THANKSGIVING IS OUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY, because it’s honestly just about delicious food. So when our Milwaukee daughter and her boyfriend couldn’t make it to our Thanksgiving dinner in Chicago, we all decided to do another one in Milwaukee. Continue reading “Three Thanksgivings, three favorite dishes”
Beef stew meat, Portuguese chouriço, bell peppers, paprika and potatoes drive the comforting flavor of this hearty stew.
IT SNOWED HALLOWEEN MORNING. The water in the back porch birdbath froze. Okay, so the snow didn’t stick around, and plugging in the birdbath—it’s heated—got it ready for the birds’ drinking and bathing needs again. But still, snow in October. That got us thinking about warm, hearty, meaty stews. Continue reading “Two continents, one deliciously warming dish: Portuguese-style Beef Stew”
WE BOUGHT CUCUMBERS RECENTLY FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE and that had me thinking about this exquisite chilled bisque. It is cool and fresh and surprisingly luxurious—for that, credit goes to cream, egg yolks and lots of butter. The soup was created at a storied St. Louis restaurant, Balaban. You’ll find the recipe for this wonderful summer-perfect soup—and the delicious, improbable back story for the restaurant—right here. And you’ll find me at the grocery store. I’ve gone to get cucumbers.
Lettuce, peas, leeks, garlic, tarragon, butter and cream make a fresh, creamy soup that can be served warm or cold. Recipe below.
AFTER MONTHS OF GETTING LITTLE OR NO RAIN, we are suddenly getting all the rain. Our garden is loving it, of course, and so are we, begrudgingly. The cool, rainy weather has us thinking about soup, but the calendar has us craving something not so stick-to-your-ribs hearty. And that made us think of this lovely, light soup that can be served warm or chilled. Continue reading “A springy, summery soup for a soupy day: Delicate Pea and Lettuce Soup”
This flavorful, colorful, spicy goat stew is a traditional meal across West Africa. Recipe below.
GOAT STEW IS EATEN ACROSS WEST AFRICA, often shared as a holiday or celebratory dish. We recently discovered this delightful meal at a Nigerian food truck in Detroit, Fork in Nigeria. Continue reading “Lively, celebratory comfort food: Nigerian Goat Stew”
Ingredients from around the world create this smoky, big-flavored, slightly spicy lentil soup. Recipe below.
LENTILS ARE A STAPLE AROUND THE WORLD, from India (where 40% of the world’s lentils are consumed) to the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. We’ve shared lentil recipes here from India, France, Turkey, Italy and other spots around the globe. This recipe is a global adventure all its own. Continue reading “Many cultures in a single bowl: Ham Hock and Lentil Soup”
Baking soda tenderizes the ground beef in this richly flavored classic chili. Recipe below.
DON’T YOU LOVE IT WHEN COOKING BECOMES A SCIENCE LESSON? We do. In this chili recipe, baking soda (that same thing the fluffs up cakes and cookies) tenderizes the ground beef while making it brown better. Continue reading “The art and science of Classic Beef Chili with Beans”
TUESDAYS ARE WHEN WE DO OUR NEW POSTS EACH WEEK. Except this past Tuesday was Valentine’s Day. Instead of cooking and talking about cooking, we wanted to eat restaurant food and feel all festive. So it seems somehow appropriate to dig into the archives and share a recipe that brings genuine restaurant flavor home. And as a bonus, it is crazy easy to make. So enjoy Marion’s Egg Drop Soup—and happy belated Valentine’s Day.
A FORECAST OF SNOW GOT ME THINKING OF WARM, HEARTY MEALS. Comfort food, preferably oven-braised or roasted. And that got me thinking of the British Isles, places well-versed in homey dishes to take off the chill on cold, damp days, food to make you happy to be indoors at a kitchen table. These four dishes came to mind. Continue reading “Four cozy winter dishes from the British Isles”
Thoroughly pureeing this simple soup of mushrooms, potatoes and caraway seed makes it velvety smooth and elegant. Recipe below.
A NUMBER OF YEARS BACK, WE WERE ON A ROAD TRIP THROUGH ILLINOIS AND IOWA, noodling around as is our way, and happened upon the Lincoln Cafe, in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Before launching into rhapsodies about its many wonders. I want to start by saying that the Lincoln Cafe has been closed for nearly ten years now. In its heyday, it was that rare place that achieved things which, in America, often clash—providing high-quality, honest, delicious fare and doing it at a modest price. It was neighborhood joint done right, and its location, right on the Lincoln Highway in the heart of tiny Mount Vernon, made it even more lovely. Continue reading “A simple soup elevated: Mushroom Potato Caraway Soup”