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. […]
Food & Drink
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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 […]
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 […]
KITCHEN TABLE
A Proper Bolognese, Simmered Until It’s Done
Making my own sauce, I start to get Mom’s culinary wisdom
Even though she went to culinary school and has a stack of cookbooks as high as our ceiling, my mother does not use recipes. So, for me, moving away from […]
FROM THE SNACKBOOK
The Alchemy of a Steamed Sweet Potato
A fluffy, custardy new companion for the season of comfort food
I don’t know about you, but it’s going to take me a while to remember what true wanderlust feels like. The last two years, painful and disorienting as they have […]
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 […]
KITCHEN TABLE
Mexico’s Earthy, Smoky, Special Sauce
Eduardo Rios simmers the mole his mother used to make
Eduardo Rios isn’t sure what he’ll be roasting for Christmas dinner. It might be a turkey. Or if he can find one, maybe a big fillet of cod. What he […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
FROM THE SNACKBOOK
A Garlicky Deviation From Hanukkah Tradition
Crispy potato pancakes, creamy sauce — a miraculous combination
As a kid, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Hanukkah in November. Whenever that happened, it meant we got presents before everyone else. That was fun. On the other […]
THE HALF SHELL
Eating Oysters, With Gratitude
Some variations on oysters the Pilgrims could not have imagined
I won’t blame you if you have your doubts when I tell you that your Thanksgiving dinner might be more authentic if you served fish instead of turkey. There’s not […]
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 […]
