Go to Recipe Go to Video Most every culture has its retinue of cold soups to chase away the heat of summer, from the beloved gazpacho of Spain and Mexico, to vegetable-rich Russian Okrochka with its garnish of hard cooked eggs, to the famed Vichyssoise of New York. Who Wants Hot When it is Hot? …
As spring progresses, the itch to plant seeds and tend a garden grows. I have windowboxes – one of the few in my building to do so. In it I have the herbs necessary to make dishes taste fresh and delicious, and edible flowers to enjoy and use for garnishes. And I show you how …
If you need a good cry, but there is nothing in your life making you sad enough to shed tears, consider yourself lucky. Get Some Onions Then go to your pantry and get some onions. The onion is an allium and it will certainly bring forth the tears. Why? Well, it’s a simple matter of …
When I was a child, my mother served us artichokes whenever she could find them. I was the only one I knew who ate them, delighting in pulling off each leaf and dipping it into wonderful melted butter. We were a big family, and food was our heart and soul. Getting a big, fat artichoke …
Meanwhile, we are enjoying pre-Easter, which is extra enticing with chocolates (not JUST fish!) absolutely everywhere, including a basket of gold-wrapped eggs at the poissonerie this morning. Other Easter novelties at the market include asparagus, juicy radishes, scallops, and razor clams both in their shells, and both fresh from the sea in Brittany, and small …
Go to Recipe Go to Video Because I live under a lucky star, I’ve been to more Pink Martini concerts than I can count. I’ve loved them all, though one that sticks with me was in Portland, Oregon (the bands’ home town) in an outdoor park, with bald eagles flying low over the crowd. Anticipation …
Go to Recipe Go to Video It’s spring, and all the leaves, buds, bunnies, and everything else in nature is bursting awake during this most gloriously alive season! For me, this holiday is the ultimate fête of life, and I grew up celebrating it with a big Easter brunch, an Easter basket filled with goodies, …
The morning was – and still is – gloriously alive with light and a pale spring sun that will become warm this afternoon. Naturally, everyone will take to the streets, the parks, any green spot available. And This is a Workday We’ve had this weather for days and last week I had American friends here …
When I first came to France, as an apprentice at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine, my dreams jostled each other. A big one, aside from learning everything about French cuisine, was to get to know the country. To that end, I joined a goodwill organization that put me in touch with families in the country, …
The Ides of March are behind us, thank goodness. Why thank goodness? The Ides (March 15), is considered malevolent by some, a reference to Julius Cesar’s upending his countrypeople’s festive schedule by switching the new year to January instead of March. They never forgave him. He didn’t touch Easter (whew), which is before us, …
