Tinkering with a perfect, simple classic: the Perfectly Chocolate Cake

A perfectly simple (really simple) classic chocolate cake gets more interesting with cayenne pepper, cinnamon and buttermilk. Recipe below.

YESTERDAY WAS MY BIRTHDAY AND TODAY I AM EATING A PIECE OF CAKE while I write about cake. Originally I intended to get fancy and order a cake—to have it delivered or pick it up somewhere. But in the interest of self-preservation, we are still not going into shops, and as I hunted around here in Chicago, I found that pretty much nobody offered contactless curbside pickup of cakes (and I can’t blame them, what with Christmas and all). And the delivery options scared the pants off me. $200 for a cake? For two people? EEEEEEEEEEEE Naw. Continue reading “Tinkering with a perfect, simple classic: the Perfectly Chocolate Cake” →

Santa’s actual house, right here in Pilsen

Santa's house in Pilsen — Santa’s house in Pilsen

WALKING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WATCHING THE SEASONS CHANGE, is always a treat. Maybe never more so than right now. Our neighbors embrace the holidays. Some with modest, quiet displays in their windows, some with exuberance. But all our walks and drives through the neighborhood had not prepared us for this. Continue reading “Santa’s actual house, right here in Pilsen” →

Hunger affects us all—here’s how to fight it

The pandemic is increasing hunger in virtually every community in America. Here are ways you can help feed people, wherever you are.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE A TIME FOR GIVING. That has always been the case. And now, in the midst of a pandemic, it has never been more important. Hunger, always a challenge even in this richest of nations, is at levels not seen in decades. Continue reading “Hunger affects us all—here’s how to fight it” →

Perfect for giving—or keeping for yourself: Pecan Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Pecans, rosemary, plenty of butter and not too much sugar make rich, satisfying and not-too-sweet cookies. Recipe below.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US. DIFFERENT, BUT STILL HERE. We’ve been sending and receiving packages, mostly not gift wrapped, sent directly by the company (and often from the maker): “You guys are getting a package from a potter in Racine today—don’t open it!” And you know what ships well? Or drops off on doorsteps? Cookies! Continue reading “Perfect for giving—or keeping for yourself: Pecan Rosemary Shortbread Cookies” →

Warming up to winter cooking: six stew recipes

Cardamom Beef Stew with Roasted Root Vegetables

IF THERE’S ANY BRIGHT SIDE TO WINTER COMING, it’s that it signals time for making stews again. Slow cooking, flavors blending, earthy fragrances filling the kitchen. Here are six recipes to get us all back in the game. Continue reading “Warming up to winter cooking: six stew recipes” →

A French classic, made weeknight quick: Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

A quick sauce of cream (or half & half), Dijon mustard, shallots and tarragon transform sautéed chicken thighs. Recipe below.

Chicken in Mustard Cream Sauce — Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

CHICKEN ISN’T EXACTLY TOP OF MIND AROUND THANKSGIVING. But it’s often top of mind with us. It’s versatile, relatively inexpensive and healthier than red meat (which is also often top of mind with me, if we’re being honest). So as you deal with turkey prep—or turkey leftovers, depending on when you’re reading this—please indulge our chicken explorations here. Continue reading “A French classic, made weeknight quick: Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce” →

Haiti by way of Montreal: Rum Sour

A French not-so-simple syrup, made with vanilla bean, star anise, cinnamon stick, fresh ginger and raisins, adds a lovely complexity to this Haitian rum sour. Recipes for the syrup and the cocktail below.

BINGEWATCHING HAS BECOME THE NATIONAL PASTIME, as we all hunker down, just trying to get through everything. This cocktail is a direct result of our bingeing. No, not that kind. We’ve been bingeing on Somebody Feed Phil. Continue reading “Haiti by way of Montreal: Rum Sour” →

Add versatile Sweet Potato Gnocchi to your Thanksgiving menu

Sweet potatoes give traditional potato gnocchi a naturally sweet twist. Here, they’re served with a kasha and shallot sauce. Two recipes below.

HERE COMES THANKSGIVING, AND THIS YEAR WE DON’T KNOW QUITE HOW THINGS WILL GO. Maybe, if everything goes well, the swabs the caution the distancing the results, we’ll have visitors, family! a full house, and a dinner table surrounded by loving faces. Or maybe it will be just us, for a while longer, with messages coming via email and text and a quiet, more reflective time, and brave personal portions, and the festivities conducted via cheerful Zooms. A lot of us, that is, still don’t know if we will be many or few, and the likeliest outcome will be: few. Continue reading “Add versatile Sweet Potato Gnocchi to your Thanksgiving menu” →

Perfectly imperfect: Apple and Dried Apricot Galette

The rustic shape of this delicious galette made with apples, dried apricots and thyme is one of its charms. Recipe below.

TERRY AND I HAVE A FONDNESS FOR IMPERFECT THINGS. Our favorite piece of furniture is an old farmhouse cupboard we got at some flea market years ago, with chipped gray paint, slightly wavy glass in the doors, little drawer pulls that are not quite tight and stubbornly refuse to ever be tightened, and feet that speak of years of hard work and being banged and knocked into in some hard-working kitchen. It leans back ever so slightly—the place where we keep it, in the tiny hallway leading to our kitchen, allows it to rest its top against the wall. It’s tragic and odd and we love it. Continue reading “Perfectly imperfect: Apple and Dried Apricot Galette” →

The comfort of simple: Apricot Balsamic Pork Chops

Apricot jam, balsamic vinegar, garlic and thyme flavor these delicious weeknight-quick pork chops. Recipe below.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, EATING IN RESTAURANTS was something my family almost never did. Every evening when dinner showed up on the table, it was because my mom or my grandma had cooked it, usually after working a full day. I didn’t really think about it as a kid—it’s just what happened. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately as eating in restaurants is something most of us are rarely doing right now, if at all. Continue reading “The comfort of simple: Apricot Balsamic Pork Chops” →