It was the weekend before the start of school, those last lovely August days shen we were still staying up too late and sleeping in a bit. The mint, peaches, corn and green beans were at their finest. So when Erica suggested we do a three-family (six adults, six kids) late-summer fest, I was ...
Thank you, Ruth Reichl
It was the weekend before the start of school, those last lovely August days shen we were still staying up too late and sleeping in a bit. The mint, peaches, corn and green beans were at their finest. So when Erica suggested we do a three-family (six adults, six kids) late-summer fest, I was ...
Thinking About Winter on a Summery Day
The first week of September in Madison is glorious, the weather still warm enough for a last swim of the season and for a few more outdoor barbeques. But it's also the time people here start talking about what winter jacket they'll break out of the closet, and what vegetables they're "putting up" ...
Two Hours, Six Meals
Sometimes, cooking is all about the beautiful slow process of tasting and testing, simmering and stewing. And other times--like when you're eight months pregnant with two little kids and a husband on military duty--it's about stocking as much food as possible in your freezer before baby number three ...
On Our Bookshelf in September '09
A Homemade Life, Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg "Dinner didn't come through a swinging door, balanced on the arm of an anonymous waiter: it was something that we made together." (Page 2 of A Homemade Life) We couldn't agree more! This memoir, written by the author of ...
Spreading the Chaat Masala
At dinner at Preeti's house, she let me in on a delicious secret--mix an Indian spice blend called chaat masala with sour cream or yogurt, use it as a marinade for large shrimp, and grill them quickly for a fabulous appetizer. Chaat Masala is a combination of spices that usually includes mango ...
The Communal Pizza
As Ben rolled out the dough and I stirred the sauce and shredded the cheese, George (aka Grandpa) and our two daughters were out in the "Pizza Garden" plucking tomatoes, peppers, basil, and oregano. It was all in preparation for a Communal Pizza we made while on vacation in Northern ...
Blueberry Time
After a day spent blueberry picking in Northern Michigan with our kids, my sister-in-law and I had the same thought: Making a blueberry pie together. The blueberries were plump and gorgeous and a huge bargain ($1.50 per pound, paid in a box by the honor system). But being up north at a Lake ...
Helping Hungry Kids
I can't think of anything sadder than a hungry kid. One of the issues I care about most is improving the quality of food in public schools, not just for my own kids, but for those who might have it as the only meal of their day. More than 12 million children in the United States are growing up ...
On Our Bookshelf in August '09
Well-Preserved - Recipes and Techniques for Putting Up Small Batches of Seasonal Foods by Eugenia Bone Eugenia Bone shows us how even in a small SoHo kitchen, all of us can preserve the best of the season for months ahead and make fabulous meals from tapenades, jams, compotes and other homemade ...