Writing about food since 2004.
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The Weiner’s Circle
So one of the friends we’re staying with here in Chicago, Andy, pointed out The Weiner’s Circle tonight as we were walking to dinner (Thai food in Lincoln Park). “There’s a great video I’ve got to show you when we get back about that place,” he said as we walked past it. And the video…
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In Chicago
Hey Readers, in case you’re wondering why I’m so quiet this week, it’s because I’m in Chicago doing research for my cookbook. But, fear not. Now’s the moment for the Twitterless among you to sign up and follow me; you can track all my adventures, including the Heavy Metal hamburger I ate last night at…
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The Return of The Nectarine Cake
The question of the hour, when cooking for David Lebovitz, isn’t “what to make for dinner?” It’s: “What to make for dessert?” The man is a dessert guru; the author of legendary books on chocolate and ice cream and dessert in general. What could I make this man that would impress him? My Twitter followers,…
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Heirloom Tomato Salad
Despite this month’s banner, one of my favorite dishes to serve in summer is an heirloom tomato salad. It’s a dish that does the work for you: just buy an array of quirkily beautiful heirloom tomatoes–as many colors and shapes as you can find at the farmer’s market–cut them into slices or wedges and serve…
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Tomato Attack, Community, Newsletter
The new banner’s here; load up the site afresh and check out the killer heirloom tomatoes created by the lovely and talented Lindy Groening. (Thx to Justin Dickinson for doing the under-the-hood work). Meanwhile, The Community Blog’s really picking up steam: check out this recipe for homemade Horchata & this post about making your own…
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Frank Bruni’s “Born Round”
Iconic male food writers like A.J. Liebling and R.W. Apple were large men; they flaunted their girth in ways that their female counterparts (M.F.K. Fisher, Elizabeth David, Ruth Reichl) did not. Their weight helped them cultivate an aura of power and authority; it’s easy to imagine them sitting in a brown leather chair, patting their…
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My First Trip To Kalustyan’s
My Twitter followers were shocked–no, outraged!–when I announced last week that I’d never been to Kalustyan’s, the international foods store on Lexington Ave. in Murray Hill. Food52’s MerrillStubb’s Tweeted: “NO! (Can’t believe it.)” Savour Tweeted: “You haven’t been to Kalustyan’s? May be the #1 thing I miss most about NYC. That and Bemelman’s Bar.” JosePiano…
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Don’t-Miss-The-Meat Vegetarian Chili
I love chili, but ever since reading “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and watching “Food Inc.” I have a hard time making it with ground beef. Of course, on special occasions, I make Michael Symon’s recipe with slab bacon and pork shoulder, but last Wednesday wasn’t a special occasion. No: it was just a weeknight and as…
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Chicago Bound
Hey readers, I’m heading to Chicago the 2nd week of August to cook with chefs and home cooks for my next book and I need your help. Who are your favorite Chicago chefs? What are your favorite Chicago restaurants? It’d be great if you could share the less obvious ones (yes, I’ve reached out to…
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Zucchini with Almonds
What’s that expression about teachers learning from their students? Is there an expression like that? There really should be. You may recall that for my cookbook I have an intern named Tyla working with me. Tyla herself has a food blog called “Learning To Live Without A Microwave” and on her blog last week I…
