I grew up in a beef-eating family. My dad, who was poor as a child, loved nothing more than a slab of sirloin and a monster baked potato for dinner. There were vegetables on the table only because my mom insisted.

As an adult, though, I’ve had an uneasy relationship with beef and have avoided it more often than not in the interest of health.  For more than a decade, the only beef I consumed was an occasional hamburger – one of my guilty pleasures.  When I became a restaurant reviewer, though, I could no longer reject red meat, since it stars on so many menus.  Beef returned to my life, but I remained a little uncomfortable about it.

Then I received a review copy of Lynne Curry’s cookbook, “Pure Beef,” Running Press, 2012.  The book looks at the movement toward artisan beef  raised on open pasture, slaughtered as humanely as possible and dressed by craftsman butchers.  This is meat for the conscientious consumer, light years removed from the industrial model beef sold at most supermarkets. Continue reading “Pure Beef” for the rest of us →

Who said pizza has to be savory?  The crisp crust and gooey topping that make the Italian-bred pie an irresistible choice for lunch or dinner are equally tempting in a sweet variation like this S’more pizza.  You just need to approach it with an open mind.

Think of it as the traditional campfire treat minus the usual risk of losing your marshmallows in the fire.  This S’more has the extra attraction of Nutella, one of my most serious junk food addictions.  On top are crunchy hazelnuts and marshmallows so light and airy they’re likely to slip off a toasting fork and into the flames. Continue reading S’more pizza, please →