September 23, 2007
Or at least I call it endive ... you may call it chicory, depending upon where you're from. Regardless, Belgian endive is a versatile vegetable that is delicious grilled, in soups, or raw in a salad. It is rather...
September 3, 2007
Nothing signifies summer more for me than seafood cooked outdoors. In my Sicilian family, summer days were often punctuated by the familiar aroma of a wood fire, where pounds of clams or fish or crabs were roasting while dark-haired...
August 20, 2007
Hello Weekend Herb Bloggers! This is a post for Rowena, who is currently away enjoying the culinary delights of Le Marche. Unlike Rowena, who lives in the land of fresh everything, aka Italy, I don't have access to fresh sardines...
August 2, 2007
I had been reading food blogs yesterday and thinking about what to make for dinner, when suddenly, I was overwhelmed with a desire for chanterelles and french bread. I don't know where it came from; some wavelength from afar must...
July 31, 2007
I woke up this morning and found myself in a different season -- today feels more like October than one of the last days of July. This kind of cool, crisp weather inspires rumblings for a lunch more substantial. It's...
July 22, 2007
I'm lucky ... Those are the first words of the new cookbook by Faith Heller Willinger, Adventures of an Italian Food Lover. I was impressed by both the simplicity and depth of that statement, because it is not an...
June 12, 2007
After returning from a trip, it's always hard for me to pick up where I left off on this blog and to know where to begin, to sit down and start writing. I've put aside an entry I've been...
April 26, 2007
I made this for breakfast today. Spring has got me thinking about getting my hands into the dirt again. Tulips are swaying their glossy heads in the garden; the lawn needs mowing; even my dog is enjoying the warm...
April 16, 2007
With the weather being fantastically beautiful in Germany, it's hard to think about soup. Especially one that makes you sweat! But I can't pass up giving you this recipe that I learned at the Thai Farm Cooking School in...
April 13, 2007
The day of the Thai cooking course was one of the best days of my trip to Thailand. Imagine my thrill when I chanced to walk past their booth on a side street in Chiang Mai. I was immediately...
December 10, 2006
Tiny quail eggs were my prize purchase from the Food and Life fair in Munich yesterday. Perhaps their diminutive size made me feel strangely protective of them; I ran interference as I hand-carried them through the fair. I cradled...
December 8, 2006
This soup has wonderful contrasts within it: against the backdrop of the sweet, smooth, and creamy peas rests the crisp, salty, and spicy chorizo. Top with a drizzle of silky extra-virgin olive oil for a final, fruity note. Use...
December 1, 2006
I almost made fresh pasta for Thanksgiving this year. As I was alone all day, I thought it would be a practical way to keep myself occupied. If it wasn't for the lone egg in the egg bowl, I...
I almost made fresh pasta for Thanksgiving this year. As I was alone all day, I thought it would be a practical way to keep myself occupied. If it wasn't for the lone egg in the egg bowl, I...
November 15, 2006
It can be the simplest of things that send you hurtling back into your childhood. When someone says Comfort Food, you immediately think of what you ate as a kid, what your mom or your aunts (who weren't really...
November 3, 2006
Bruschetta is easy and versatile. The nice thing about serving bruschetta (or crostini) when you have company is that you can make the toppings well ahead, and when you set them all out on the table you have an...
November 2, 2006
sliced mushrooms with melted mozzarella and thyme I'm always looking for new ways to make mushrooms, especially when I've bought a big box and I need to use them up! Jamie comes to the rescue with this simple recipe. It's...
July 25, 2006
"In Italy, no cookbook or cook will ever advise you to discard any clams that don't open while cooking. Clams stay clamped shut because they are alive. The most reluctant ones to loosen their hold and unclench their shells...
February 26, 2006
(amalfi baked lemons) My expedition into Jamie's Italy continues .... This recipe caught my attention as soon as my eye hit the page. There's a picture of Jamie in the sun, stuffing beautiful rounds of lemon with creamy, white buffalo...
