We’ve been on a craft beer kick ever since we took a road and ferry trip to Alaska a few years back. There aren’t many wineries in the frozen North, so we went beer tasting at intriguing little breweries from Juneau to Homer.
Along the way, I developed a taste for stout. It’s the antithesis of light beer – one pint is enough to last me all evening – but I love its thick, creamy body and dark, bittersweet flavors hinting of coffee and chocolate.
I never really thought of stout for dessert, though, until I tasted beer ice cream for the first time last October. The hoppy kick of a good stout brought a pleasantly bitter edge along the lines of burnt sugar and dark caramel to the ice cream.
Since my efforts at recreating beer ice cream at that time were such a success, I’ve been musing about a cake with chocolate and beer for months. A little bite from fresh ginger seemed like a good idea, too. St. Patrick’s Day was the perfect excuse. Continue reading A beery good chocolate cake→
I’ve yet to meet an Asian salad I didn’t like. The sour, sweet and salty flavors in combination with crunchy textures are so intensely satisfying. Green papaya salad, noodle salad, Cambodian shredded cabbage salad, even that old standby, Chinese chicken salad – they all get my vote.
My latest obsession is this Asian salad made with crisp radishes and fat green onions, some of the best produce of the season. The English cucumbers grow in Watsonville greenhouses year-round, so I include them and the fresh herbs in seasonal produce, too. Throw in poached chicken, some glass noodles, a little chile and cashews and I’m happy. Continue reading Crunchy salad with an Asian twist→
Even in California, it’s tough to find a good selection of local fruit in the winter. Citrus is about the only choice at the farmers market these days and I get weary of clementines, as wonderful as they are.
The arrival of blood oranges is always cause for celebration. I can’t resist these beautiful oranges with the blushing rind and dark red flesh. Their flavor is deeper and more complex than ordinary navels, with wine-like undertones and a lively balance of sugar and acid.
Blood oranges are great to eat out of hand but I think they’re best used in salads and desserts that capitalize on their exotic flavor.They’re an intriguing substitute for the usual lemons in this take on the old-fashioned pudding cake. Continue reading Blood oranges take the cake→
We’ve been battling off a persistent virus for weeks at our house. Just as we start to feel better, it creeps back with scratchy throats and dull headaches.
Popcorn was the last thing on my mind when I bought a carbon steel wok last fall. My goal was to get a pan that could withstand high enough temperatures to actually sear meat and vegetables in a stir-fry.
But new woks need seasoning to get that wonderfully slick, virtually non-stick surface I coveted. My efforts in that direction were agonizingly slow until I found Grace Young’s account of seasoning a wok by making popcorn in “Stir-Frying from the Sky’s Edge” (Simon & Schuster, 2010). She points out that popping corn distributes a thin coat of oil all over the pan and the high heat helps it adhere.
What I wasn’t prepared for was how good the popcorn would be. Every kernel popped up big and fluffy with just enough oil to help the salt stick. Continue reading Popcorn reconsidered→
Hazelnuts and chocolate were meant for each other. The rich, browned butter flavor of the nuts fairly cries out for the embrace of dark, dusky chocolate. Together, they’re unbeatable.
I find the combination as inspiring as it is addictive. (No jar of Nutella, or the organic alternative, Nocciolata, is safe around me.)
So it’s no surprise that I would be obsessed by the idea of a hazelnut cookie dipped in bittersweet chocolate for Valentine’s Day. The cookie of my dreams would have a great sandy texture with just enough crunch to contrast with a smooth, dense coat of very good chocolate. It should be elegant enough to pair with a flute of champagne but substantial enough to satisfy a serious sweet tooth. Continue reading The romance of hazelnuts and chocolate→
The “caviar” on my mind these days involves black-eyed peas, not those extravagant little fish eggs. Marinated with chiles, onions, bell pepper, corn and tomatoes, the humble legumes are transformed into the classic Texas caviar.
This chunky salsa is a staple in the Lone Star State–a little bit Southern, a little bit Mexican, and altogether irresistible. Countless variations have made the round of backyard barbecues and tailgate parties since the 1950s, but the original was the creation of Texas culinary star Helen Corbitt, a cookbook author who served as food consultant for Neiman-Marcus in Dallas. Continue reading “Caviar” for everyone→
There was a time when I cooked bulgur several times a month. The par-boiled and ground wheat was cheap, filling, and a great base for one-pot meals with vegetables and chicken.
I loved the mild, nutty flavor and nicely chewy texture. But bulgur slipped out of my repertoire when I began experimenting more in the kitchen and homey pilafs gave way to sophisticated risottos.
This winter, though, I’ve rediscovered the simple pleasures of the quick-cooking grain in my quest to put more whole grains on our plates. Prepared in the style of a risotto with mushrooms, butternut squash and spinach, it makes a terrific entree for Meatless Monday or a side dish for grilled meat. Continue reading Bringing back bulgur→
The French, however, have long appreciated the humble roots for their satisfying texture and gentle bite, serving them with sweet butter and sea salt. Asian cooks treasure the more pungent varieties for pickles and stir fries.
I say it’s time to give radishes their due on this continent. They’re the stars in this winter salad, which makes the most of what’s in season right now. Continue reading Radishes in winter→
One of the best gifts I received over the holidays was an introduction to this kale salad. I spotted it in the deli case when I was shopping at my local natural foods store a couple of days after Christmas and bought a quarter pound on a whim.
It was an instant hit. My family and I began nibbling on little bits of sesame seed flecked Kale right out of the carton as soon as we got home and it never made it to the dinner table.
With all the crunchy textures and savory Asian flavors, the dish reminded me of the seaweed salad I always order at sushi bars. Most of the ingredients were readily identified–raw kale, red onion, sunflower sprouts and a trio of pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds. I wasn’t sure about the dressing, though. It tasted a lot like soy sauce, yet not quite. Continue reading Turning over a New Leaf→
