I cook because I love to eat. I garden because I love to cook.
We all have a relative or a neighbor who is a little, let’s say, different. Not crazy. Not deranged. Just a little quirky in their own way; a little towards the outside of the norm. Crazy hair and odd clothes. Acts in a way that …
My mother’s summer fruit tart is one of my favorite desserts, as long as you leave out the garlic. Many years ago my wife Marci and I made a pair of fruit tarts, one as a thank you to our landlord’s family for some deed …
On a Saturday night, if my wife Marci and I have no other plans, we may hang around the kitchen with a glass of wine while I cook up a tasty meal. Sometimes I know exactly what to cook; I’ve thought about it and I’ve …
I’m always looking for innovative, edible vessels in which to serve appetizers. I’ve bought pre-made phyllo cups at the supermarket, and I’ve seen packaged cup-shaped crackers. For years I’ve covered crostini with fresh tomato bruschetta and other toppings. The healthiest version is to stuff endive …
In the cold of winter I miss my garden. While I may be able to pick a little hardy kale if the temperature is not too low and I haven’t used it all, the garden is mostly barren this time of year. And even though …
I love New Year’s Eve. I always have. I love the celebration and revelry, the noise and the glitter. Everyone is happy. It’s a joyous holiday, full of pomp and excess. And I love my tradition of feasting on a wide variety of small bites …
I love all things dumpling, and every culture has their own; Italian ravioli, Jewish knishes and kreplach, Indian samosas, Tibetan or Nepalese momos, Polish pierogies, British pasty, Chinese wontons. The list goes on and on, and I love them all. As a teenager, I discovered …
There are times when adding a salad to the menu of finger foods is a great offering when having a party. But salads are messy – partygoers need a plate and a fork and two hands, making it difficult to hold a drink, all while …
When I was in high school, my friend Dave and I would drive miles to 12th and Shunk, deep in the heart of South Philadelphia, just to get water ice at Italiano’s. It was the best water ice we could find. A plethora of flavors …
Maybe 21 or 22 years ago, shortly after my wife and I purchased our first home and before kids, we got a free turkey; supermarkets used to give them away a few weeks before Thanksgiving when you spent a certain amount on groceries. We didn’t …
