Throughout these strange months of limited activity, I, like many people, have turned to the kitchen for comfort and distraction. I haven’t been cooking quite as much as I thought I would, and its been a bit of a rollercoaster of success and failure. For myself, I’ve made hamburgers, hot dogs and rich pastas, I’ve been known to have chips and dip for dinner, I’ve made … [Read more...] about Fennel Vichyssoise
Farmers Market
Summer Squash Muffins
Sunny yellow summer squash is so abundant here in the summer. If you know anyone who grows it, you’ve probably found a bag of excess stealthily left on your doorstep in the deep of night – when it grows, it really grows. The farmers market is also awash in all varieties of summer squash, and sometimes I find it so cheerful I just can’t say no. But I frequently have one or two … [Read more...] about Summer Squash Muffins
Frozen Lemon Bisque with Blueberry Nutmeg Compote
Frozen lemon bisque is what my mother always called this lovely dessert. It was her party piece for years, served at all her dinner parties, and sometimes just for us. She always served it from a cut crystal bowl, a bowl I always think of as the lemon bisque bowl. And she always served it with a blueberry sauce, sometimes with nutmeg. I have always loved that dessert, and at … [Read more...] about Frozen Lemon Bisque with Blueberry Nutmeg Compote
Autumn Celebration Salad with Port Poached Pears, Maple Pepper Walnuts, Stilton Croutons
I’ll be honest, I am not a big salad eater. Because I feel like, for the most part, salad is often just an afterthought. Sure, I like a restaurant salad with nice add-ins that I am not going to get at home, but I find most home salads come from a bag and use processed, packaged toppings and bottled dressing. People seem to volunteer to bring the salad to a party because it’s … [Read more...] about Autumn Celebration Salad with Port Poached Pears, Maple Pepper Walnuts, Stilton Croutons
French Apple Hazelnut Loaf with Quatre Épices
Some years ago, on a cooking trip to France, I bought every manner of French ingredient I could fit in my suitcase (removing the dirty clothes to an extra folded bag that came with me for this exact purpose). I visited gourmet markets, specialty traiteurs and big box grocery chains. It was marvelous. I tucked in jars of fine herbes, herbes de provence and a jar of quatre … [Read more...] about French Apple Hazelnut Loaf with Quatre Épices
