Food & Drink

My wife is a film buff. When we travel, she likes to visit locations where movies were filmed. We once camped at Dames Ferry State Park in Juliette, Georgia, so she could see the Whistle Stop Café, the site of Fried Green Tomatoes. While visiting her sister-in-law in Woodstock, we danced to the Pennsylvania Polka […]

It’s birthday season in our household. Three of us have January birthdays, including my grandmother, who will celebrate her 92nd birthday this year. Our family matriarch loves all things lemon so this year I’m planning to make her favorite, mile-high lemon meringue pie. The recipe for this uniquely American pie was developed in Philadelphia in […]

It was the last night of a jam band music festival in Wisconsin, 250 miles northwest of Chicago. I had accepted an invitation to be a guest on my friend Bud’s hippie bus before remembering that my wedding anniversary was that Sunday. As a compromise, I suggested to my wife that she take Amtrak to […]

In this fast-paced world, one thing is certain: The best diet is whatever works for you. Whether keto, paleo, Mediterranean, Weight Watchers, vegan or just old-school calorie counting, folks trying to improve their wellbeing almost universally need to increase their intake of fresh, nutrient-dense veggies while reducing their consumption of processed foods. However, anyone who’s […]

“Why do you always put alcohol in desserts?” asked my 12-year-old in a singularly judgmental tone unique to adolescents. I paused with a bottle of brandy hovering over the edge of my stand mixer as it worked to cream butter and sugar. “Well, it’s cheaper than vanilla,” I responded. Indeed vanilla prices have been spiking […]

The holiday season is upon us, and for the curious cooks and bakers in our lives, there’s no better gift than a new cookbook to inspire their culinary adventures. This fall saw the release of several wonderful cookbooks that are sure to spark creativity. These are my top picks for the best new cookbooks for […]

When planning a holiday soiree you may want to pull out your finest china, splurge on a big roast and treat your guests to fancy hors d’oeuvres. Other occasions, however, call for a more casual, laid back and economical approach. A winter soup and salad party is a delicious theme, made even better thanks to […]

Once upon a time, before my hair turned gray, my teenage children “kidnapped” me for my birthday and drove me up to Chicago for a Cubs game, followed by dinner at a Colombian restaurant. Our overly aggressive server, who reeked of cannabis, recommended the “combination” platter. My daughter, who was a vegetarian, requested a meatless […]

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love your attractive yellow and green striped skin. I love your light orange flesh and mild, sweet, almost nutty flavor. I love your compact size. I love that you are easy to slice through and your tender edible skin doesn’t require peeling. You cook […]

However you celebrate the holidays, the lengthening nights that mark the approach of winter solstice call for cozy cooking and spending time with the people you love. Whether you’re prepping for a big family get-together or just want to make the most of baking and soup season, having a clean and organized space will help […]

Over my five-year career as a chef, I’ve made thousands of ravioli. I was once the pasta maker at Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis and Pastaria in Nashville. A raviolo (the singular of ravioli) is a type of dumpling with a filling sealed between two thin layers of pasta dough. At both restaurants, I made […]