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February 12, 2006
I have resolved to cook my way through Jamie's Italy. I think there are about 120 recipes in the book so it will be quite a challenge but a good diversion. This book has captured Italian cooking in a way...
February 5, 2006
It is a bit late to be talking about Christmas dinner but cooking was really what got us through the whole thing.
November 23, 2005
I've been wanting to post about my mom - she's very ill and has been in the hospital for weeks. I'm flying home to NY to see her in a couple of days. But before I go...a post in honor...
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November 13, 2005
This is going down as my second favorite pasta, next to the Pasta Bolognese. I was really pleased with how delicious this turned out - I've made pasta with broccoli rabe before but this was phenomenal. Broccoli rabe, also...
October 25, 2005
You're probably being bombarded with pumpkin recipe newsletters and shows so I hope you guys can stand one more. The little pumpkins that have been decorating my windows began to look extremely tasty today ... but there wasn't much...
August 28, 2005
My father grows squash the size of baseball bats in his little Queens, NY garden. For as long as I can remember, he has gathered the blossoms and passed them off to my mother in the kitchen. She would...
August 25, 2005
Many times during this month I've woken up and wondered, "Is this August or October?" A quick check confirms it is indeed August, though you'd never guess it when you step outside. Rainy (does Germany have a monsoon season...
August 20, 2005
I am a posting fiend this week. I am. So I was in Italy this week, at the Lago di Garda. One of the amazing things about living in Munich is the accessibility of other countries, especially Austria and...
August 19, 2005
Ahhhhh, fruit - wonderful fruit. There's so much of it floating around now that it's hard to believe in a few months all of these ripe beauties will be just a memory. I've been trying to "cook" with fruit...
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August 17, 2005
I love all things that are mini ... I am always a happy recipient of tiny, individual portions for biting in two (or for you guys out there, for hand-to-mouth-popping), spaced apart or stacked on a dish like brush...
July 31, 2005
simple grilled eggplant I have always avoided cooking eggplant on the grill because I could never get it to come out as soft and tasty as it seemed to turn out in restaurants. Then I spied this recipe in...
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July 25, 2005
Nothing says summer like corn-on-the-cob....mmmm...better yet, corn-on-the-cob-on-the-grill. But.... easy to eat? No. Trying to bite into it while chatting with your girly friend across the table is NOT a pretty sight. Picking strings and kernel pieces out of your...
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July 22, 2005
Happy birthday Jojo! In honor of your birthday, I put together a fresh little meal consisting of grilled garlic hummus and beautiful "date" tomatoes and basil. I hope, wherever you are, you're enjoying something delicious as well. Here's to...
July 4, 2005
This post covers two recent discoveries. One of the most beautiful things to happen to the vegetable world: Chinese Garlic or "single-clove" garlic. What appears to be a small, tight head of garlic, is peeled to reveal one, glorious...
May 19, 2005
Despite the limitations of my painfully tiny kitchen, I've been belting out dinners nearly every day since moving in. I may not be posting often but I am definitely cooking a lot! Here is a short recap of a few...
May 7, 2005
There are enough bastardizations of Bolognese -- with cream and god knows what else -- out there to scare people away from what is a very simple sauce. True, this sauce requires a lot of love for its short...
April 28, 2005
I was always amazed at the presence and quality of radishes in Germany. When I lived in Darmstadt, we once found a field of radishes. We pulled them from the ground and stuffed them into our pockets like greedy...
April 24, 2005
With all of the unpacking and apartment activities, I didn't have a lot of time to plan for this IMBB - Orange event. But I think a lot of people are probably like me -- busy with increased Spring...
April 20, 2005
We interrupt the regularly scheduled "Grilled Pizza" entry for a test of the Emergency Warming System (EWS). (This is only a test.) Woke up this morning my house was cold, checked the furnace, she wasn't burning. Went out and...
