cooking for one... or two
Whether you’re getting slammed by Jack Frost or being asked to shelter-in-place, right now might be the perfect time to make a big pot of chili. I love my recipe, it’s a nourishing meaty stew that gets its sweetness from carrots and red bell peppers. The best part is that it freezes beautifully. So go ahead and make a double batch.
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cooking for one... or two
Things feeling a bit harsh? People around you a tad on edge? Maybe it’s time to open the frig and bring out the box grater. In the spirit of “when life gives you lemons make lemonade”, here you take whatever veggies you have on hand on and with a few quick strokes they’re transformed into lofty comfort food. Crisp on the edge, light and airy
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a moment in time
Last week in Chicago was one for the books. My husband had meetings out of town, and I was secretly very excited to be alone for the first time since February. As luck would have it my best friend’s husband was also going to be away. We were looking forward to going for long walks, running fun errands in the city (she’s a fellow foodie who knows
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cooking for one... or two
What’s better than chicken Caesar salad? Crunchy romaine, creamy parmesan dressing, crisp croutons, and tender chicken. It’s a quintessential classic for a reason. And a real go-to for lunch or dinner when dining out. But now that we are dining in (once again) how about a way you can whip this up at home in the time it would take to call for carry-
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cooking for one... or two
Is July really around the corner? Lately I’ve been reminiscing about summers past. Top on that list were the parents’ weekends at my girls’ summer camp in New Hampshire. Another highpoint- the lobster rolls at George’s. There’s nothing quite like a lobster shack roll. And while they’re almost impossible to replicate, I’ve discovered a suitable home
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cooking for one... or two
I simply adore French onion soup. Historically what I haven’t been crazy about are the required hours to properly caramelize the onions. But now, like many, I have a bit of time on my hands. And like quite a few, I’m not filling my table the way I used to. And if your freezer is like mine and has precious little real estate to spare the last thing
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Wherever I find myself, I’m happiest with a full dining room table. As a former professional chef and caterer I want to share what I’ve learned over the past three decades of entertaining. On this site you’ll find tricks of the trade to help even the most harried of you pull off a seemingly seamless fête. Come join the conversation! read more →