A few years back, I figured out that I had a slew of dietary sensitivities. But since I really do love food, I have been on a quest to discover […]
Recipe Box
THE ESSENTIALS
The Ottolenghi Challenge
For a home cook, mastering the art of a flavor wizard can be a journey
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 […]
ANTIFOGMATIC
A Punch From the Past
Uneasy times call for a strong beverage that can be made by the batch
This Halloween, the threat of ghouls, goblins, or ax murderers pales in comparison to the terror of the following week’s presidential election. For me, the key to sustaining, and hopefully […]
MALAGA DISPATCH
A Souvenir From Southern Spain
In a seaside city, a recipe for meatballs is the favorite
It’s because of Málaga’s market that we are in southern Spain right now, eating meatballs, instead of in Truro, watching the northern lights. Even though we only briefly passed through […]
BEAUTIFUL SOUP
Something New for Our Oyster Stew
Break an iron-clad rule and watch how doubters’ hearts change
After what felt like a glorious extra month of summer, someone hit the fast-forward button rather abruptly last week and we have landed, with a thud and a rustle of […]
COMFORT FOOD
Rosemary Soup by the Fire
A bowl of broth that’s a ‘surprise and delight’ feature for fall
Back when we rented our house out for summer weeks, we’d drive away with trepidation. There were problems — nothing terrible, but we knew we hadn’t plugged enough of the […]
FROM THE LARDER
It’s Not Dutch, and It’s Not a Baby
End of summer supper with Pops
It’s weird how much I long for both the coming of summer and its end. We’re breathing a little more easily now, as the year shifts into a slower tempo, […]
MARKET REPORT
Not Apple Pie. Not Honey Cake, Either.
A dessert worthy of a prize, no matter what you call it
When I am not in Wellfleet, I spend a lot of time on the bench in my local dog park in Brooklyn, kibbitzing. Occasionally, an idea for an outing — […]
CRAVINGS
Hello, Halo-Halo
An all-mixed-up cupful of icy, creamy, fruity, sweet, tart tastes from the Philippines
Halo-halo, a beloved dessert from the Philippines — one that’s as valued as ice cream is in America — found me through PBS Kids and my Filipino godmothers, Rina and […]
MARKET REPORT
A Pork Shoulder to Make an Exception For
A rub? Maybe. A little sauce? Perhaps. This roast rewards the lazy.
I am an aspiring vegetarian. I love the idea of eating low on the food chain, and I think there are considerable ethical arguments for doing so (not to mention […]
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 […]
SEASIDE GARDENER
Kale by Any Other Name
The search for a seedling’s Portuguese culinary roots
I saw the dark green, somewhat spindly plantlets this past May at Bayberry Gardens in Truro. The hand-lettered sign contained a single word that I’d never seen before — “couves,” […]
COOK’S KITCHEN
Beyond Remembrance of Tea Sandwiches Past
A cucumber and purslane salad brings home flavors of the eastern Mediterranean
Cucumber sandwiches are one of the indelible memories of my childhood visits to Chatham. My grandmother served them with warm milky tea after sailboat races in Stage Harbor. These were […]
TRADITIONS
A Polish Grandma’s Pickles
In this family recipe, ‘there can never be too much dill’
When I visit my grandma in Poland, she always prepares a meal that’s more than I can eat. Saying no to her cooking is not an option, though: food is […]
MARKET REPORT
A Nectarine Torte, With Thanks to Marian Burros
After raspberries resist the calling, other fruits make the summer cake
I had to leave the Cape for a couple of weeks just as summer settled in. Aside from all the other inherent longings of homesickness — in this instance mostly […]
