How Covid-19 has Changed Our Foodways

Mediterranean Roasted Fish with Artichokes, Snap Peas, Tomatoes & Baby Potatoes It’s not news that Covid-19 has changed how we shop, cook, and eat (1), but it is interesting that some of these changes may be beneficial.    A Food Marketing Institute survey indicates the increase in home-cooking enabled consumers to acquire new culinary tools […]

Dad Wants Dessert

Triple Almond Raspberry-Rhubarb Crumble End your Dad’s Day celebration on a sweet note with an old-fashioned “crumble.” A crumble isn’t fancy, it’s good. The secret is to serve it in fancy dishes. Surely you’ve buried some heirloom dishes in a dusty cabinet that are begging for a place at the table. I used my Nana […]

Red Sauce – An American Icon?

Thank you, Bon Appetit, for “Red Sauce America ” a celebration of the Italian American Restaurants we love. (1)  . Who doesn’t have a memory, or many, made in an Italian-American “red sauce” restaurant? I do. As I child, my family frequented Banchero’s, in San Leandro, California. Your meal came in courses – a relish […]

I Love You as Much as Pie

Peach Pie When my daughter Allegra was 5 she said, “I love you as much as pie!” She knew early on the role of pie in our family: Pie=love. My mom, Betty, and my Nana both made pies, mostly apple. Nana had another specialty called “sunny silver.” Betty made lemon meringue, cherry and other pies […]

Noodling in the Kitchen

Zucchini Noodles with Picholine Olives, Lime and Onion   I recently purchased a new kitchen toy, and as I “spiralized” zucchini and yellow summer squash into noodles, I thought about the importance of engaging children in food preparation and having fun in the kitchen.  If a novel cutting tool can bring a little excitement to […]

Sweet Signs of Spring

Roasted Spiced Rhubarb with Fresh Strawberries A display of rhubarb at the farmer’s market in Carnation, Washington triggered fond memories of my Nana’s stewed rhubarb; she canned every spring and served as a breakfast treat.  Nana grew up on a farm in Minnesota where a hearty breakfast, including a fruit dessert, was the norm.  Far […]

The Cow is Queen

  Farro and Spring Asparagus Salad with Fava Beans, Arugula, Basil and Oil-Cured Tomato Dressing from Chef Lisa Dupar     I’m not a farm girl.    Of course I seek the best quality agriculture products for my never-ending kitchen exploits, but the closest I get to a farm is a trip to the Farmer’s […]

The Magic of Dip

Guacamole Light  Who doesn’t like to dip?  Bring out a dip and you bring on a party.  Dipping seems to transcend all age and demographic groups, from kids to grandparents. And from a “healthy diet” point of view, dipping can be good, or not so, depending on your choices. My kids were raised with vegetables […]

Culinary Labor of Love

 Rustic Roasted Vegetable Lasagna – A Recipe Suggestion   I fell in love with my husband again a few years ago.   I had arrived home on a Sunday night from a long International Association of Culinary Professionals conference to a bubbling Roasted Vegetable Lasagna that he had spent the better part of the day making.  I’ve always […]

The Family Meal

Weekend Waffles When my daughter Allegra announced in September that she’d either have dance classes or work over the dinner hour every night of the week, the first thing I said was, “what about dinner with the family?” A couple weeks later I attended a 2-hour symposium at the annual Food and Nutrition Conference of […]