Features Posts
Bacchanalia in Salem, MA
Now, as you might imagine, Salem, Mass. can be a pretty interesting place to live. And when it comes to celebrating the rites of Spring, I’d argue that no one does it better—this side of ancient Rome, that is. Last weekend, we hit Salem’s fourth annual Spring Fling event, hosted by our favorite kitchen shop [...]
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles with Sage Infused Sour Cream
See, I do eat vegetables. (Granted, they’re almost always wrapped in some kind of pork product, but still.) Asparagus, even! Some folks would say it’s not possible. When I was a kid, I hated asparagus so much that I used to hide it behind the couch. True story. Oh, how times have changed. So, this [...]
Exciting News & A New Promotion from Kraft
We’re excited to announce that we’re one of three blogs asked to participate in a holiday celebration program sponsored by Kraft and Breakstone’s sour cream. Read on for the details–including how you can enter to win $2,500.
Restaurant-Style Prime Rib Roast
Prime Rib: It’s not just for Christmas dinner. I’ll make this whenever I can get my paws on one at a good price (or the rare super sale). It’s a great excuse to have a party. In fact, if you’re sick of ham on Easter, consider giving Roast Beast it’s day in the (springtime) sun. This is a restaurant technique that’s practically guaranteed to produce a moist, juicy, evenly cooked roast beast. And it couldn’t be simpler.
Poached Pears with Spiced Caramel
If you know me, you know that I’m not a huge fan of making fussy desserts. Creamy. Buttery. Rich. Yes. But fussy, not my speed. (Don’t get me wrong, I love fancy pastry, but life’s too short to make certain things at home…) This dessert is actually the best of both worlds: It *seems* fussy, [...]
Lunch at Boston’s Sel de la Terre
Sel de la Terre, Boston’s bastion of Provencal cuisine, is infamous for its rosemary pomme frites. With good reason. They’re cut thin as shoestrings, fried perfectly (crisp not greasy), and seasoned well with salt and rosemary. Believe me, my picture doesn’t do them justice. I hit Sel de la Terre the other day for lunch [...]
Brown vs. White Eggs: What’s the difference?
What’s the difference between brown eggs and white eggs? Ask your grandmother, and I almost guarantee that she’ll make a strong case for one—or the other. But honestly? Aside from shell color, there’s not really much difference, at least when it comes to cooking. Nutritionally, all eggs are created (almost) equal. When a recipe calls [...]
Roasted Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto
I’m pretty sure I’d be tempted to eat almost anything if you wrapped it in bacon or prosciutto. This is my take on the classic appetizer, bacon wrapped scallops. This recipe swaps in prosciutto, bacon’s paper thin, salty cousin, which practically guarantees that your scallops will always come out of the oven wearing a crisp little coat.
Shrimp Cocktail
I get a lot of questions about how to properly cook shrimp and seafood. In a lot of cases, fresh seafood is at its best when it’s prepared simply, enhanced by a few ingredients and spices—not masked by a ton of flavors and heavy sauces. In my mind, the most important thing to know about [...]
Baked Brie with Walnuts and Preserves
Baked Brie should win some kind of prize for Most Impressive Looking Appetizer that Took Almost No Work to Prepare. This is a great appetizer to throw together when you have unexpected guests. Once you have a wheel of brie (the little ones are just fine), you can put it together with stuff from the pantry (frozen puff pastry, nuts, jam).
