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 […]
THE ESSENTIALS
End of Summer Lobster Stew
Serve, if possible, by a window with a view
Sand dunes and salty air and lobster stew — I love everything Patti Page sang about, though, curiously, “Old Cape Cod” fills me with nostalgia for a past I never […]
THE ESSENTIALS
A Platter of Zucchini Fritti, Just Like Aunt Lil’s
Sultry seaside air inspires a quest to recover a crisp, salty taste memory
It’s that time of year. Unlike some people, I don’t dodge neighbors heading my way with a basketful of zucchini. This beautiful, versatile vegetable can be sautéed, frittered, grilled, or […]
THE ESSENTIALS
The Modest Fish Cake Rewards a Second Look
Crispy outside, creamy inside, and served with a bite of local history
I first spotted fish cakes on an inn’s menu on Martha’s Vineyard. After daring to order them for breakfast, I’ve made them at home ever since — though more often […]
THE ESSENTIALS
Finding Renewal in the Garden
Herbs, violets, and early vegetables for the spring holidays
Clearing dead leaves and debris off the vegetable and herb beds on one of the first truly warm afternoons of this spring, I’m amazed to find that lemon balm and […]
THE ESSENTIALS
Hugo Rizzoli’s Classic Marinara
An artist rediscovers his grandmother’s elemental tomato sauce
It all started with the savory scent of slowly cooking garlic drifting up the street from Ciro and Sal’s restaurant. Working that summer of 1978 as a painter’s assistant in […]
