When I see baskets of squash blossoms at the farmers market I am instantly entranced. They are so lovely and delicate. I want to make a bouquet of them and use it as a centerpiece for some elegant but relaxed outdoor summer dinner party. Except I’ve never actually hosted a dinner party like that. And …
Main course
This salad is creamy and tangy and salty and earthy. The lentils give it a heartiness while the arugula lightens the dish and adds some much needed greenery. But what makes it work is the pungent bite from the shallots and the acidity from the red wine vinegar in the dressing combined with the creamy …
When I hear the words quinoa cake, I’m skeptical. They sound so earnest. So healthful. And sort of like they would be a pain in the ass to make. If I hadn’t tasted these at a chef demonstration by John Chiakulas of Beatrix at the Green City Market and discovered first hand just how freaking delicious …
The Green City Market is finally back outside, which means my Wednesday mornings are occupied with shopping for local produce. It’s been a late spring rendering the early markets a little more sparse than usual. The first week there were almost more storage apples and overwintered potatoes and frozen berries and pickles and preserves than new crops …
There’s something about this meal that is just so honest. It isn’t flashy. Or even particularly pretty. It is eggplant, slumped and simmered. Simple. Weeknights beg for meals like this. For things you can set on the stove while you relax and open a bottle of not-too-expensive red wine while you pad around the apartment …
The Tuscans have a way with beans. If I came away from my year in Italy learning one thing about food, it was this. As much as I love pizza and fresh pasta and gelato, and, oh, do I love those foods, my most memorable meal on the boot shaped peninsula involved none of them. …