Food & Drink

Born in Taiwan in the 1980s, boba tea has experienced a surge in popularity. The “bubbles” are known as “boba” – chewy little tapioca balls about a centimeter in diameter. Boba tea is essentially a fusion of a tea drink popular in 1980s Taiwan in which green or black tea was shaken with ice and […]

When I hang out with other chefs, as a conversation starter, I’ll often ask them what’s their favorite thing to eat, or what they’d choose for their last meal. One would expect the responses to be something complex, and, well… cheffy. Surprisingly, often the answers trend toward simple dishes. My current boss, Chef Sean Brock, […]

Bunches of candy-colored radishes and vivid carrots are often as pretty as a posy of flowers, especially in spring when the foliage is lush and bright green. I always plant an excessive quantity of radishes in my veggie garden each year, partly because I enjoy them but mainly because they’re one of the first crops […]

My wife is not a picky eater. She starts out her mornings with a forkful of my homemade kimchi, straight out of the jar, followed by a glass of my home-brewed lemon-ginger kombucha. She’ll eat roasted bone marrow, raw oysters, grilled octopus, and beef tongue tacos. At Enoteca Maria in Staten Island, she even shared […]

Made with just four simple ingredients and a few careful techniques, meringue is an elegant dessert shape shifter. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free and relatively low in calories, meringues are a good choice when entertaining a group with dietary restrictions. They can be made several days in advance. Meringue is made by vigorously whipping egg whites […]

I just got back from a lovely visit to New York, spending Easter with my daughter Anne’s family in their Brooklyn apartment. Admittedly, New York City is a bit of a culture shock to this old Midwesterner. There’s no place to park a car, the grandkids can’t just run outside and ride their bikes, and […]

Growing asparagus is an exercise in delayed gratification. Hungry gardeners must wait two to three years after planting asparagus before harvesting their first crop. Once established, however, a well-maintained asparagus patch will give generously for 30 years or more. It also forms tall attractive foliage during the summer and can serve as a screen or […]

I’ve been on a mushroom binge of late. I just finished watching the 2019 Netflix documentary Fantastic Fungi. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend watching it. Now I’m reading Michael Pollan’s 2018 book How To Change Your Mind which delves into the renewed interest in the therapeutic psycho-active properties of certain mushrooms. Because […]

After months of comforting cold weather cuisine, the arrival of fresh spring herbs can add some much needed freshness to mealtime. Even early in the season those lucky enough to have established plantings of herbs in a sheltered spot may already be enjoying some of the most flavorful and nutrient-dense rewards of spring. Chives are […]

My early childhood religious upbringing was predominately guilt-driven, and over the years, many of the things that have given me pleasure – such as butter – have been enshrouded in a veil of guilt. I was born in the 1950s and grew up on margarine. When I went away to college in the 70s and […]

Cupcakes are pure fun. Whether they’re elegant or whimsical, simple or ornate, tender cupcakes topped with decadent frosting are a perfect way to celebrate the arrival of spring. It’s possible to make beautiful creations no matter your experience or skill level and without specialty decorating tools. To begin with, use a reliable recipe and make […]

Restaurants that care about the well-being of their employees make sure that their basic needs are met. At Audrey in Nashville, where I’m employed, work stops every afternoon for a half hour so the team can gather for a communal family meal. The responsibility of preparing family meal rotates through the kitchen staff. Recently it […]