A tangy, jammy, versatile condiment: Blueberry Mostarda

Blueberries and whole grain mustard are at the heart of this tangy, jammy condiment. Spoon it over pork chops, chicken, duck… or make a grilled cheese sandwich with it. Recipe below.

“THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES IN MY SANDWICH,” I said to Marion as we ate lunch in the hidden courtyard of The Rhined, a “cut-to-order cheese and wine shop” in Cincinnati’s Over the Rhine neighborhood. The sandwich in question was the Campbell Alley—a baguette with serrano ham, herbed goat cheese, arugula, and blueberry mostarda, the tangy Italian blueberry-and-mustard condiment that had caught my attention. Continue reading “A tangy, jammy, versatile condiment: Blueberry Mostarda” →

On the road in hilly Cincinnati

WE ARE TRAVELING, A FUN LITTLE ROAD TRIP through Detroit, Flint, Michigan, and now, Cincinnati. It’s our first time here together and we are absolutely smitten. Amazing food, cool, friendly people, beautiful architecture, and hills, hills, hills. We hope to be back next week with a recipe. And for the record, this is not a picture of our transportation.

A full fridge, curiosity and a little improvising: Tomatillo Chicken

Tomatillos add tanginess to this satisfying, slightly spicy braise/stew. Recipe below.

THE FRIDGE WAS SUDDENLY FULL OF THINGS NEEDING TO BE USED. There were habaneros from our garden, for instance. Impulse-bought tomatillos. Chicken thighs and cilantro not getting any fresher. Likewise bacon. At times like this, curiosity can be a valuable trait. Continue reading “A full fridge, curiosity and a little improvising: Tomatillo Chicken” →

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.