We were grumpy because there was no decent bakery in our neighborhood. Then fate intervened and brought us… Premium biscuits, scones and sweet rolls from Mason Dixie Foods. The line, which is sold frozen, is simply wonderful. No bakery could do a better job. Quality and freshness are key to good baked goods, and freezine […]
Spring brings an abundance of sweet produce: fruits and vegetables. Some of our favorites are fleeting: morel mushrooms, ramps, and green garlic. Sauté them with asparagus and garlic: truly delicious! Here’s a full list of spring fruits and vegetables, and our menu for a spring-focused dinner. Don’t overlook rhubarb, a spring favorite that, while botanically […]
[1] Need an “Easter cheese?” Put bunny ears or a tail on a wheel of it (photo © Jasper Hill Farm). [2] How about surrounding the cheese board with small foil-wrapped Easter eggs? Chocolate and cheese are a good pairing (photo © Murray’s Cheese). Turn a great cheese into the Easter Bunny (photo #1). […]
[1] Serve this gnocchi appetizer in small portions, or make it into a lunch-size salad atop greens (photo © DeLallo Foods). [2] Cook and drain the gnocchi (photo © iGourmet). [3] Roasted red pepper strips, a.k.a. pimento or pimiento (photo © Monjardin)./span> [4] Artichoke hearts (photo © La Tienda). [5] Genoa salami—salame in Italian (photo […]
This blue rice (photo #1) is made by steeping the water with the butterfly pea flower, which colors it naturally. The flower is used to brew herbal tea in Thailand, just by steeping the dried blue pea flowers in water. Simply steep 5-10 flowers, fresh or dried, in a cup of hot water. Let it […]
[1] Eight great sauces for your kitchen (photo © Good Eggs). [2] This Buffalo sauce is an enhancement over the original Buffalo wing sauce, created by Good Eggs (photo © Good Eggs). [3] Cacciatore sauce was originally made with garden ingredients to cook with the hunter’s rabbit. These days, it’s more likely to be a […]
March is National Sauce Month. The sauce most used in American homes is tomato sauce—for pasta, pizza, eggs, meatloaf, soup base, dipping and so much more. However, tomato sauce/pasta sauce is one of the biggest sources of hidden added sugar in prepared foods. Look at the labels of the foods you buy: both the grams […]
[1] A hot feta dip, with a bit of honey and thyme (photos #1, #2 and #3 © Murray’s Cheese). [2] You can serve it with as many accompaniments as you like. [3] Greek feta cheese. See the footnote* for an eye-opener about feta. [4] Dried herbs are convenient, but there’s nothing like the flavor […]
March 24th is National Cheesesteak Day, honoring an iconic sandwich from the City of Brotherly Love. Other cities may have cheesesteak, but the original concept came from Philadelphia in the 1930s. Here’s the history of the Philly Cheesesteak. You can also find creative ingredients and recipes to have a cheesesteak party. There’s even a vegan […]
May 24th is National Cocktail Day; May 13th is World Cocktail Day. Each year, Drinks International, founder of the International Spirits Challenge, polls bartenders worldwide to determine the world’s most popular cocktails. The 2020 Top 10 follow. You can see the Top 50 by paging through the results, here. In a normal (i.e., non-pandemic) year, […]