Recipes and food adventures with Adam Roberts

  • The Art of Eating Artichokes

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    The Art of Eating Artichokes

    Once upon a time, I Tweeted: “Artichokes: not worth it.” As with all Tweets like this, it had its share of supporters and detractors. Though I was being tongue-in-cheek, I was also sort of being serious. I hate dealing with artichokes. For my cookbook, the terrific chefs Alex Raij and Eder Montero taught me how…

  • Kabocha Squash Risotto

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    Kabocha Squash Risotto

    Usually I have a gage in my head that lets me know how good the dinner I’m making is going to be. At some point, while prepping this Kabocha Squash Risotto (based on this one in Bon Appetit), I figured it would be pretty good but not great. Several reasons: the squash, which you pan-fry…

  • My Ever-Morphing L.A. Restaurant To-Do List

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    My Ever-Morphing L.A. Restaurant To-Do List

    [photo taken at Gjelina] On my web browser I have a folder called “LaFOOD” and any time I see an article or a blog post about a restaurant I want to try, I save it to that folder. As you can imagine, after two years here, that folder’s grown quite unwieldy. I was just about…

  • Shopping is Cooking

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    Shopping is Cooking

    When you’re having friends over for dinner at 7:30, and it’s getting on in the day, time grows precious and you have to prioritize. Do you spend it shopping or do you spend it cooking? More often than not, I spend it cooking. My usual cooking routine goes: rush to Gelson’s, gather up overpriced ingredients,…

  • Gina DePalma’s Creamy, Dreamy Ricotta Cheesecake

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    Gina DePalma’s Creamy, Dreamy Ricotta Cheesecake

    For years, I’ve wanted to make a ricotta cheesecake. One time, long ago, I did it in a coffee mug–I was going through a weird phase of my life, then–but that was it. I never actually made a real ricotta cheesecake. Then, this weekend, I was supposed to bring a dessert to a dinner party.…

  • Turkey Leg Confit (Fancy Dinner, Cheap Ingredient)

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    Turkey Leg Confit (Fancy Dinner, Cheap Ingredient)

    America’s obsession with breasts goes far beyond the pages of Maxim magazine; it’s readily apparent in the poultry section. A large chicken breast for two now costs as much as a whole chicken. And a turkey breast can run as much as $15. America: stop your obsession with cleavage and lower your head a little.…

  • Cooking For A Chef

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    Cooking For A Chef

    At first I wasn’t nervous. Or, at least, I told myself I wasn’t nervous. My friend Barrett Foa, who agreed to come on The Clean Plate Club, told me that his dream food guest would be Suzanne Tracht, the celebrated chef at Jar here in Los Angeles (also, a Top Chef Master). Before I knew…

  • Chocolate Malteds

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    Chocolate Malteds

    Most people who buy malt powder do so to make malteds, not homemade everything bagels. But days after making those bagels, I found myself with a perfectly good carton of malt powder and, having made a chickpea stew for dinner, I figured: “Hey, we deserve some chocolate malteds.” Here’s the thing about chocolate malteds: you…

  • Life with an Oven Window

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    Life with an Oven Window

    Here’s a screenplay pitch (boy, I’m getting so L.A.): a young man lives for years without an oven window and then suddenly he moves into an apartment with an oven window. Are you sold yet? The oven window allows him to watch cakes as they cook so he doesn’t have to open the oven to…

  • Marcella Hazan’s Immortal Tomato Sauce Recipe

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    Marcella Hazan’s Immortal Tomato Sauce Recipe

    While Craig was gone these past nine days, I found myself watching a lot of True Blood on HBO Go. I’m still finishing up Season One, so no spoilers please, but I found myself quite choked up at a moment that was a subtle one, as far as the series goes. Sookie, the protagonist, is…