I usually make my own pizza dough but when I came across this very good looking prebaked pizza crust at the store, I jumped at the chance to spend the time creating a topping instead. The crusts were prebaked...
April 7, 2005
And mouthwash for dessert! I made this dish tonight and it was plate-lickingly good. Have a piece of crusty bread handy (less messy). My inspiration was simply a juicy little steak that didn't call for a lot of fru-fru....
I love roasting fennel. It's the type of veggie that absorbs the flavors around it. This recipe makes a quick and easy main dish that's healthy too. Another one-dish wonder. Ingredients: 4 cloves of garlic, smashed and roughly chopped;...
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April 6, 2005
Warm, creamy potato salad is filling enough to play center stage in a casual weeknight dinner. A crisp sweet-pea salad complements the potatoes in taste, texture, and color. I love dinners like this because you can share stories of...
April 3, 2005
I found an enormous mushroom at my local vegetable market. I had to buy it -- it was just so huge! This was definitely "single serving" material. Now, what do you have in your kitchen? Maybe you have a...
March 28, 2005
Be forewarned. I'm pretty excited about the gratin. (sorry Mom) So you've had gratin before...what's the biggie, right? Well. If I could only describe to you the intensity of this gratin in words, this gratin that I dreamed up...
March 21, 2005
Spring has brought on a slew of beautiful avocados at my local market. By happy coincidence, limes happen to be dirt cheap at the moment as well. The only one who could not be particularly thrilled by this is...
March 19, 2005
These roasted mushrooms are full of flavor -- an intense mushroom earthiness paired with a spicy smoky kick. The spicy comes from a pinch of dried chile and the piment d'Espelette lends a subtle smokiness. They are cooked quickly...
March 12, 2005
Try this on for a light breakfast: 1 egg white 3 slices lean turkey breast, torn into pieces 1/2 head endive, sliced thin handful fresh basil salt, pepper Put the turkey breast into a hot, non-stick pan and allow...
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March 8, 2005
Originally from the Northeast U.S, where all kinds of fish are plentiful and relatively affordable, I had to adapt to what was available in landlocked Germany. Salmon is inexpensive and easy to get here...it is also extremely good. I...
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February 23, 2005
Anyone familiar with Ben's Kosher Deli (NYC and LI) knows about the pickles ... the pungent smell that greets you as you walk in, the one that says "you are in a REAL DELI now"! Before you can pick...
February 18, 2005
The point of this post is not to talk very much about a simple leek and potato tart -- rather, it's how you can build on this basic recipe when you're out of leeks or potatoes, or any other...
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January 23, 2005
It just sounds wonderful, doesn't it? The name alone drew me in, left me conjuring images of sunny countryside, alpine peaks poking through puffs of white, mirrored in a glinting river. Of course this isn't the reality but it's...
January 18, 2005
Caroline's friend made these simply luscious appetizers for her birthday weekend dinner. The salmon looks so soft and buttery. Thankfully I have smoked salmon in the fridge or else I'd be without relief. She described the apps as "crunchy...
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November 18, 2004
I haven't been posting due to Internet issues ... but that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking! You'd be surprised at what I've made in this unbearably small hallway of a kitchen. [Work-related issues bring us to Munich for three...
September 26, 2004
If you're making one pizza from scratch, you may as well make two, right? You can use your favorite pizza crust recipe - I use a thin-crust recipe from Biba Caggiano. A pizza stone is essential for a crispy, professional-looking...
August 27, 2004
Last night, my sweet family came over for dinner. It was somewhat last minute so I had to come up with relatively easy dishes. For starters, we had sekt and the following: Prosciutto-wrapped greens Grilled pepper salad Roasted Olives Mini-salami...
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August 7, 2004
Halved beefsteak tomatoes are layed out in a sheet pan and topped with thinly sliced garlic, fresh thyme, a small amount of balsamic, and of course, olive oil...then slow-roasted for three hours.
