Every Saturday afternoon, my mother used to make the dessert for Sunday — a ritual I enjoyed helping with. I grew up in the south west of France, in Bordeaux. […]
Recipe Box
FROM THE LARDER
Bethany Gregory’s Roasted Oyster Banh Mi
An Outer Cape version of a French-Vietnamese sandwich that’s generous in every way
She had me with oyster banh mi. If that’s what chef Bethany Gregory was making for lunch at the Soup Kitchen in Provincetown (SKIP), I wanted to meet her. From […]
FROM THE SNACKBOOK
Green Soup for Spring
A not-exactly vichyssoise that’s just right for spring’s vicissitudes
The first official day of spring arrives this weekend. It took me many years of living in New England to realize that this is nature’s favorite joke. Here it’s picnic […]
KITCHEN AS PASSPORT
Sesame Macha and Salsa Verde From the Mercado de San Juan
In a year without travel, two salsas bring the flavors of Mexico home
I have learned not to take anything for granted. Not even simple things, like seeing a stranger’s smile, having a relaxed drink with a friend at a bar, or sitting […]
FROM THE LARDER
Soy Sauce and Butter Make a Secret Sauce for Mushrooms
Dinner from an earthy, loamy countertop garden named Chenille
I have a pile of dog-eared seed catalogs marked with checks and circles — a paper hope chest filled with my garden aspirations. They sit in a growing pile on […]
FROM THE LARDER
Garlic, Greens, and White Beans Make a Winning Dinner
No need to soak, and other wisdom on confronting your bean stockpile
It is mid-February of the pandemic winter, but even this one won’t last forever. It’s time for us to face a cold, hard fact: most of those dried beans we […]
THE KIDS COOK
Summer Tuna, Packed in Oil, Comes to the Table for a Smorgasbord
Deconstructed and rebranded, a Niçoise salad becomes a favorite
There’s a funny thing about kids and food combinations. At our house, olives are good, and bread is good. But olive bread might as well be poison. Why? I have […]
FROM THE SNACKBOOK
Twice Baked, the Humble Hero of a Winter Picnic
The good life is a potato, warmed in the coals, and carried in a pocket
Since nearly a year ago, I’ve been cultivating a small, dedicated, cautious band of creative weirdos. We are, as they say, a “pod.” Keeping each other safe, (reasonably) calm, fed, […]
FROM THE LARDER
Kimchi Is Made of Spicy, Funky Kitchen Magic
So many cabbages, and, now, plenty of time
Life in the upside down has pushed me into some kitchen adventures I might not otherwise have entertained. One of them is membership in an “ugly” fruit and vegetable delivery […]
THE KIDS COOK
Acorn Flour-Thickened Beef Stew
A dinner that starts with gathering nuts outdoors
Last fall, I taught a foraging class for Wellfleet Elementary School students. We gathered once a week, after school, rain or shine, and headed out into the woods with no […]
FROM THE LARDER
A Magical Winter Elixir for a Lazy Afternoon
Homemade chicken stock flavors a rich risotto dinner
If you were to stop by my kitchen (were stopping by still allowed), you’d likely find a pot of stock murmuring gently on a back burner. Last spring, when everyone […]
THE BREAKFAST CLUB
Overnight Cornmeal Waffles
It all begins with a buttery sizzle
Of all the things I inherited from my mother, including her special silver and the family china, the thing I cherish most is her waffle iron. It has no special […]
THE CURE
Gravlax With Lemon, Mint, and Gin
Tender Scandinavian salmon seeks chewy New York bagel
I didn’t grow up eating salmon, although when we were kids, my grandfather did teach us how to smoke it. That was something he learned on his fishing trips to […]
THE KIDS COOK
Chili With Cornbread
A dinner that plays up the pleasure of beans (and butter!)
Here is something I am reminded of by the small cooks in my house: we all need more comfort food. Kids do not make obligatory salads. They follow their pleasure […]
BACKYARD PANTRY
Wild Cherry Cough Syrup
Collect native black cherry bark now for a homemade winter cold remedy
Earlier this summer, I discovered a wild cherry tree growing off my back porch. I noticed one variety, then a second, and learned from a friend and Cape Cod National […]
