Author: Terry B

Notes from the road again, sort of.

WE ARE ON (AND OFF) THE ROAD RIGHT NOW. We took a week off for not exactly a long road trip, not exactly a staycation. More kind of a nearcation—a series of little adventures in a three-state radius. Visiting a daughter, seeing some museums, riding the world’s steepest funicular (the Fenelon Place Elevator in Dubuque, Iowa). And doing a little antiquing. We saw this kitchen string dispenser in Dyersville, Iowa. My grandmother had one of these on her kitchen wall; if she’d ever kept string in her chef, it was before I met him.

And while we cooked and photographed two dishes that will appear here shortly, we just didn’t have the bandwidth to write about them. Please stop by next week for a recipe. And maybe a story or two from downstate Illinois.

The umami trick you should definitely have up your sleeve

Six recipes show how anchovies or anchovy paste can quietly up the umami in all kinds of dishes, from pot roast to pasta to duck.

Layered Pot Roast with Anchovies, Capers and Garlic

YES, ANCHOVIES CAN MAKE THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN, as a pizza topping, for instance. But they can also melt and disappear into a dish, delivering a delicious savoriness that salt alone cannot—and without any fishiness. Continue reading “The umami trick you should definitely have up your sleeve” →

Fire up the grill—and dinner: Grilled Lamb Chops with Habanero Mango Salsa

A simple salsa of chopped habanero pepper, mango and shallots gives grilled lamb chops a spicy, flavorful kick. Recipe and substitutions below.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Habanero Mango Salsa
Grilled Lamb Chops with Habanero Mango Salsa

WE’LL START WITH A PRO TIP: don’t touch your eye after chopping a habanero pepper. Even hours after. I chop jalapeño peppers with impunity—a thorough, soapy hand wash after and I’m good to go. But not with this spicy pepper. For reference, jalapeños rate 3,500 – 8,000 SHU on the Scoville scale. Habaneros clock in at 100,000 – 350,000 SHU. That hard-earned pro tip aside, we really enjoyed the chops and their lively salsa. Continue reading “Fire up the grill—and dinner: Grilled Lamb Chops with Habanero Mango Salsa” →

Exploring an underknown cuisine: Burmese Mango Chicken

A curry sauce made of onions, garlic, ginger, mango and coconut milk is the base for the delicious Burmese chicken dish. Recipe below.

Burmese Chicken Mango
Burmese Chicken Mango

BURMESE RESTAURANTS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN in the United States. So when boredom-inspired antiquing sent us out to the western suburbs last weekend, we knew we would be visiting Pa Lian. Continue reading “Exploring an underknown cuisine: Burmese Mango Chicken” →

Six recipes to help you tap into the autumn bounty of apples

Apples at their seasonal best are suddenly everywhere. These six recipes will help you make the most of them—sometimes in unexpected ways.

Roast Duck with Pears, Apples and Potatoes

BEEN APPLE PICKING YET? Neither have we. But with September here, billboards relentlessly announce apples for picking. As do travel emails and social media ads. But even if you prefer to pick yours in the produce department, as we do, there are many ways you do with them besides just, well, eating them. Continue reading “Six recipes to help you tap into the autumn bounty of apples” →

Once grounded, the Aviation cocktail takes flight again

Gin, maraschino cherry liqueur, lemon juice and the elusive crème de violette liqueur create the classic Aviation cocktail. Recipe below.

Aviation cocktail
Aviation cocktail

THIS CLASSIC GIN COCKTAIL FIRST APPEARED in the early 20th century. Its lively, lemony, floral flavor made it an enduring hit. Then in 1960, its key ingredient went missing and grounded the flight-named drink. Continue reading “Once grounded, the Aviation cocktail takes flight again” →

Muscle memory and blind faith—Penne with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Basil, garlic and Italian sausage help you make the most of fresh tomatoes with this weeknight quick dish. Recipe below.

Penne with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Penne with Fresh Tomato Sauce

THE GOAL WAS JUST DINNER. FAST. With what we had on hand. Marion had picked some tomatoes and fresh basil from our suddenly productive garden. I’d gotten some Italian sausage in a grocery order. And we always have olive oil, garlic and various pastas around. Continue reading “Muscle memory and blind faith—Penne with Fresh Tomato Sauce” →

Classic French ingredients, deliciously simple fare: Grilled Dijon Salmon

Dijon mustard, minced shallots and herbes de Provence create a quick, easy, surprisingly delicate grilling sauce for salmon. Recipe below.

Grilled Dijon Salmon
Grilled Dijon Salmon

AFTER MORE THAN A WEEK AWAY, we spent our first full weekend at home. It was glorious. Marion spent time taming our overgrown garden. We caught up on laundry and household stuff. And we cooked and ate. At home. Continue reading “Classic French ingredients, deliciously simple fare: Grilled Dijon Salmon” →

Another quick note from Detroit.

Kid's Got Heart, Detroit
Kid’s Got Heart, Detroit

WE ARE BACK HOME NOW after more than a week in Detroit. Finally eating home cooking again, but nothing postworthy—just comfort food we’ve made a million times. Honestly, dinner the first night home was bowls of cereal, absolutely what we needed then. But as happy as we are to be home now, we’re also glad for the time we spent there—helping our daughter with some things, but also just being in the city, being around Detroiters. Because the mural above tells you a lot about the place. Come back next week for a recipe, we hope.