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June 7, 2004
The town where I live in Germany is not happening, nor does it have a great center or any decent restaurants or shops. Two blocks away, there are train tracks. And a cluster of mega stores. That said, what surrounds...
May 25, 2004
The weather in Europe is yo-yoing at this time of year. There are, however, small stretches of consistent sun and warmth that leave you craving foods that are light and...well, summery. I like mixing the market's seasonal fruit offerings into...
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May 19, 2004
Say what you will -- chicken breast is not boring. Chicken breast is a simple yet wonderfully versatile and even elegant food. "Pfffhhh", you say ... "there is nothing elegant about chicken breast, I eat it all the time"....
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May 8, 2004
So the Peppered Beef Tenderloin with Caramelized Onions went well. First, I trussed up the beef, seasoned it with salt, and rolled it in cracked pepper: After searing it, I roasted it in the oven for about 25 minutes. I...
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April 23, 2004
As you may or may not know, Germans go nuts for asparagus and from April - June, it's everywhere. Around the corner from my house, I can choose from 4 - 5 different farms and buy asparagus fresh from the...
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April 21, 2004
Hi there What was fresh and good yesterday? Fat whole chicken legs (with thigh). Rhubarb (yes, rhubarb). Red onions. Shallots. Fresh ginger. Green apples. New potatoes. Sage. I've never cooked rhubarb before and I was soo pleasantly surprised. It has...
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April 20, 2004
I'm trying to develop a repetoire of dishes to offer people who want me to cater their small party or dinner. My catering idea is to develop my cooking skills on a professional level (for the public) and gain experience...
April 14, 2004
My friend Caroline is always looking for mashed recipes. This one's for you: Low-Fat Garlic Mashed Potatoes (From Moosewood Restaurant New Classics) We make these garlic mashed potatoes with Yukon Gold, Butter, or any other yellow variety for the beautiful...
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April 7, 2004
This could be a replacement for the oysters : The type of vegetable that's freshest here and most plentiful is the mushroom. What if I did crimini mushroom caps stuffed with something like an apple, shallot, and lemon zest mixture?...
I had the nicest little soft-boiled egg with bread fingers today. The bread is dark brown and has kernels of wheat and corn baked into it. Good bread. But I have a dilemma about my easter menu. After thinking about...
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April 6, 2004
This sounds awesome! Now if only I could find a butternut squash in Germany: Butternut Squash in Fresh Green Curry; courtesy of globalgourmet.com...
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April 2, 2004
OK, it's official...my Easter menu is complete: AB: Poached Oysters with Beet Mignonnette App: Caponata and Sardinian Flatbread First: Spring Minestrone with pesto Mains: Rosemary-skewered monkfish with prosciutto and bread; Roasted fennel with cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic and olive oil;...
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Black Cod in Sake Kasu...
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I learned something new today. All my menus usually include what I called a "pre-appetizer" -- a tiny bite that I serve with champagne before the meal begins. It could be anything from a steamed new potato topped with creme...
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January 31, 2004
This is a great little recipe because there are no measurements or set ingredients -- it's all up to you. Use whatever you have! Here's the basic plan: Leftover white rice (about 1/4 or more for each apple) ground turkey...
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January 12, 2004
I came up with this tasty lunch dish on a rainy Monday, in honor of my friends at V-Technologies and Ann's new egg cooker! 2 hard-boiled eggs 2 ribs celery, diced 1 tablespoon black caviar 3 mini gherkins, sliced thinly...
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January 5, 2004
1.Do it yourself. 2. Thousands of things to do with Eggplant besides admire it. 3. Cook it to tender, silky perfection....
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December 17, 2003
So I'm trying to come up with a Christmas menu. Fish is okay but meat is out, and anything with milk/cream or cheese. I decided on involving salmon somehow because the quality is excellent here (from the North Sea). The...
