Cooking Articles

Cooking By Hand In A Modern Kitchen

There was a death in my life this week, something so tragic that I have been left feeling rather… impotent. Okay, this death was not a living thing, per se, but such a part of my life that without it,...

Apricot Bread (Who Would Have Guessed?)

Recently, I was in a small grocery store, picking up a few items, when suddenly a craving hit me. All I wanted was dried fruit, dried fruit of any kind. I would have accepted pretty much anything at that...

To Take the Scary Out of Fish, Steam

When new friends find out I am a cook, questions inevitably follow. “My chicken never gets crispy and always dries out. What am I doing wrong?” “I have pork tenderloin I got on special from the...

It's All in the Kraut

Summer is so close I can taste it. If I didn't know differently, I would never have guessed from the 90 degree temperatures while I was in Sacramento this week that Northern California had experienced...

Shoo Fly, Shoo: A Different Kind of Pie

Now where in the world would you find a pie named after a fly? Home to multitudes of the plain sect and Amish, our home county is privy to some unusually good baked treats, one of which is Shoofly Pie....

On the Cheap: Red Beans and Rice

Shortly after I returned from an expensive two-week research trip I realized I had yet to do my taxes. To my surprise I owed the federal government a hefty sum, and this was because I did a little moonlighting...

They've Got Legs!

One of my favorite late spring, early summer treats is the soft shell crab. These are molting blue crabs, commonly found in Eastern United States waters and especially in the Chesapeake Bay region. Soft...

The Competent Cook's Quotables

The other day I was talking to a woman who was shocked that I happily give away recipes. "If I could cook like you, I would never give away my secrets," she declared. Well, I must say that I thoroughly...

Peeling the Onion

Often bridesmaids, but hardly ever the bride, onions play a significant, and sometimes unrecognized, supporting role in the kitchen. While their contribution to our cooking may be taken for granted, many...

Arugula Gone Wild

Arugula ñ a commonly misunderstood leafy lettuce; �A spicy, peppery addition to salads and recipes; �A surprising burst of flavor that takes the spotlight in every dish; An above-ground plant that...

Buttercream-O-Rama

Frosting, icing, let me count the ways that I love thee . . . I really like frosting. It's the icing on the cake (every pun in the world intended!). Cake is nice, don't get me wrong, and good cake...

Eating Amish-Style

There are some classic food combinations that just go so well together: peanut butter and jelly; apple pie and ice cream; and chicken and corn. You might ask--chicken and corn? Yes, I have found that...

A Perfect Picnic

If you are looking for a unique and fun way to kick off the summer with your kids, then try spreading a blanket and having a good old fashioned picnic. Warm weather brings outdoor concerts, firework shows,...

No Kitchen? Try the Slow Cooker

The kitchen renovation started a week ago. During last year's crazy real estate market, we spent months looking for the perfect apartment. Well, about a week, really, until we realized that the perfect...

Great Meals for the Great Outdoors

What if I told you that this weekend you had the opportunity to sleep on the hard ground, get eaten by bugs, eat out of tin cans, and oh yeah, that you will most definitely not get to shower. Not exactly...

Happier Meals

It has been a life changing couple of months for my older son (well, for all of my family really). His secure spot as an only child with two doting parents quickly came to an end with the birth of our...