Quick and Easy Irish Soda Bread

Sunday, March 16th, 2008

 

My friend Carolyn is one of the smartest, funniest people I know. A fine writer, gifted editor, good golfer and terrific cook, she’s also incredibly kind. Correction: the kindness is limited to 364 days a year; on the day of her annual St. Patrick’s Day party she turns mean as Cruella De Vil.
Oh, she hides [...]

Tags: Blueberry Hill Cookbook, Elsie Masterton, Irish soda bread, marinated shrimp, recipes

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »>

The Sorrel is Always with Us

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

The ancient plum tree standing sentry over our vegetable garden is shouting: “Spring is here, Baby!”
The lemon verbena begs to differ.

This weekend: the Official Change from Winter Garden to Spring Garden. Today the beds are mostly empty, waiting for chicken manure enrichment and planting. One broad band of greenery, however, remains. Ever and always we [...]

Tags: recipes, Richard Olney, sorrel

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments »>

Mmmm, butter.

Saturday, February 16th, 2008

A bit of butter inserted under a chicken’s skin before roasting is a good thing; a whole lot of herb butter: even better. Uber-chef Alain Ducasse has a nifty method for placing an impressive amount between the bird’s flesh and skin without leaving half the mixture on your hands.
Here’s the Cliff Notes: mix plenty of [...]

Tags: Alain Ducasse, herb butter, recipes, roast chicken

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »>

A Valentine for my Grandmother

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

 

Although I was named for her, I have only a few items that belonged to my paternal grandmother: a tiny snapshot of her in a tennis outfit (complete with long skirt and hat), some pieces of her good china and a very worn and stained little leather notebook that held her recipes.
I’m guessing the entries [...]

Tags: dandelion wine, recipes

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments »>

Wild Child at The River Cafe

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008

The first — and only — time I ate at London’s River Cafe, I set the carpet on fire. The blaze was small and quickly extinguished by J, and our waiter was lovely about the entire episode, but my heart still pounds when I think about what-might-have-been.
It’s just that I’d waited so long to go [...]

Tags: border collie, lamb shanks, recipes, River Cafe, Rose Gray, Ruth Rogers

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »>

Low-carb; High-pleasure

Wednesday, January 9th, 2008

After three weeks of Karen’s double-ginger biscotti, Nigella’s pomegranate ice cream, Diana’s marvelous miniature coconut tarts, my own homemade cookies, a gift box of caramels covered in white chocolate and topped with fleur de sel and one final, fabulous slice of left-over Buche du Noel for breakfast, my clothes are too tight. Quelle surprise!
Time to [...]

Tags: Guy Savoy, low-carb, raspberry gratin, recipes

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments »>

Cooking Nude

Friday, December 7th, 2007

Ever since the New York Times published chef Anna Klinger’s recipe for malfatti back in November, 2002, I’ve loved eating these fat little pillows of ricotta, chard and nutmeg and loved part of the process of making them. Also known as gnocchi gnudi (nude gnocchi) these require no rolling, cutting or flicking off fork tines. [...]

Tags: recipes, Uncategorized

Posted in Uncategorized | 11 Comments »>