The pressure was on — an invitation to dinner from a close friend I’ve known since school days. Barbara and I often cook cooperative dinners, but this time I was […]
FROM THE WILD
Beach Plum Bliss
As brandy, liqueur, or cordial, fruit picked now is Cape Cod sunshine at the solstice
Of all the delights that can be made with beach plums — the jam and jelly, sauces, cakes, and tea — for me nothing matches the pure pleasure of beach […]
THE ESSENTIALS
A Summer Skillet Dinner of Peaches, Zucchini, and Chicken
Cooking brilliantly for the season starts with a book from the 1970s
As soon as I spot peaches ripening on the little tree in a corner of our yard, I count them. If there are enough to eat straight off the tree […]
THE ESSENTIALS
Calm Summer Seas Deliver Dayboat Scallop Feasts
Local cooks like them raw and seared, but in my book it’s chowder season
Living at the ocean’s edge means ready access to many rare treats local fishermen bring in. When friends arrive for summer suppers, the ones I like best, because they’re at […]
THE ESSENTIALS
Biscuits for a Charmed Brunch
Buttery and slightly crisp, the way Mary McCarthy might have liked them
The legendary bohemian community that flourished on the Outer Cape in the early to mid-20th century is known for its enormous contributions to the arts, literature, culture, politics, and social […]
SAN DIEGO DISPATCH
As Sweet as a California Surfing Town Can Be
Passion fruit and cacao nibs give caramels a warm tropical note
Our annual visits to San Diego always involve tacos of every description. With Mexico less than 20 miles away, our meals here also feature extraordinary fruits and full-flavored vegetables from […]
THE ESSENTIALS
The Bitter and Sweet of a Midwinter Feast
A decadent dinner reconsidered: local pork agrodolce
Most everyone who loves to cook has probably gone over the top at least once and created a feast of embarrassing excess. My long-ago decadent dinner began as an unlikely work […]
COOKIE PARTY
The Crumbly Thrills of a Tea Cake
If the very thought of baking cutout cookies — the kind that stick to the dough board, rolling pin, and spatula and break before you can even decorate them — […]
THE ESSENTIALS
Autumn Calls for Quilts and Beans
An improvised pot of soup recalls the resourcefulness of Southern quilt makers
Before the first nip of chilly air arrives, I dust off the soup pot — an autumn ritual set off by early sunsets and the first orange-tinged leaves, or maybe […]
THE ESSENTIALS
Julia Child’s Picnic With Henri and Paul
A tart made with onions, herbs, and (no shame here) a frozen puff pastry crust
An oddly familiar voice on the phone said, “I’ve received your letter and would very much like to contribute to your cookbook.” Momentarily stunned, I caught my breath as she […]
THE ESSENTIALS
Listening for the Socarrat and Other Paella-Making Secrets
Including (don’t tell Julio) an easy version that captures the essence of the dish
When my daughter Amanda and her son, Orion, started planning their annual trip to the Cape last summer, they told us they’d be traveling with a friend this time. She […]
THE ESSSENTIALS
The Squid Season Starts With a Stew
A lightly seasoned Italian take on a Provincetown tradition
They’re here! After spending the winter offshore, squid arrive when the waters around Cape Cod begin to warm up. They come to spawn, with activity peaking from late April until […]
THE ESSENTIALS
Two Cooks in the Kitchen
When love means ‘That’s Italian!’
It’s not always easy for two cooks to coexist peacefully in one kitchen. A neighbor of mine, a well-regarded French chef, lets his partner’s Thai cooking rule at home. In […]
THE ESSENTIALS
One Chicken, Three Dinners for Two
Rice and greens transform broth into a fine Italian soup
I remember my grandmother — all four-feet-eight of her — standing tall before the grocer, as he rang up her order. “No, sir! I will not pay 59 cents a […]
THE ESSENTIALS
Giving the Primal Pumpkin a Place at the Table
Warm spices and bright cranberries baked into an autumn tradition
It’s hard to imagine a more fitting dinner for Halloween night than a vibrant orange pumpkin stuffed with rice, warm spices, and meat. I anticipate this ritual every autumn and […]
