Here in the midwest, it seems there was almost no fall season this year, and already the deep winter weather is upon us. We Chicagoans are accustomed to brisk winters, but they usually don’t begin in early November with bone-chilling blasts. But here we are, leaves still green with late summer’s warmth, now frozen to […]
Over the next several weeks many of us will be busy hosting holiday parties to entertain friends and family. While I’m working on main courses and desserts, my guests will be making merry; to keep them happily entertained and take the edge off their appetites I will lay an ample spread of cheeses, wines, and […]
One of my favorite soups growing up was my Grandma’s garden vegetable soup. She would make this soup throughout the year, and though the tomato base would remain the same, she would vary the rest of the recipe with whatever vegetables were in season. My version is updated by briefly broiling the vegetables to char […]
Although the warm sunny days of summer are behind us, delicious summery salads can continue late into the fall. Jam-packed with layered flavors and textures, my twist on the classic Salade niçoise trades cannellini beans for eggs and skips artichokes, anchovies, and olives for a lighter texture, letting summery heirloom tomatoes, string beans, radicchio, lettuce, […]
The first time we visited Rome, we rented an incredible 16th century apartment on Via del Govern Vecchio. The third-floor apartment was situated across the street from a monastic residence where priests and monks carried out their daily lives in full view like an ant farm in white starched collars. We could see their dining […]
When it comes to cocktails, we all have our favorites; in the springtime, I like a French 75 with vodka, not gin which remind me of late afternoons at a sidewalk café in Paris. During the height of summer, I like something citrusy with a herbal, green garden twist like a mojito or something with […]
I first learned about compound butter while living in Germany. Compound butter is simply butter to which herbs, spices, etc. are added, rolled into a log shape, and chilled until needed to top fresh bread, baked potatoes, steaks, salmon, etc. While prepared compound butters are not so easy to find in American supermarkets, Europeans can […]
People either love or hate oysters, I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone who was indifferent about them; there is just something so delightful about enjoying these briny little morsels of sweet tender flesh right out of their shells in their own natural broth. I never pass up a chance to have them, and […]
A Cook's Canvas 