A peppery, herbal Mexican liqueur stars in a bourbon cocktail: the Vaquero

A wintry bourbon cocktail is given a spicy, herby kick with Ancho Reyes Verde Liqueur, made with poblano peppers. Recipe below.

Vaquero cocktail

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]O[/su_dropcap]n our recent trip to Mexico City, mezcal was everywhere. Nearly every bar and restaurant served it, sometimes in elegant, interesting cocktails, but most often, neat, with a simple orange wedge, alongside little plates and charcuteries. The smoke, the herbiness and the slight sweetness are marvelous. Mezcal is so popular in the CDMX that it is even appearing in some beers. We came away knowing… well, a little more than before. Continue reading “A peppery, herbal Mexican liqueur stars in a bourbon cocktail: the Vaquero” →

For Hanukkah, for a sweet breakfast, for any reason: Chocolate-filled Challah

Semi-sweet chocolate and brown sugar add a delicious twist to challah, a traditional Jewish braided bread, creating an almost dessertlike loaf.

Chocolate-filled Challah

THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVERLAPPING AGAIN. This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 22, just two days before Christmas Eve. Lucky for you, this chocolate-filled challah is a delicious, impressive, dessertlike bread you can make to celebrate everyone. You’ll find the recipe—and variations on a theme—right here.

Step aside, tofurkey: Kasha Mushroom Cheese Casserole has vegetarian guests covered

Layers of kasha, mushroom-Parmesan sauce, spinach and cheeses bake into a delectable vegetarian main course for Thanksgiving—or for any wintry night. Recipe below.

Kasha Mushroom Cheese Casserole

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e always seem to have at least one vegetarian at our Thanksgiving table. So we’re always looking for a delicious main course dish that doesn’t leave the vegetarians in our life feeling second best. And more specifically, that isn’t tofurkey. Continue reading “Step aside, tofurkey: Kasha Mushroom Cheese Casserole has vegetarian guests covered” →

Hospitality baked in a hotel pan: Texas Sheet Cake with Pistachios

Texas sheet cake, a Lone Star State tradition, is big and generous and easy to make. Here, we dress it up with pistachios and Himalayan pink salt. Recipe—and substitutions—below.

SO IT TURNS OUT TEXAS SHEET CAKE IS A THING. Over the weekend, I was rumbling around on the intertubes, looking for something to bake but not anything complicated, like a Napoleon, or annoying, like (grinding teeth) cookies. And this is when I stumbled over a thing millions—literally millions—of Americans already know: Texas sheet cake. Continue reading “Hospitality baked in a hotel pan: Texas Sheet Cake with Pistachios” →

The classic Sicilian dish named for an opera: Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma, a beloved traditional dish, gets its name from a Bellini opera—and an update with Japanese eggplant. Recipe below.

Pasta alla Norma

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e’ve been doing a lot of harvesting and prepping of crops from our modest city yard. Last weekend, Terry brought in all the remaining basil and put up a bunch of pesto. I froze a flock of shishito peppers. We are drying herbs, and I am pondering whether to dry some tomatoes or just continue my usual policy of eating and eating and eating them out of hand while standing next to the tomato plants. Continue reading “The classic Sicilian dish named for an opera: Pasta alla Norma” →

A travel-inspired cocktail: Rhubarb and Rye

Rye whiskey, Aperol and orange bitters combine with a simple rhubarb purée to create a tart, refreshing summer cocktail. Recipes below.

Rhubarb and Rye Cocktail

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]O[/su_dropcap]ur most recent road trip took us up through Wisconsin and Minnesota and up to the northern shore of Lake Superior. This was the first time we’d visited many of these places, and we loved it. Continue reading “A travel-inspired cocktail: Rhubarb and Rye” →

Authentic Indian cooking deliciously decoded: Dal Makhani (Buttery Black Lentils)

Make this flavorful, spicy vegetarian main dish in your slow cooker—you can start it in the morning, then return home to a heavenly fragrance and meal. Recipe below.

OUR WONDERFUL FRIEND ANUPY SINGLA IS A POWERHOUSE. Prolific blogger (over at Indian as Apple Pie), author of numerous cookbooks that make Indian food accessible for the American kitchen and entrepreneur with a bustling company offering delicious Indian ingredients to make the whole thing even easier. Continue reading “Authentic Indian cooking deliciously decoded: Dal Makhani (Buttery Black Lentils)” →

A springlike soup from the depths of the winter root cellar: Celeriac Pear Soup

A winter root vegetable—celeriac—and a winter-hoarded fruit, pears—create a fresh, springlike, creamy soup. Recipe below.

Celeriac Pear Soup

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]C[/su_dropcap]eleriac is one of those leap-of-faith vegetables. It’s not very well known—even goes by various aliases, including celery root. It’s round, it’s ugly, you dig it out of the ground, for Chrissake. For a really long time, it never even occurred to me to give it a try. That door was shut tight. Continue reading “A springlike soup from the depths of the winter root cellar: Celeriac Pear Soup” →

Liven up your staples and your dinner: “Old Godmother” Oven-braised Chicken

A handful of Asian pantry/fridge staples turns chicken thighs into a delicious, weeknight-quick dinner. Recipe below.

“Old Godmother” Oven-braised Chicken

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]H[/su_dropcap]ere is a very simple, very tasty weeknight dish. So simple, in fact, that we thought it was only going to be dinner, not a post. But as it baked in the oven, the aroma filling the kitchen told us we should photograph it, just in case. Continue reading “Liven up your staples and your dinner: “Old Godmother” Oven-braised Chicken” →

Meat, sauerkraut and warm, delicious traditions: Bigos, Polish Hunter’s Stew

Kielbasa, pork roast, chicken, sauerkraut and cabbage anchor bigos, a hearty stew and Poland’s national dish. Recipe below.

TECHNICALLY, MARCH 1 IS THE END OF METEOROLOGICAL WINTER. So why is the weather still so wildly cold? In fact, just before sitting down to write this, I saw that this coming weekend we will be in a bubble of frigid air that will be the coldest on the planet. How can we face it? The answer, of course, is bigos. Continue reading “Meat, sauerkraut and warm, delicious traditions: Bigos, Polish Hunter’s Stew” →