I love the freedom and creativity of the taco. So many delicious things are flattered by the earthiness of a corn tortilla, from braised beef or spice-rubbed pork to grilled […]
COOK’S KITCHEN
A Soleful Breakfast
Fresh-caught flounder, sunny eggs, ripe tomatoes, and a good cup of coffee start a sailor’s weekend
Cooking with friends who also love to cook puts things right for me. It’s like when musicians jam — we play, become inspired, and riff on classics, and our payoff […]
COOK’S KITCHEN
Corn Chowder With BLT Salsa Is a Marriage Made in August
A light, no-cream soup is the base for a bacon, herb, and tomato topping
When my next-door neighbor left a bag of local corn and tomatoes on my doorstep, it was like Christmas in July. I am polyamorous when it comes to corn and […]
COOK’S KITCHEN
A Gift of Preserved Lemons Awakens a Mussel Memory
Chatham mussels meld deliciously with North African flavors
Mussels will always seem glamorous to me. The first time I had them, they were presented so artfully: a small woman carrying a steaming, oversized stainless-steel pot walked into the […]
BACKYARD KITCHEN
The Secret to Chicken That’s Grilled but Not Charred
Listening to Johnny Cash leads a cook to build a ‘ring of fire’
Grilling is one of the great joys of summer. There’s that distinctive smoky flavor, that primal connection to the live fire outside, drink in hand. Not to mention no hot […]
COOK’S KITCHEN
Mangoes for Mother’s Day
Gifts to thank moms, both the sweet-tart and the spicy types
I was 10 years old when I had my first mango. It was on a rare trip with my dad to the island of Grand Cayman — before it became […]
MOTHER’S DAY
Learning to Be the Parent My Child Needs
A mother’s call to stand up and stop the haters
It was four days before my son, who is transgender, was to have gender affirming surgery, and my insurance company, Aetna, informed me that it would not be covered. This […]
COOK’S KITCHEN
Asparagus Brightens a Spring Stir Fry
A versatile gingery sauce comes together in a super-hot wok (or skillet)
You can get asparagus all year, but in November it just feels wrong. When spring arrives with its customary shyness, it’s perky asparagus that assures me that warmer days are […]
PIE PREVIEW
A Slice of Sunshine
Meyer lemons add floral notes to a tart custard pie
My friend Kathy, who lives in California, recently sent me a box of Meyer lemons she had picked on her daily walk. I was thrilled — Meyers have a floral […]
HOW TO
Directions: The Way to Pie Day
Tips for making flaky, tender crusts
I spent five years teaching in a professional cooking school in New York City and without a doubt everyone had the most fun on pie-making day. Many folks have serious […]
COOK’S KITCHEN
A Winter Version of Corn and Clams
Slow-cooked polenta with littlenecks offers summer memories in a winter guise
My winter midweek meals used to be more about nourishment than deliciousness. But one benefit of this unrelenting work-from-home era has been the chance to start dinner in the afternoon. […]
COOK’S KITCHEN
The Light and Lemony Foundations of a Good Mezze
Memories of a trip to Lebanon inspire homemade hummus and a winter tabbouleh
I was never a fan of hummus. I had been scarred by memories of too many tubs of the bland, cement-like commercial stuff, consumed on dry carrot nubs after my […]
COOK'S KITCHEN
The Joy of Cookie Chaos
A two-decade-long tradition starts as child’s play
Christmas movie marathons, finding the pickle ornament hidden in the tree, folding tamales, regifting fruitcakes — the holidays inspire all kinds of traditions. For almost 20 years, our son, Asher, […]
GRACE
A Cook Learns One More Way to Do Thanksgiving
Finding joy in a gathering of close strangers
When I arrived at my mother’s with my cooler full of turkey stock, homemade cranberry relish, and cubed bread for stuffing, the food was not my worry. For a while […]
MAKING MEMORIES
A Sweet Bread for Remembrance and Reunion
Pan de muertos, with a large glass of bourbon
One year after my mother died, she was with me again, vividly. I was walking through a maze of graves lit by a sea of beeswax candles in a cemetery […]
