THE KITCHEN IS CLOSED FOR A SHORT BREAK, traveling to visit family. Enjoy celebrating the holidays deliciously—maybe even at a hot dog stand, if you can find one open.
Category: Random Food For Thought
Thanksgiving on the road
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WHO CAN REMEMBER, we’re not hosting Thanksgiving this year, but traveling to a potluck celebration with family and friends. We’re still doing some cooking because we can’t not do some cooking. But we’re (and by that, I mean mostly Marion) not doing all of it. Mostly, we’re looking forward to spending time with everyone and enjoying a dazzling array of treats. Including, yes, a turkey. However and wherever you’re celebrating, if you are, we wish you a wonderful day and a wonderful meal. Happy Thanksgiving, all! Check back next week for a new recipe here.
Tasting the world in a Detroit weekend
A RECENT DETROIT WEEKEND REMINDED US YET AGAIN of how much richer migrants make us all—including on our plates. Our daughter and her boyfriend are major explorers of international cuisines in the Detroit area, and we are always happy to tag along, feasting on their finds. Like this Salvadoran pupuseria tucked between a quiet residential neighborhood and an industrial area in the city. The pupusas were amazing, our first time trying them. And the trio making them in the food truck, a family from El Salvador, was friendly, helpful and generous. We left with more food than we ordered, at their insistence. Continue reading “Tasting the world in a Detroit weekend”
Notes from the road, eastern time
WE DO LOVE OUR ROAD TRIPS. Our latest took us to Boston, in search of seafood, art and history—and hanging out with friends here. Oysters and lobster were big parts of our mostly seafood diet while we were here. We ate at Neptune Oyster not once, but twice, during our four-day visit. Briny, sweet, creamy oysters and lobster rolls—warm with butter one night, cold with mayo the other, incredibly rich and delicious both nights. Continue reading “Notes from the road, eastern time”
On the road. Yes, again.
NO RECIPE THIS WEEK. We’re on the road in Michigan sampling others’ recipes. At Bob-Jo’s in Wyandotte, Michigan (we got there just before closing—they cheerfully served us delicious frozen custard treats, then efficiently rolled down the shutters and drove off as we ate at an outdoor table). A lovely “regular breakfast” with eggs, peameal bacon and a salad at A Dog’s Breakfast in Windsor, Ontario. Fresh takes on classic French cuisine at Bar Pigalle in Detroit. And ramen. And Middle Eastern kebabs. And…
We’ll be back next week with a recipe by us. See you then. And if you haven’t clicked the new horsey SUBSCRIBE HERE button in the right column, please do so now. You’ll get an email each week connecting you to our latest post. Thanks!
Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill: A food safety guide for home cooks
EACH YEAR, FOODBORNE DISEASES SICKEN ABOUT 48 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE U.S. This cheerful estimate comes from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They go on to say that an estimated 128,000 of those people are hospitalized and about 3,000 of them die. Fortunately, CDC offers ways home cooks can reduce the risk of foodborne illness in the kitchen. They break their cooking safety tips into four categories: clean, separate, cook and chill. Continue reading “Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill: A food safety guide for home cooks”
Lamb Stew and a guide to Chicago weekend fun
MANY PEOPLE SEE MARCH AS HEADING INTO SPRING. And indeed, March 20 is the first official day this year. But the reality here in Chicago and many places elsewhere can be quite different. Lately, we’ve been craving warming comfort food. In recent weeks, we’ve made Kimchi Chicken Soup, Valerie’s Split Pea Soup, Polish Hunter’s Stew, Shepherd’s Pie… March also being the month of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re currently thinking fondly of Irish Lamb Stew. Continue reading “Lamb Stew and a guide to Chicago weekend fun”
Happy holidays from Blue Kitchen
THE KITCHEN IS CLOSED THIS WEEK. We’ll be back next week with a new recipe. In the meantime, enjoy celebrating the holidays deliciously.
Notes from the Upper Peninsula
WE WERE ON THE ROAD LAST WEEK, not in the kitchen, a long overdo revisiting of Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula. Fall colors were everywhere, as were signs about places closing soon for the season—end of October or even earlier. Like the wonderfully weird Mystery Spot. Continue reading “Notes from the Upper Peninsula”
On the road in Canada
WE’RE ON A ROAD TRIP, to Toronto, then Montreal and then looping back home. We are of course eating well, but nothing to share here right now. See you soon!