food

"There is no ‘American cuisine’?" inquired Nero Wolfe. "Have you eaten Maryland terrapin stewed with butter and chicken broth and Bourbon?" "No." "Have you eaten a planked porterhouse steak, two inches thick, charred on the outside, but surrendering hot > red juice under the knife, escorted by thick slices of fresh King Bolete mushrooms faintly […]

"Never eat chocolate without bread, young lady!…" And in two minutes my mouth was full of fresh bread, and melting chocolate… one of the most satisfying things I have ever eaten. — MFK Fisher, Serve It Forth Bread and chocolate is one of the most satisfying things I have ever eaten. However, unlike Ms. Fisher, […]

When Brad Bird’s Pixar/Disney animated film Ratatouille was released last summer, we were overwhelmed with buzz. Seldom has any movie gotten so unanimous a lovefest: The online movie review site Rotten Tomatoes gave it a critical 97 percent, with an audience rating of 100 percent. Even in the food world, there was a passionate response. […]

Acorn, buttercup, butternut, carnival, delicata, Hubbard, kabocha, red kuri, spaghetti — seeing the different varieties of winter squash displayed in our local grocery stores brings a poetic expression to my eyes. An expression that is, covertly, the expression of a scheming cook. From dark green acorn to deep orange red kuri, from smooth-skinned butternut to […]

My wife Beni was in Cleveland recently, where she dined at Lola, a cutting-edge restaurant owned by Chef Michael Symon. Several years ago, we read a biographical sketch of the young Symon in Michael Ruhlman’s book The Soul of a Chef. When Beni returned, having had a spectacular meal, and having met Symon (she bore […]

The subject line for the e-mail said simply, “Cool Beans!” The message came from juice man Dave Feral (see “Table Talk,” Oct. 4), who serves on the board for North Coast Grower’s Association, the folks who run the local farmers’ markets. Dave noted that he’d heard at a recent NCGA meeting that, “Paul Giuntoli of […]

Last week was soup week at our house. This year’s soups are Summer Vegetable (peppers, beans, tomatoes, corn), Winter Vegetable (butternut, potato, celeriac, parsnip) and a small quantity of Roasted Pepper (a thick puree of sweet Italians and smoked bells). Now, having used up my stocks, I have to make more. The late fall and […]

In July of 2006, the Pew Internet & American Life Project published the results of a survey of US bloggers. According to the report, about 12 million American adults keep a blog. More than a year later, I am sure the number is higher, at least by one. Before the idea of joining the food […]

Braising greens at Little River Farms’ stand at the Arcata Farmers’ Market.Photo by Bob Doran What was that old saying — “Do you think the rain will hurt the rhubarb?” Saturday morning I was wondering more about the effect of a night of hail and rolling thunder on the Arcata Farmers’ Market. Anyone who reads […]