A few days ago I suggested to one of the hosts at Mass Appeal (a popular midday tv show on our local NBC affiliate in western Massachusetts) some soups that I could demo in January. It didn’t take the host and crew long to choose Winter Tomato and Garlic Soup with Creamy Gorgonzola Bruschette for my cooking segment.
I wasn’t surprised since this warming soup is perfect for the snowy weather Continue reading
Originally, my husband and I were planning to spend the last night of 2021 with two good friends in Boston, but because the pandemic is widespread in Massachusetts, we all agreed that cancelling was a wise choice. So, I’ve decided to make individual scallop gratins to anchor our imposed dinner for two.
I had a Eureka moment recently when I thought of my favorite potato gratin prepared with crème fraîche and Gruyère. Why, I asked myself, couldn’t I make individual scallop gratins using those two primary ingredients? After several attempts I got the amounts and timing figured Continue reading
By now you’ve probably decided on the menus for Christmas Eve and Day, but if you’re still worrying about what to serve in the morning during this long holiday weekend, this recipe for a Gratin of Eggs, Leeks, Bacon, and St André Cheese is a brunch cook’s dream. I’ve been making this indulgent gratin for over 20 years, always to enthusiastic reviews.
It’s all-in-one dish that can be assembled the night before, then taken from the refrigerator to the oven the next morning. Toasted baguette slices, Continue reading
This time last year my husband and I, like countless others, were in lockdown. We hosted no dinners, certainly didn’t plan any parties, and didn’t even invite a friend or two for some holiday cheer. Most celebrations were canceled, including my book club’s annual potluck. But fast forward to 2021. Since all the members of our reading group are fully vaccinated, we reinstated our get together. Along with loving to read, my literary pals adore to eat, so everyone arrived with delicious treats. I decided to bring an appetizer of Burrata with Roasted Grapes and Red Onions served on toasted crostini.
For this simple dish, I roast red onion wedges and small clusters of red Continue reading
Years ago, my good friend and talented chef, Matt Sunderland, mentioned that his mom always baked a cider pie for Thanksgiving. Intrigued, I asked how it was made. “Not complicated,” he responded, and pulled out a recipe written in typical chef fashion: an abbreviated list of ingredients and a single brief paragraph of instruction. When I asked him to be a little more specific, he called his mother for extra details.
The unusual filling is prepared by reducing cider, then cooking this liquid with butter, sugar, and water until thickened. When the cider base has cooled, egg yolks are added to it and beaten egg whites folded in. This simple filling is spooned into an uncooked pie shell, then popped into a very hot oven for 10 minutes so that the crust will start to crisp up quickly. The Continue reading
Recently, my good friend and longtime assistant, Emily Bell, texted me about some cider pancakes she had made with her teenage grandson. “They were so easy and delicious,” she recounted, noting that the young sous-chef loved them. It didn’t take me long to ask for the recipe!
My friend used a basic pancake batter, replacing a small amount of the milk with cider and adding cinnamon for a spicy accent. She also sautéed diced Continue reading
A few days ago, while I was looking through a French cookbook that I had brought home from one of our trips to France, I earmarked a recipe for a pasta dish with fall squash and walnuts. A type of squash similar to our butternut squash was roasted and smashed and then combined with cooked penne and toasted walnuts. Grated Parmesan cheese and a good drizzle of walnut oil were final additions.
I know it’s fall here in New England not because the days are getting shorter and mostly cooler, but because our markets are filled with bins of apples in varying hues of red, green, and yellow. I especially like the Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, and always reliable Granny Smith for making warm apple crisps when autumn arrives. Although I follow the basic formula for these crisps of tossing sliced apples with sugar, butter, and spices, I often add an unexpected ingredient. I’ve combined brandy-soaked prunes with apples for some versions and paired cranberries with apples for a Continue reading
Trying to decide what to prepare for a monthly cooking segment I do for Mass Appeal (a midday tv show that airs on our local NBC station), I decided the dish should feature either tomatoes or apples. One of the show’s hosts voted for tomatoes since they are still bountiful in our markets in September. Culling my files, I spotted a recipe for a savory Tomato and Chèvre Tart published on this blog back in 2013. When I baked it several days ago, it was just as tempting as I remembered it from all those years ago.
The recipe has an interesting history. During a stay in Paris one summer, I Continue reading
A few weeks ago my husband and I met out-of-town friends passing through western Massachusetts for an al fresco dinner at The Waxwing, a new restaurant in Hatfield. Our pals—as passionate about food as we are– were anxious to try the latest eatery in the area. No one was disappointed. Our group loved the pork belly with toasted corn, jalapenos, and queso fresco, as well as chicken schnitzel with lemon aïoli, fennel, and arugula, plus hake (a mild white fish) with creamed corn and fried onion slivers.
However, it was the rigatoni with zucchini, mint, and toasted breadcrumbs that caught my attention. Sadly, I didn’t order it (nor, due to Covid, did I get to taste it), but my pal, Carrie, swooned with each bite she took of this Continue reading
