Clearly I haven’t been blogging much lately. I have been still creating a lot good eats–like fig and cashew granola and apple-squash curry soup–but the blog has become a wee bit dusty in the meantime. Sometimes you just need a break from things though. I learned something fundamental last night that inspired me to post: [...]

When I visited Chicago over labor day weekend there was a pizza (not deep dish, though) that started my interest in creme fraiche. In the Andersonville neighborhood there was an itsy bitsy pizza shop, recommended by the friend we were staying with, called Great Lake. It is the kind of the place that has few [...]

Making pancakes on a weekend morning always feels fancy and lazy. It means taking out the flour and spilling it all over the red tiled flour without noticing for longer than a while. It means lingering with coffee that goes from hot to cold because I’m not getting up off the couch. It means watching Disney [...]

Kitchen failures. That is the theme of January so far. First, my pita breads did not puff up in the oven. I pleaded with them. I rolled them thinner. But they ended up as limp mini pizzas. Was it me or the recipe? I can’t tell. Worst of all is that I just don’t have [...]

I was a bit slow this past week in reviewing a new cookbook, but Jim Lahey’s My Bread kept me busy with baking rather than reviewing.  I tried several of the book’s variations mostly with success and with one failure. The loaf featuring cranberries and walnuts pictured here worked out perfectly though; it was airy, [...]

I went apple picking a few weekends ago. It was the first time Brian had ever gone as well as the first time he had eaten  apple cider donuts. The last time I went apple picking was ages ago but it definitely was a rite of passage as a kid. I noticed a lot  of [...]

There is this soup from Smitten Kitchen that never leaves my mind, especially once it gets cold outside. It features spicy sausage and sweet potatoes. The end result is a delightful but rustic cross between a pureed soup and a hearty stew. And I just love the smoky flavor imparted by the sausage, which is [...]

I came across this variation of good old fashioned popcorn from a friend’s shared items on google reader. It is funny how much the internet has become one big recipe box for me. My interest was sparked by the mere mention of maple and butter.  I had just spent the day with Brian in Portsmouth, [...]

Hey there fall, where did you come from? I feel as if the weather in the northeast went from humid and sticky to cool and breezy just overnight. Summer retreated. The sun still comes out and warms the air during midday, but at night I pile on the blankets and only poke my feet out [...]

Oh yes,  pickled red onions are awesome. I pile them on sandwiches, burgers, tacos and salads. I even eat them straight out of  the jar. My best use of them yet was when I layered them in a warm pita stuffed with ras el hanout spiced turkey burgers, shredded carrots, spinach and tahini. Perfection! These [...]