CHEWING THE FAT

         Since Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, here’s a perfect Valentine to give your amour.  It’s chocolate, of course, because chocolate is said to have aphrodisiac properties.  Going back to the Aztecs, there’s been a link drawn between the cocoa bean and desire. But even if you’re…

Center this dish on your dining table and stand back.         Chinese New Year is upon us.  This Sunday, February 10th is the start of the Year of the Snake. Despite all the negative connotations of snakes and snake-like behavior,  according to…

You can serve the steak atop the salad… Or make the salad all by itself…either way, these dishes are terrific!          If there is a first for everything, today’s Chewing the Fat qualifies.  The first in this case was my discovery that one of my…

           If ever a cookbook cover said it all, it’s this: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Anytime.  That’s what Tyler Florence’s “Tyler’s Ultimate” (Clarkson Potter 2006) says and it couldn’t be more true.  Take for instance this deliciously satisfying dinner salad.  It would be…

Chinese Symbol for the Year of the Dragon          January 23rd is the start of Year of the Dragon, which, according to the Chinese Zodiac, is an extremely auspicious sign. Coming along once every twelve years, it is the ultimate symbol signifying success and happiness. …

   The American Hotel. A must stop in Sag Harbor whether for Bay Scallops or not          I can’t tell you how proud I am of this recipe.  It is really one time when I can genuinely claim the authorship of a dish. I’d tried…

         My cousin Bubbles and I have a running dialog about what we’re making for dinner.  The other day she mentioned meatballs and then told me that she seldom makes them anymore because she has a friend who, while claiming not to be a cook,…

It’s easy to see why it is called Rainbow Chard I have significant lapses in my culinary adventures.  Before I made this perfect weeknight dinner with its amazing range of delicious tastes and textures, I had never cooked Chard.  I will not go so far…

         Usually, I soft-pedal the whole issue of heat in the recipes I share with you.  That’s because I think a lot of people are uneasy about any food that’s described as spicy.  I do get it.  What’s the pleasure in having your mouth feel…

         I wish you had seen the look on Andrew’s face when he asked what was for dinner and I told him “Sausages and Potatoes”.  Was that a sneer or a recoiling?  Was he horrified or merely surprised?  You see, I had just that day…

When I was first learning my way around the kitchen, The New York Times Cookbook (Harper and Row, 1st published 1961) was my constant companion. Its editor was an immensely talented writer and cook named Craig Claiborne. So you can imagine my excitement when, quite…

         In French Canada, Tourtiere, a wonderfully rich pork pie,  occupies a place of honor that’s likely unmatched by any other dish.  It is served ubiquitously on Christmas Eve. This holiday party even has its own name: “Reveillon“.  In French the word means ‘awakening’. This midnight…

  I’ve already waxed poetic over Joe Beef, that phenomenal Montreal restaurant where we craved everything we ate.  Almost everything we tried was truly over the top.  And Andrew and I were not the least bit surprised to see that “The World According to Joe…

Flowers from the fabulous Bridgehampton Florist..where else? These shrimp are the center of attention on our Holiday Open House Buffett. Ina Garten is a goddess around here. She lives in the next town over and has for years and years. Before becoming the TV star and…