Capital!

What you see above is a bar of gold.  Or so was the impression a French pâtissier (pastry chef) named Lasne wished to convey when, in the late 1800s, he had baking trays specially made to resemble the shape and size of a bullion ingot.  After all, Lasne’s shop wasn’t far from the Paris Stock…

Kaleidoscope

Before you, a riot of colors.  Not just amidst the tablecloth and on the dinnerware, but within the meal itself.  Vibrant reds, yellows, greens and oranges bejewel the grains, which are crowned with a snowy white dollop and a dusting of crimson powder.  That’s just one part of the plate, too.  Off to the side…

En la Cocina de Mama

Or, for Anglos, translated to English, “In Mom’s Kitchen.”  That’s where Mexico City chef Enrique Olvera had the best Entomatado de Res, or Beef and Tomatillo Stew, he ever experienced (or created) in his illustrious career.  Splendid as a standalone dish or in filling warm corn tortillas, it’s home-cooked meat and potatoes made infinitely more…

On the Vine

If you’re fortunate enough to have fresh strawberries, and your gardening has favored you with a bumper crop this year, try to keep the berries on the vine as long as possible before harvest.  In so doing, you’ll maximize the sweetness, the juiciness, and everything else which makes just-picked summer strawberries one of life’s sublime…

Again with the Peaches?

Of course. It’s late summer, after all, and the stonefruit is gloriously in season. Time for the produce, which is fantastic most of the time, to attain perfection. Sweet and tangy, juicy and lush, peaches are precisely why we spend the rest of the year dreaming about August. This week, peaches make up a vibrant…

Strong Influence

Special occasions call for memorable meals, and for many North Americans, “Japanese” steakhouses such as Benihana or Shogun stir fond recollections.  These places value entertainment, and they feature flashy, wisecracking chefs preparing meals, teppanyaki-style, on an iron griddle immediately in front of guests.  The freshest ingredients served alongside puns (some cringe-worthy, some not), knife gymnastics…

Hey Bruh, Mahalo!

Aʻole pilikia (no problems), man. Such a pleasant exchange could take place only in Hawaii, and the reason for this sociability? Food almost certainly is involved, and it’s likely we’re talking chicken just pulled from the grill, topped with teriyaki and pineapple, and adorning a toasted King’s Hawaiian bun. In other words, an Aloha Chicken…

Just Peachy, and You?

Is it possible even to be in anything other than a great mood when peaches are enjoying their moment? Bursting forth from every basket, table and shelf, from every roadside stand and farmers’ market, the globes are filled with fifteen times their weight (or thereabouts) of juicy, sweet, tangy, summery nectar. Seems to be the…

There Once Was a Chef on Nantucket…

Who used oysters and clams by the bucket Until one day the market ran dry So the chef asked, “Why not give lobsters a try?” To those who think chowder means clams, I say…” The rest has been lost, but you might speculate. Point is, summer often includes a trip to the beach, and shore…

New Toy

On the doorstep is a box, shipped straight from Japan! Packed inside, carefully, is a donabe, a lidded clay cooking pot beloved all over the island nation for the full-flavored moistness it bestows. Lots of ideas for dishes to try, but most of them seem oriented to winter. You know, steaming pot and all. It’s…