Jamaican Jerk Ribs from a singer turned chef

Jerk rub, jerk sauce and pineapple-mango salsa bring plenty of flavor and a little heat to these oven-baked pork ribs. Recipe below.

Jubilee Jerk Pork Ribs — Jamaican Jerk Pork Ribs

FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, a month-long celebration of the achievements of African Americans and a recognition of their contributions to our national culture and history. So it seemed like a perfect time to delve into Toni Tipton-Martin’s wonderful cookbook, Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking, again. Continue reading “Jamaican Jerk Ribs from a singer turned chef” →

Cinnamony, sweet (but not too), cozy Apple Cake

Chunks of apples dot this simple, rustic apple cake. Recipe below.

THE STREETS KEEP FILLING UP WITH SNOW. And while our neighbors are really great about clearing their walks, there still is plenty of scary ice out there, and plenty of mounds and ramparts of snow at all the corners, and more snow is coming down as I write this, and the deep freeze is definitely here. Two days ago, we only went outside to finish excavating the car. (And yes, when we drove it out, we set out dibs to save our spot. We do live in Chicago.) Yesterday and today I didn’t go outside at all, except when a pal brought over our Girl Scout Cookie delivery (thanks again, Al!). Continue reading “Cinnamony, sweet (but not too), cozy Apple Cake” →

The forecast calls for Pork Stew with Caraway Seeds

Chunks of pork cooked with onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, caraway seeds, bay leaves and peas create a homey, peasant-y, comforting stew perfect for winter. Recipe below.

OH, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL. Snow is the lead story across great swaths of the country. And around the world. Two storms collided on the east coast, dumping as much as two feet of snow on New York City. Madrid had the worst snowstorm in 50 years, a foot and a half in a city that rarely sees snow at all. And the UK issued a “risk of life” warning. So here in Chicago, Marion and I were thinking about food. Continue reading “The forecast calls for Pork Stew with Caraway Seeds” →

Brown is the new Black Bread—our take on a James Beard classic

Rye flour and caraway seeds create a craveable, sandwich-ready middle-European bread. Based on a classic recipe by James Beard. Recipe below.

JULIA CHILD CALLED JAMES BEARD “THE QUINTESSENTIAL AMERICAN COOK.” Beard was one of America’s modern culinary pioneers. He published his first cookbook in 1940; right after World War II, he hosted one of the first cooking shows, I Love to Eat; in 1955, he established The James Beard Cooking School, and, says the James Bead Foundation website, “He continued to teach cooking to men and women for the next thirty years, both at his own schools (in New York City and Seaside, Oregon), and around the country at women’s clubs, other cooking schools and civic groups. He was a tireless traveler, bringing his message of good food, honestly prepared with fresh, wholesome, American ingredients, to a country just becoming aware of its own culinary heritage.” Continue reading “Brown is the new Black Bread—our take on a James Beard classic” →

Vinegar, soy sauce and the (unofficial) national dish of the Philippines: Chicken Adobo

Vinegar, soy sauce and a handful of simple ingredients simmer distinctive flavor into this well-loved traditional Filipino dish. Recipe below.

INSPIRATION FOR THE THINGS WE COOK HERE COMES FROM MANY PLACES. And sometimes, it comes in pairs. The other day, Marion said she’d found a recipe for a beloved traditional Filipino dish, Chicken Adobo. I’d found another recipe for the dish the day before—and was so intrigued, I still had the tab open on my laptop. So we knew we had to cook it. Continue reading “Vinegar, soy sauce and the (unofficial) national dish of the Philippines: Chicken Adobo” →

Fridge improvisations: Linguine with Roasted Cauliflower and Bacon

Roasting cauliflower with shallots and bacon before tossing it with pasta mellows and sweetens its flavor. Recipe below.

THESE DAYS, A LOT OF COOKING IS STARING DOWN the ingredients you have on hand. Like the head of cauliflower we kept reminding each other needed cooking. And the bacon that wasn’t getting any younger. When we finally got around to taking on both, the result was an easy, wonderfully flavorful pasta dinner. Continue reading “Fridge improvisations: Linguine with Roasted Cauliflower and Bacon” →

What we’ve been doing instead of cooking new stuff

Usually, Wednesdays mean new recipes at Blue Kitchen. Spoiler alert, not this week. Here’s what we’ve we been up to lately instead.

WE’VE BEEN PLAYING WITH KNIVES. We first discovered these handsome Spanish-made knives at Almond and Oak in Oakland, California, in May 2019. We were having dinner with friends we hadn’t seen in years, and I was halfway through my thick cut pork chop before I realized how easily I was cutting it. The next morning, before flying home from San Francisco that afternoon, we took the bus to the elegant home store MARCH and bought two Pallares Solsona steak knives. Continue reading “What we’ve been doing instead of cooking new stuff” →

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” →