The Upper West Side in New York City, where I grew up, is a well-known bagel pilgrimage zone. I know all the stops on the tour. Near the northern end […]
Recipe Box
THE ESSENTIALS
Listening for the Socarrat and Other Paella-Making Secrets
Including (don’t tell Julio) an easy version that captures the essence of the dish
When my daughter Amanda and her son, Orion, started planning their annual trip to the Cape last summer, they told us they’d be traveling with a friend this time. She […]
CHEF’S REWARD
Alice Gong Rolls Her Own
The perfect rice and economy of motion are all you need for sushi at home
Alice Gong is an accidental sushi chef. “I didn’t set out to do it,” she says. “It’s just one of those things where you get a job, and it allows […]
FROM THE LARDER
A Walk in the Woods for Nettle Soup
Foraging gives a cook a break from all that produce-aisle plastic
Once again, I sigh as I browse the produce aisle at the grocery store. There, standing between me and the blueberries or kale or lettuce, is so much plastic. Those […]
FAMILY RECIPE
Gather Ye Thistles for a Spring Feast
Artichokes filled with the flavors of southern Italy
I always associate certain foods with particular holidays and times of year. Christmas dinner was synonymous with lasagna and my grandmother’s chicken and escarole soup. My birthday in October was […]
COOK’S KITCHEN
A Risotto That Recalls a ‘Where Have You Been All My Life?’ Encounter
Honoring spring asparagus with a less-is-more version of a classic
Those ho-hum bundles flown in from the other hemisphere most of the year can’t fool me. I like to wait for real asparagus — and it’s finally here. The green […]
THE ESSSENTIALS
The Squid Season Starts With a Stew
A lightly seasoned Italian take on a Provincetown tradition
They’re here! After spending the winter offshore, squid arrive when the waters around Cape Cod begin to warm up. They come to spawn, with activity peaking from late April until […]
FROM THE LARDER
Subtle and Ethereal Homemade Ricotta
Make it once and you’ll understand why it’s worth the trip
It’s the end of our stay in my other hometown. We fill the car with our suitcases plus all our Mardi Gras accoutrements, including wigs, hats, a sequined dress, and […]
MEXICO CITY DISPATCH
The Art of the Breakfast Taco
In both murals and markets, a culture of corn and chiles reveals itself
I knew a winter trip to Mexico City would be a chance to improve my rusty Spanish and eat (a lot). This time I also found myself learning about art. […]
FROM THE LARDER
A Coconut Cake That’s a Celebration, No Matter What
Agnes Bouquet’s recipe for special occasions
My grandmother possessed a solid repertoire of braises, etouffeés, and gumbos. Her fried chicken set the gold standard to which I still aspire. She must have cooked her way through […]
PASCHAL TABLE
An Answer to the Fifth Question: ‘Why Gefilte Fish?’
Pickled onions and raisins are agrodolce, to suit the season
These spring holidays are contradictory ones, foodwise and in every other way, it seems to me. I grew up eating Easter hams and hunting for eggs laid by chickens, presumably, […]
COMMUNITY COOKS
About Those Granola Bars: ‘Cooks Know Crumbs Have No Calories’
A reader’s version with a peanut butter and chocolate topping
I read Sophie Mann-Shafir’s “Granola Bars With the Works” (March 23, page B4) with interest because I love granola bars and I, too, have struggled to find a recipe for […]
SNACK TIME
Granola Bars With the Works
Pistachios, cherries, and chocolate chunks come together in not-too-crumbly, not-too-sweet squares
This all started with Edouard Fontenot’s Indie-adapted Eleven Madison Park granola. I had to stop making it this winter because when I had it on hand it took over as […]
NEW ORLEANS DISPATCH
A Friday Fish Fry, Hold the Sacrifice
Crisp fillets with a hint of warm spices are a fine fast-food tradition
NEW ORLEANS — After the many indulgences of Mardi Gras, the Archdiocese of New Orleans publishes a list of antidotes in the Times-Picayune — “fish frys” to fill the Fridays […]
FAMILY RECIPE
An Eggplant Parm That’s as Good as Mom’s
Take it from Rosalie: peel the eggplant, make your own marinara, and don’t use too much cheese
Saying that your mom’s eggplant parm is your favorite thing to eat is like admitting that the Mona Lisa is your favorite painting. It’s a well-deserved classic, of course, but […]
