A busy weekend made easier: Grilled Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Lemon

A simple marinade of lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary, garlic and Dijon mustard tenderizes and subtly flavors these chops. Recipe below.

AT THE END OF A BUSY LABOR DAY WEEKEND—Saturday in Milwaukee visiting our daughter and her boyfriend, a Sunday ramen dinner out with Marion’s sister—the actual holiday Monday found us at home, just the two of us. We wanted something meaty, preferably grilled, and not too laborious, given the day. These lamb chops absolutely delivered. Continue reading “A busy weekend made easier: Grilled Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Lemon” →

A kitchen-free visit to Detroit

SUNNY DETROIT. When the girls were little and we traveled to Detroit a lot, we jokingly referred to it as sunny Detroit to make it sound exotic. Well, this weekend, it was gloriously sunny, beautifully showing off the city and its countless murals.

Like the one above in Detroit’s Eastern Market. The entire city is a mecca for international muralists, and Eastern Market is the epicenter. On a visit a few years ago, we documented a number of the market’s murals. You can find that post here.

Marion and I were in Detroit this weekend for a too brief visit with our daughter Claire and her boyfriend Marcus. We hung out, drove around and looked at things, and ate well. But we didn’t cook a thing, so no recipe this week. We hope to have one for you next week. See you then.

A classic Spanish/Mexican dessert as made in a Filipino kitchen: Leche Flan

In the Philippines, cooks add coconut milk to flan, for extra creaminess and richness (but no coconut flavor). Recipe below.

WE MADE FLAN THE OTHER NIGHT, and as Marion said, it’s one of the easiest things we’ve ever cooked, having only five ingredients and about the same number of simple steps. It is also serve-it-to-company delicious—a creamy, luscious, silky custard topped with caramel. Continue reading “A classic Spanish/Mexican dessert as made in a Filipino kitchen: Leche Flan” →

Marmitako: a hearty, rustic Basque tuna and potato soup

Created by Basque tuna fishermen, this simple one-pot soup is a satisfying meal on its own. Recipe below.

CERTAIN WORDS ATTACHED TO FOOD JUST CATCH OUR EYE. RUSTIC IS ONE OF THEM. When we saw it attached to a tuna and potato soup, we were ready to make it right then. Marmitako is billed as comforting cold weather fare, but its quick, one-pot cooking also makes it a good, simple summer meal. Continue reading “Marmitako: a hearty, rustic Basque tuna and potato soup” →

Sometimes, simple is all you really need: Lemon Tarragon Grilled Chicken

A simple marinade of lemon, olive oil, garlic and tarragon creates simply delicious grilled chicken. Recipe below.

LEMONS HAVE BEEN SEEING A LOT OF ACTION IN OUR KITCHEN LATELY. And for good reason: they add a summery brightness to all sorts of dishes. Sometimes, it’s the star—as it was in my Lemon Parsley Pasta. Sometimes, it’s subtle, as with Marion’s Peach Cobbler last week. And sometimes, as it is in this grilled chicken, it is almost invisible, adding to the startling deliciousness without announcing itself at all. Continue reading “Sometimes, simple is all you really need: Lemon Tarragon Grilled Chicken” →

Cooking that’s almost not cooking, but also not takeout: Lemon Parsley Pasta

Lemon Parsley Pasta is a satisfying, summery vegetarian meal that’s ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta. Recipe below.

WE JUST GOT BACK FROM A SIX-DAY ROAD TRIP. We ate lots of amazing food—chef-driven Oaxacan small plates, hearty shepherd’s pie from a Brit pub in Duluth and wonderfully sweet, tart strawberry rhubarb crumble made by our friend Carmen in Minneapolis. (“You can’t leave Minnesota without eating strawberry rhubarb crumble,” Carmen told us, and we think she was right.) What we did not eat is anything cooked by us. Continue reading “Cooking that’s almost not cooking, but also not takeout: Lemon Parsley Pasta” →

Out of the kitchen and on the road

WE’RE ON A BRIEF ROAD TRIP, visiting Duluth, Minnesota, and then heading on to Minneapolis. Lots of driving and hiking and seeing wonderful things. Like the St. Louis River, tumbling over its slate riverbed and banks in Jay Cooke State Park, about 20 minutes outside Duluth. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has this to say about this stunning place: “The Precambrian Thomson Formation is located within Jay Cooke State Park. The formation is a layer of mud that was compressed and hardened into shale, then compressed further into slate, and finally folded. This formation is about two billion years old.”

Lots of delicious food is being had too, just none of it prepared by us. So no recipe now—but check in next week.

A peachy spin on an Italian classic: Peach Caprese Salad

PEACHES ARE JUST STARTING TO SHOW UP IN THE MARKETS. Sweet, juicy and summery. And that reminded us of a delicious spin we did on the classic caprese salad several summers ago, swapping peaches for tomatoes, and adding mixed greens with a balsamic vinaigrette for more flavor and crunch. You’ll find the recipe and the cookbook that inspired it here.

Six refreshing go-to mezcal cocktails for summer

Mezcal’s smokiness adds a touch of summer—think campfires and grilling—to six very different, very drinkable cocktails.

WE LIKE TEQUILA, BUT WE LOVE MEZCAL. The smoke infused into it during the fire pit roasting of the key ingredient, agave piñas, elevates mezcal’s flavor for us, whether sipping it over ice or mixing it in a cocktail. In fact, a couple of the recipes here are adapted from ones usually made with tequila. Continue reading “Six refreshing go-to mezcal cocktails for summer” →

A tangy touch for meaty richness: Lamb Chops with Artichoke Hearts

Canned or frozen artichoke hearts and lemon juice add a tangy brightness to pan-seared lamb chops. Recipe below.

THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS TO EAT ARTICHOKE HEARTS. Let’s start with ways they’re really good for you. Artichoke hearts are packed with nutrients, including vitamins A, C and K, loads of protein (yes, actually) and dietary fiber. Oh, and more antioxidants than any other vegetable. But for us, the best reason to eat them is they’re delicious. Continue reading “A tangy touch for meaty richness: Lamb Chops with Artichoke Hearts” →