Food Features

It was one of those times in February when the night was frigid but the afternoon was warm, when the sky changed from grey to blue and the sun had melted the morning frost. I was walking my dog through the woods behind my old house when I felt what I thought were tiny droplets […]

King Cake is a decadent, buttery confection prepared to mark Epiphany, or Twelfth Night – the day when the wise men returned from Bethlehem with the news that Christ had been born. Whether as a galette des rois in France or a dreikönigskuchen in Germany, these celebratory cakes all consist of a rich, yeasted dough, […]

In Japan, kare raisu, or curry rice, is the equivalent of our beloved mac and cheese in the blue box. Kare raisu is a rich, velvety roux-based stew and is considered to be Japan’s national home-cooking dish. It’s consumed two to three times a month on average in Japanese households. Kare raisu is the number […]

Oysters are a natural choice for intimate entertaining. They’ve been touted as an aphrodisiac since Roman times and were reputedly consumed as a virility booster by Casanova himself. Questionable libido-boosting claims aside, oysters are indeed perfect to serve on a date night at home or indeed any occasion. Not only are they a delicious and refreshing […]

I doubt that I’ll ever become a true-blue vegetarian. I just love bacon, a simple roasted chicken and a nicely seared steak way too much to totally eliminate animal protein from my diet. But I am convinced that a predominantly plant-based diet is what I should be working towards. To that end, I’m always looking […]

If 2022 has you wanting to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over your head, let me invite you instead to whip up one or all of these sunny citrus desserts. Citrus is in peak season right now, so it’s a perfect time to take make some lemonade out of whatever lemons life […]

Seaweed is regarded by many as the future of food. It’s one of the world’s most sustainable and nutritious foods. Seaweed is zero-input, meaning that it does not require fresh water, fertilizer, feed or arable land to thrive. Seaweed has the ability to absorb excess nitrogen and phosphorus deposited in the water by agricultural runoff […]

French onion soup is one of the most warm and decadent wintery dishes imaginable. Rich caramelized onions are suspended in a savory thyme-scented broth and topped with a crusty crouton draped in melted cheese. A quintessential cold-weather comfort food, this bistro classic can be a great addition to any meal plan, unlike many other traditional […]

When the days have grown short and the weather stays cold, people used to say, “It’s hog-killin’ time.” Before we had packing plants and supermarkets, farm families depended on their fields and flocks for sustenance, and the tedious process of whole hog butchering usually took place in cold weather. Breaking down a 200 to 300-pound […]

It’s 5 o’clock on a cold Saturday morning and I’m at Balkan Treat Box in the St. Louis suburb of Webster Groves learning how to make Turkish flatbreads. A chef friend had told me that Balkan Treat Box was one of his favorite restaurants, and suggested I hang out with them. So I contacted the […]