May brings many occasions for us to celebrate. Think Kentucky Derby, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day to mention a few. For me, though, the most important date of this month is the one when the first local asparagus appear in our groceries. I live in western Massachusetts in an area called Pioneer Valley close to the town of Hadley known to many as “the asparagus capital of the country.” In May our supermarkets, roadside vegetable stands, and farmers’ markets proudly display beautiful Hadley spears with signs that read “Local Asparagus!”  Each year I pick up a bundle and head home to cook them. This year I plan to use those sleek green spears for a delicious asparagus salad seasoned Continue reading →

As some of you know, for the past three months I’ve been recovering from a broken hip. When I first returned to my kitchen a few weeks after my fall, I needed a walker. Several weeks later I graduated to a cane, and this month I’m thrilled to be sautéing and grilling on my own two feet! I’m limiting my repertoire to simple dishes that do not require a lot of time, but that both look and taste delicious. Sesame Coated Salmon with an Asian Noodle Salad certainly falls into this category. It’s a quick, stylish entrée (which I featured in a newspaper column quite a few years ago) and it still has its panache. Continue reading →

Although our son and daughter-in-law typically host Easter lunch for our family, this year they had far too many commitments on their calendar and asked if we might like to prepare this special meal. It didn’t take me long to say yes! I love this holiday which usually falls in early spring when everyone is ready for lighter fare prepared with seasonal produce. To anchor our menu, I found a recipe for Farfalle with Mascarpone, Roasted Asparagus, and Hazelnuts, that I had created over two decades ago for an April issue of Bon Appétit magazine. Recently when I retested this dish, it proved just as good as I remembered. Continue reading →

As I was checking out at the orthopedist’s office a few days ago, I made my next appointment for mid-April. Before I could even confirm the date, the seasoned receptionist looked up and said, “Maybe by then the snow will be gone!”  He continued, telling me that he had lived in western New England all his life (for 64 years), and that this winter of 2026 was the worst he’d ever experienced. Just about everyone I know shares his view! To stave off the bitter cold and snow-filled days, I’ve been making hearty soups to anchor many of our suppers. One such recipe for Winter Tomato Soup with Parmesan Continue reading →

In New England where I live, we’ve had bitter cold temperatures since early January, along with what seems like countless snowfalls. I’ve become used to waking up to a new coat of snow on our driveway and to temperatures that hover around zero. As a result, my husband and I have kept our outings to a minimum—we go to the supermarket to stock up on staples and try not to miss doctors’ appointments.  Due to this mercurial weather, we’ve decided to have a Valentine  Day dinner at home next Saturday night, February 14^th .

I’m planning a simple meal that will include boiled artichokes served with a lemon vinaigrette for Continue reading →

One of my talented assistants, Diana Tindall, first introduced me to chocolate-coated toffee with almonds and walnuts way back in 2011. One crunchy bite and I was smitten. When I asked for the recipe, I was stunned to discover how easy this toffee was to prepare—another reason to love this sweet treat! To make it there’s just three easy steps, my friend explained. First, you prepare the toffee in a saucepan using sugar, butter, and almonds, and then spread it in a baking sheet. Next, you sprinkle chocolate chips over the warm toffee until they melt and then add a dusting of crushed walnuts. Finally, Continue reading →

On our first visit to Scotland, I was surprised by the number of Scottish dishes that made a lasting impression on me. The melted crab butter with herbs served in a large crab shell with homemade sourdough bread in Edinburgh was both unusual and delicious. Snowy white cod loin topped with chanterelle sauce with garnishes of crushed potatoes and runner beans at Birkhill House in the countryside was another winner. However, the delectable Paradise Slices at the Scone Palace coffee shop was a sweet pastry Continue reading →

Whenever my husband and I visit Great Britain, we like to dine in Indian restaurants. We love the vibrant flavors of this cuisine, the delicious breads, the piquant chutneys, the tandoor dishes and much more!  So, last month when we arrived in Edinburgh, we headed for our first meal to Dishoom, part of a highly respected chain of Indian restaurants throughout Scotland and England. We were not disappointed!

We ordered only four dishes—two appetizers including crispy fried okra and samosas plus a large “chilli” (their spelling) broccoli salad and garlic naan. Everything was tempting , but it was the unusual broccoli salad that caught my attention. Diced broccoli was paired with crushed pistachios, minced chili pepper, Continue reading →