*Please disregard the last post that went out (wicked good lobster rolls) - it was a computer mishap!  I will be doing a lobster roll post this summer. Thanks! Sue

Creating salad dressings, dips, and spreads from scratch is one of the easiest ways to move to a healthier, whole-foods based diet. Of course, when I say healthy, I’m not counting calories. The picture above does note scream “eating light,” but it does offer one thing that bottled dressings do not - pronouncability. [click to continue…]

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Roast potatoes have been my nemesis in the kitchen for quite a while now. It’s a bit embarrassing to be bested by such a simple recipe, but I’ve gone round after round with roast potatoes that are too crispy, or don’t get crisp at all, or become glued to the baking sheet. It’s been quite disappointing. The good news is through all of this trial and error, I think I’ve identified the perfect roast potato (at least for my palate) and I have finally figured out how to make it happen. [click to continue…]

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Dear Boneless Chicken Breast,

I’m sorry. For the last couple of years I have been avoiding you, claiming a disdain for your simplicity and calling you flavorless. We had been friends for years and then one day I just dropped you. I thought I was moving onto better things, roasting whole chickens and braising chicken legs, but now I realize that I was wrong. [click to continue…]

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A quick look at the upcoming events on my calendar revealed that I’ve got quite a few house guests visiting over the next few weekends. Another glance at my calendar and I realized that it was March - uh-oh. For those of you who have images of Vermont that includes rolling green hills, bright fall foliage, or blankets of glistening snow, visiting in March can be a very rude awakening. It’s muddy, icy, wet, and cold.

Now that I’ve worried Trish that our friends and family are going to be calling to cancel their plans because of my account of the dreary weather, I’ll share a trick that I’ve got up my sleeve to make sure that our guests wake-up happy: breakfast. [click to continue…]

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When I looked at the weather forecast last night things looked bleak - the first big winter storm, a mixture of snow and ice that would drop something like six inches of wet mess on the ground. I immediately zipped into action, running out to the grocery store to get last-minute supplies, making sure the car was undercover in the garage, and breaking out a pancake recipe that has been waiting for that first cold, snowy morning.

When I peered outside this morning I was a bit disappointed. No snow, no mess, no cars struggling up the hill on Main St. When I checked the temperature it was almost 40F out. Not quite the winter weather I had expected.

Although I had wanted to be whisking up a pancake batter while the snow flakes dropped into a winter wonderland, I didn’t want to totally give up on my morning plan. And while a nice snowfall might have made the perfect backdrop, these pancakes proved that they are delicious in any setting. [click to continue…]

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After one meal at Toro Bravo (Portland, OR) I was ready to pack my bags and book a flight to Spain. Unfortunately, with my big cross-country move looming in the near future, I won’t be brushing up on my Spanish anytime soon, but I do think that Spain may have overtaken Italy at the top of my must-visit list. In the meantime I am going to concentrate my energy on trying to re-create the dishes I shared at Toro Bravo, or as I termed it on my twitter post: tapas heaven.

I feel comfortable claiming Toro Bravo as tapas heaven because I am pretty sure I have been to tapas hell, which goes a little something like this: You hear about a new small plates restaurant and you gather a group of friends to go check it out. Usually it is a lounge-style setting, with seats that are low to the ground and some sort of techno/club music playing in the background. The cocktail list is full of mojitos and all sorts of ‘tinis.’ You order off a short menu that is uninspired and overpriced. The plates come out spontaneously or erratically (and some are forgotten). The bill is dropped, your eyes widen, and you walk out disgruntled and hungry.

Walking out of Toro Bravo this past weekend, I was anything but hungry. As a group of four we ordered about ten dishes, some small and others more substantial. [click to continue…]

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Ah! July has been busy! I have spent the last 2 weeks mostly disconnected from the internet, bouncing around the Adirondacks, Vermont and Quebec. It’s been one of those vacations where you don’t feel super-relaxed and zip from one event to another, so I am actually looking forward to getting back to Berkeley for some down time.

Well, not too much down time. Next week I kick off a three-week stint at the San Francisco Baking Institute where I will be conquering my fear of baking and learning the art of artisanal breads. [click to continue…]

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During my college years I worked at a local deli, and as a former sandwich artist I can attest that when it comes to mayonnaise there are two distinct camps: the lovers and the haters. I have always been a mayo lover and I can’t think of anything better to spread on a B.L.T. or a chicken salad sandwich. However, in recent years I have somewhat unwillingly found myself drifting into the hater camp.

I really don’t want to become a mayo hater, but every time I am handed a packet of mayonnaise I cringe a little bit. Composed of low-quality vegetable oils, frozen or pasteurized egg yolks (or other non-egg emulsifiers) and chemical preservatives (or “natural flavorings”), industrial mayonnaise doesn’t have much going for it. [click to continue…]

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Last week my cousin Meag shared the sad news with me that her flag football team lost their championship game, a big letdown after a successful season. Not only did she return home without a trophy, but she also has to cook the winning team dinner - what a bummer! Determined to throw a killer party and regain some of her dignity after the loss, my cousin turned to me for help with her party menu and we set out to make a winning game plan. [click to continue…]

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