22 Apr 2014 23 Comments
in Recipes Tags: artichokes, Easter, fava beans, fettuccine, Italian food, Jesus, Roman cooking, Rome, Saveur, Wine Guerrilla
I like to glom onto religious holidays that have interesting regional food traditions and make them my own.
I’ve often been inspired by Saveur magazine, my favorite food rag. Such was the case all those years ago when I got issue #11, March/April 1996 (yes, I’m proud to say I was a charter subscriber to the publication in its first year), and there was an article on a traditional Roman Easter feast. More
29 Nov 2013 10 Comments
in American Series, Recipes Tags: Attempts in Domesticity, Border Grill, Bouchon, food, Mary Sue Milliken, Saveur, Sonoma, Thanksgiving, Thomas Keller
As my mother, who is sitting in the next room, can attest, I’ve always been a bit of a rebel. If you knew my mom, you would realize I come by it honestly.
Turkey confit on the stove
When it comes to Thanksgiving, I’ve certainly got her to thank for my rebelliousness. After years of bucking the standard Thanksgiving traditions — particularly turkey, stuffing, gravy, et. al. — we were dragged back into the fold by partners and family members who favored a classic approach to the holiday. I did manage to produce an interesting German Thanksgiving dinner one year for my wife’s family, who at that early stage in our relationship were already confused and confounded by me. More
13 Sep 2013 3 Comments
in Humor, Observations, Starlets, Yoga Students & Quinoa (stories) Tags: Bobby Flay, Cooks Illustrated, food, humor, iberico bellota, Rachel's Table, Saveur, Taco Bell, Thomas Keller
I am the king.
Awhile back, my friend Rachel of the fun blog Rachel’s Table dubbed me the King of the Food Snobs. More
25 Jun 2013 8 Comments
in American Series, Food Tags: Alice Waters, Betty Crocker, carne asada, cherry cobbler, Dodgers, Emeril Lagasse, Hollywood bowl, Saveur, summer, Tae Kwon Do
With summer comes all things American — baseball, barbecues, fireworks, hot dogs and burgers, corn on the cob, the beach. It seems as if summer is the quintessential American season — a time of sunny optimism, that most American trait.
Willa picking cherries
Each region of the country celebrates the season a little differently. We have our own unique summer traditions in Southern California — margaritas and mariachi, carne asada, Spanish rosé, tri tip on the grill, Dodger dogs and Hollywood Bowl picnics. One summer favorite I’ve always eyed with suspicion was cherry cobbler. Until recently, that is… More
25 Apr 2013 7 Comments
in Food, Humor, Pork, Recipes Tags: Chengdu, China, Chinese cooking, Huang Fei Hong spicy peanuts, ma la, peppercorns, Saveur, Sichuan, Szechuan
One of the strangest culinary experiences I’ve ever had was more than a decade ago, when our friend from Szechuan, Guonan, invited us over for Szechuan hot pot.
Among the more unusual items on the condiment plate that evening as we sat on the floor around a bubbling pot on the coffee table of her Marina del Rey apartment, gazing out at the twinkling lights of the boats in the harbor, was duck tongues. More
skinny girls & mayonnaise 