…why bland is the new yucky. I might need to break up with green bell peppers. They have become bossy, bland contrarians in my otherwise happy kitchen. To be clear, I’m not ditching red or yellow or orange bells; they may stay. But with all the other fun green choices so readily available – hatch,Continue reading “my bell pepper divorce”
Tag Archives: test kitchen
all I had to do was boil water…
…and dinner would have been ready in 9-11 minutes. Rather than rambling and disjointed, let’s pretend this post is a quirky and inventive discussion about risk, reward and the silliness that often ensues. This week the plan was to celebrate green vegetables as vibrant disrupters and co-conspirators, not simply loyal sidekicks. Originally I wanted toContinue reading “all I had to do was boil water…”
of all the yakis in the world…
…okonomiyaki just might be my fave. When you think of Japanese food, you might think of meticulously crafted sushi or an elaborate kaiseki dinner, a multi-course parade of curated delights. These formal foods are often associated with dramatic images of Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples and Zen gardens. I suppose they are not the worst stereotypesContinue reading “of all the yakis in the world…”
in defense of marginally sexy food…
….the rehabilitation of “creamy” rice and beef stew. I never liked risotto. I just didn’t get it. Growing up in the South it wasn’t really a featured menu item and I didn’t have an Italian grandmother with a secret family recipe to pass down. We ate long-grained white rice, noodles, hominy and mashed potatoes, butContinue reading “in defense of marginally sexy food…”
pantry raid…
…the upside to culinary hoarding. I had lots of actual work work this week, as in my sports photography thing. Wrestling, swimming and basketball rarely happen in the 9-to-5 block, so most nights my peeps relied on the frozen reserves. Wednesday was my only weeknight to cook and even then I managed to get caughtContinue reading “pantry raid…”
is a soufflé a delightful indulgence?
or just a heartbreaking pain in the ass? Most days I am fairly grounded. I value humor, intellect and honesty over glitz and glam, but I can also be a dreamer and a romantic. And do I love to treat myself every now and then. After all, I have both a favorite spatula and aContinue reading “is a soufflé a delightful indulgence?”
sheet-panning…
weeknight easy button or just another encrusted pan to soak/ignore? Of the many online “what to cook tonight?” crazes during the pandemic, tossing everything on a sheet pan and letting it ride at 450° was near the top. I was late to that party mostly because every time I read the words “sheet pan” aContinue reading “sheet-panning…”
a few thoughts on inspiration…
…which is not the same as a plan – y’all know there’s never a plan, right? Briny, savory, sweet and bathed in garlic, Chicken Marbella is both a festive crowd-pleaser and a perfect comfort food. It’s neither new nor innovative (in fact, it screams 1980) but I faithfully return to these perfectly matched flavors andContinue reading “a few thoughts on inspiration…”
fight fire with fire…
…I brought Garam masala to a knife fight and won. After last weekend’s tempura-palooza, I had to find a way to kill the essence of fried shrimp that greeted me in every room of my house. It was almost manageable for a day, but by mid-week we still reeked of canola oil and regret. AndContinue reading “fight fire with fire…”
curiosity and chemistry…
…fusing my umami faves. I have a history of being both a meticulous rule follower and a bit of a live-wire Aquarian. I like to call myself a complicated optimist and a lazy perfectionist, so I’m basically a swirl of apparent contradictions. Admittedly, that’s not really so special, but it took me decades to figureContinue reading “curiosity and chemistry…”
Foodishness 