French Fridays with Dorie I don’t know who Marie-Hélène is other than she has way too many strange letter/characters in her name that aren’t on my keyboard. When I signed up for French Friday’s with Dorie I knew I would be challenged in the kitchen to make amazing things outside my usual comfort zone but […]
Not So Poached Salmon with Capers and Herbs
Readers of this blog know that I all about The Ina when it comes to kitchen inspiration. I can’t live by The Ina alone, however. Just imagine how much butter that would take! Lately, I’ve had to look outside East Hampton and its zany cast of characters for less zaftig inspirations. While French Friday’s […]
October 26, 2010 by 5 Comments
Hachis Parmentier
French Fridays with Dorie If you do an image search of Google on this week’s French Friday’s with Dorie assignment Hachis Parmentier (AH_she Par ment AY) and also on Shepard’s Pie, you will see that these two dishes are essentially the same idea…or not…depending on your ethnicity. (Go ahead, click the links…I’ve done the work […]
October 22, 2010 by 17 Comments
Peach Crisp Late in the Season
I ran into some “rare late summer peaches” at the farmer’s market that were surprisingly sweet even though it was rainy and drizzly this weekend. It made me wonder just how ‘local’ this local produce is? I really hate to think our farmer’s market is a fraud but these peaches were REALLY good. I decided […]
October 18, 2010 by 7 Comments
Vietnamese Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup
French Fridays with Dorie I’ve been thinking a lot lately about “comfort zones”. You know, those states of behavior wherein one operates in an “anxiety-neutral space”. I know it even sounds boring but we all do it. You get to cruise along at a steady output comfortable in the knowledge that while what you do […]
October 15, 2010 by 27 Comments
Creamy Roasted Carrot Soup
Sometimes the obvious thought will swoop in and save the day. make carrot soup at least a half dozen times each year. Its one of those things I do without thinking. It was one of the first soups I ever learned to make and it was one of the first dishes I ever started experimenting […]
October 13, 2010 by 5 Comments
Gerard’s Mustard Tart
French Fridays with Dorie I have this fantasy/memory playing out in my head about French cooking and how it is prepared. Its seeds were planted when I took a family vacation to France as a teenager. Our family was hosted by a business associate of my father and his very elegant wife. Their names were […]
October 8, 2010 by 16 Comments
Fig Balsamic Ice Cream
The love affair with the ice cream maker continues… I’ve been awash in figs the last few weeks trying to take advantage of the wonderful Black Mission and Honey figs that have been showing up at our local farmers market. Mostly they have been destined to become versions of the same fig jam we made […]
October 5, 2010 by 8 Comments
Crust
French Fridays with Dorie I’m not one to back away from a cooking challenge but the one skill that continues to vex me is crust. No matter how many times I make it I just never really warm up to the task. I suppose I would do just about anything not to have to make […]
October 3, 2010 by 8 Comments
Gougères!
French Fridays with Dorie The interwebs are about to be inundated with posts featuring this elegant yet simple appetizer so I’m piling on the bandwagon. In a spasm of silly impetuousness (which I am sure to regret soon) I agreed to join the ranks of those whom I have previously (and lovingly?) referred to as […]
October 1, 2010 by 17 Comments
Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp aka “those shrimp things”
These shrimp things” are orange and rosemary prosciutto-wrapped grilled shrimp marinated in Sambuca — a cult-favorite appetizer with a story, a following, and just enough drama.
September 28, 2010 by 3 Comments
Peanut Black Salted Caramels
You didn’t think I would give up on candy making so easily did you? When I get an idea into my head I don’t let a little set back stop me from figuring it out. My first attempt at a chewy caramel confection ended up brittle and crunchy. Much like an Almond Roca so I […]
September 27, 2010 by 3 Comments
Cantaloupe Sorbet is Easy!
My bigotry free ice cream maker continues to get a workout. Its amazing how good food can be when you omit the hate from your kitchen tools! This past weekend my hubby and I were out doing errands when we remembered we needed a new garden hose and a wheely thing that a hose goes […]
September 13, 2010 by 8 Comments
Why Do People Bake?
No shit. I saw this postcard on postsecret.com last week. This wasn’t my card but it might as well could have been. Only I don’t pretend its a secret. In case you don’t know about Post Secret they describe themselves as “an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one […]
September 11, 2010 by 3 Comments
Caesar Salad Dressing
One New Year’s Resolution I made back in January was something I didn’t talk much about at the time. I just did it. I tossed out all the bottles of store bought salad dressings that had been crowding out nearly one shelf of my refrigerator. Along with the vowed not to buy bottled salad dressings […]
September 7, 2010 by 1 Comment
