“Don’t worry,” said Nete Balbino the first time we met. I was frazzled, trying to organize the move that would settle Christopher and me in a new cottage as Truro […]
MAZATLÁN DISPATCH
Aguachiles With Mexican Shrimp — or Cape Cod Sea Scallops
Spring break defined by a plate of fresh seafood, seasoned with lime and chiles
Apparently, shrimp is Mazatlán’s superpower. I have been hearing about the glories of the seafood of Sinaloa, particularly its shrimp, for months from Wellfleet neighbors who spend time on Mexico’s […]
FROM THE LARDER
Pierogi to Make a Babcia Proud
Folding cheese and potato dumplings, we find the world becomes smaller
We cross paths regularly on our respective early morning coffee runs in Wellfleet. Now, without masks, it seems easier to strike up a conversation. She’s holding a copy of the […]
FROM THE LARDER
Colcannon Made With Kale
A buttery mash of potatoes and greens for St. Patrick’s Day
When my sister-in-law and brother invited Christopher and me to join them on a hiking trip across Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula, you might be surprised to know, I didn’t say yes […]
FOOD MEMORIES
When It Was Pie Day All Day
Remembering the irresistible allure of a potentially pagan practice
The thing about being raised a Baptist in south Louisiana was that you ended up missing out on half the fun. Most of the idiosyncratic practices and traditions that gave […]
FROM THE LARDER
Homemade Garlic Sausage, Spiked With Cognac and a Pinch of Nutmeg
Memories of a small-town butcher shop inspire a kitchen project for a winter weekend
Light fluffy snow swirls brightly as I head out for a walk on the rail bed where I see lots of coyote tracks. When I get back to the frost-covered […]
FROM THE LARDER
Soup for Breakfast, Abroad and at Home
What to do when you cannot face another bowl of oatmeal
I head downstairs for breakfast, round the corner of the first-floor landing, and find myself eyeball to eyeball with a water buffalo. Clearly, I’m not in Truro anymore. The buffalo […]
FROM THE LARDER
Arnaud’s French 75 for 2021’s Twilight
Creating a new ritual with a classic cocktail
I’m partial to rituals to mark the parameters of life, to give contour to my days and punctuate some moments as special, worthy of celebration. They remind me to pause […]
FROM THE LARDER
Homemade Granola Makes a Not-Too-Sweet Gift
Breakfast that’s good enough to eat for dessert
Several years ago, we attended a memorable dinner at the famed New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park. This was before Covid shut down the world, and before the restaurant raised […]
FROM THE LARDER
A Cook’s Search for Economy Leads to a Superior Snack
Homemade crackers with warm spices, olives, and toasted pistachios
When I was in college, I liked to study in the uptown branch of the New Orleans Public Library on St. Charles Avenue. It occupied a sprawling, slightly decrepit mansion […]
FROM THE LARDER
After Five Years, a Locally Blended Rye Is Ready
Toasty, caramel notes make a cocktail that’s perfect for a stormy night
The rain is coming down hard from a low, leaden sky, and the wind is whistling down Paradise Hollow so fiercely that we fear for the roof. On such a […]
FROM THE LARDER
Jazz and Oysters Bring Two Festivals Home
Homemade salt pork meets Wellfleet oysters for a soup from the Mosquito Supper Club
In south Louisiana, where I come from, if you can eat it or dance to it, there’s probably a festival for it. We have festivals celebrating crawfish, gumbo, catfish, soybeans, […]
FROM THE LARDER
It’s a Big Year for Beach Plums, So Don’t Be Shy
Pick all you can, then put a little bit of summer in a jar
People on the Outer Cape can be secretive about their go-to stands of beach plum. But not this year — one of abundance for the wild shrubs named Prunus maritima […]
FROM THE LARDER
The Salty, Sweet Taste of a Wild Garden’s Possibilities
Gilded with honey and transformed by heat, feta becomes a luscious spread
I tend to look at things and see not only what they are but what they might become. It drives Christopher a little crazy, since it means that the check […]
FROM THE LARDER
Low Heat and Lots of Smoke Are Summer Magic for Meat
Sorry, Mark Bittman, but the season cannot end without barbecue, just this once
I’ve been trying to move our household in the direction of a plant-based diet, turning out dals and stir-frys and vegetable-stuffed tacos with gusto. I even made a seitan-based chili […]