So Many Recipes, So Little Time
There was a comedy in Soviet times about a scientist who invented a Time Machine. An accidental glitch during a test landed Ivan the Terrible in 1970s Moscow and a bunch of Soviet Muscovites in the 1500s Kremlin. At the royal 16th century dinner reception to honor the Swedish ambassador, a chief clerk was explaining…
Ever since I first mixed chipotle chilies en adobo with crema, this has become one of my favorite summer grilled meals. Thinly sliced tomatillos in place of lettuce leaves provide a nice barrier for the bun so it doesn’t get mushy from the juices. Sweet grilled onions complement the tartness and crunch of this green…
Last night’s pilgrimage for the most mysterious sandwich in Brooklyn — Artichoke Parmigiana from Mama Louisa’s Hero Shoppe — was prompted by a story in Bon Appétit magazine. https://www.bonappetit.com/story/artichoke-parm-history-new-york Besides culinary notes, the story has a good deal of New York history packed along a bready hero. It walks you from early 1900s Italian immigrants…
There are recipes you look at and think — so what? Then you make them and there’s an A-ha! moment. What was the A-ha! here? Mint and garlic — lots of both — in a burger. They shined through and complemented lamb so fine. Plus, incredible avocado-yogurt mash — with mint. And garlic. It was…
Not sure what moved me to go get oysters. Maybe Saturday. And here they are — Oysters Mornay right off the grill. The oysters are still slightly raw on the inside but bread crumbs create crunchy charred top and the creaminess of cheese and butter compliment the smoke from the wood chips. WHAT WENT IN…
Grilling days — exploring marinades. Vinegary ones are probably my favorite. They do a quick job — four-five hours tops — flavoring meat. Garlic, mustard, thyme, and lemon flavors are here from the best Julia Child’s dressing. Sugar — to give it some color. Onion — for umami. And the last but not least is mayo:…
Italy meets Columbia meets Vietnam — in my bowl. Escarole with Cargamantos and Ot Hiem peppers preserved in fish sauce. That was a complete improvisation and what a success! At the market, I scored three beautiful heads of escarole. Yes, cannellini would be classic but I did not have them. Instead, I soaked a bag…
There is a word in Russian language — “zavodilovka.” I am not really sure if it’s a real word or my mom made it up. She was great with that — Google Translate got stumped. It means a non-urgent mostly useless undertaking that involves many steps and a lot of unnecessary hassle. This word immediately…
A little backyard pizza party. It takes some planning, especially with the dough. To have it on a Saturday, the dough should be prepared on a Wednesday and spend a few days in the refrigerator to develop a nice flavor. Most of the toppings take a few minutes to prepare and they can be done…
“Jos ei viina, terva ja sauna auta, nib tauti on kuolemaksi” — If alcohol, tar, and sauna can’t help, the disease is fatal. So says an old Finnish proverb about alternative medical treatments. While sauna and alcohol are nothing new, tar sounds interesting. Considered a sweat from an epic Kalevala character, an old wise man…