Springy, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc

May 15, 2012

I’ve never much been into sour candies, lemon meringue pie, or tart vinaigrette dressing, so it makes sense that, until recently, I wasn’t particularly enamored of Sauvignon Blanc. Like those foods, Sauvignon Blanc has a good amount of lemony, bright acidity—which can be refreshing, but also sometimes downright mouth-puckering.

Fall project: Preserve something

September 28, 2011

I know I can’t keep time from marching on, nor can I stop summer from turning into fall. But I can make the flavors of summer last all year long. And you can, too. By preserving them.

It’s no special trick. Cooks have been salting, curing, brining, fermenting, canning, jamming, freezing, and drying foods for eons. Home preserving sort of fell out of favor for a while there – mid-century cooks newly had people like Del Monte to can their tomatoes, so why not let them? – but today we know that no Del Monte tomato will ever taste as good as ones from your own back yard.

6 delicious ways to enjoy tomatoes

September 2, 2011

At my house, this is the time of year when you’re not allowed to eat a meal that doesn’t include tomatoes. We usually have so many, we can barely keep up with them. Here’s how I’m liking them best:

Video: The hows and whys of brining, turkey or otherwise

November 22, 2010

As I explain in this video that I made a couple of years ago at now-defunct Copia, brining is so simple – and it makes such difference.

It’s basically soaking protein in a saltwater solution to enhance both flavor and texture. The solution can be enhanced with sugar, herbs and spices, and aromatics like onion and garlic, but it’s not necessary. Just salt will do the trick.

Cause a revolution with cranberry relish

November 18, 2010

Of the entire calendar year, there’s no meal that’s more traditional than Thanksgiving. And by “traditional” I mean constrained.

You have to have the turkey. You have to have the stuffing. And the cranberry sauce. And the pumpkin pie.

And you have to have potatoes. But what kind of potatoes? My husband comes from a must-have-mashed-potatoes family, while I love sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving. To make everyone happy, I have to make both. (What’s the emoticon for a frustrated grimace?)

What’s an heirloom tomato anyway?

September 15, 2010

It’s getting towards the end of tomato season, but farmer’s markets, supermarkets, and back yards are still brimming with “heirloom” varieties. So you might be wondering, what the heck is an heirloom tomato anyway?