The association of food with love and making love is as old as, well, food and love themselves. From Marc Anthony feeding grapes to Cleopatra, to the Aztec Emperor Montezuma drinking 50 cups of chile-spiked chocolate each day to keep his 200 wives satisfied, to the 18th century Italian, Casanova, who consumed 50-plus oysters daily […]
Food & Drink
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The original Leland Hotel horseshoe sauce
Wables was right: the secret to good horseshoe sauce is good cheddar. Use at least sharp cheddar; I prefer extra-sharp. The original specifies Kraft’s Old English Cheddar. Apparently it’s still produced, but I’ve never been able to find it. Do NOT use pre-grated cheese; it’s coated with a substance that keeps the shreds separate, which […]
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What happened to horseshoes?
“They’re just not elegant anymore,” my mother sighed. Horseshoes? Elegant? Springfield’s iconic dish that almost inevitably appears on our pubs’ and casual eating establishments’ menus? The gargantuan pig-out preparation beloved of Springfield area residents that’s often viewed with disbelief by visitors? “Do you folks actually eat those things?” asked Peter Segal, host of NPR’s “Wait, […]
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Grilled mexican wings, Sinaloa-style
This lusciously herbaceous-orange marinade comes from the Mexican state of Sinaloa by way of Chicago’s Rick Bayless. 4 lbs. chicken wings, tips removed and reserved for stock, cut into individual sections 1 c. coarsely chopped white onion (NOT super-sweet) 8 cloves garlic, peeled 1 1/2 c. orange juice 1 tsp EACH dried thyme, marjoram and […]
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Grilled Southeast Asian wings
Though this recipe comes from New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse, it utilizes classic Southeast Asian ingredients. 3 lbs. chicken wings, tips removed, then halved 4 scallions 2 T. roughly chopped garlic 1/4 c. chopped shallots 1/4 c. chopped fresh ginger 1/2 c. roughly chopped lemongrass bottoms 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar 1/3 c. fish […]
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Apricot lime chicken wings
These sweet-tart wings are a hit with both kids and adults. 8 lbs. chicken wings 1 c. fresh lime juice (approximately 8 to 10 limes) 1 c. apricot preserves 1 c. soy sauce 1/2 c. honey or dark brown sugar 1 T. minced garlic Preheat oven to 375F. Cut off wing tips, reserving the tips […]
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Spicy wings with eastern Mediterranean flavors
An eastern Mediterranean riff on traditional Buffalo wings, this is adapted from a recipe of Iron Chef Michael Symon’s. 5 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, then halved 2 T. coriander seeds 1 tsp. cumin seeds 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2 T. kosher salt 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil 1/3 cup Sriracha chile sauce, available in most […]
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Winging it
Chicken wings are wildly popular. Entire restaurants – entire restaurant chains – are centered around them. They’ve become one of America’s favorite appetizers, party pleasers, bar snacks, tailgate treats, heck, one of America’s favorite foods. But 50 years ago chicken wings were barely visible on America’s culinary landscape. Chefs used them – if at all […]
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So long, Charlie
If you aren’t interested in gastronomy, you probably haven’t heard of Charlie Trotter. If you are, you know that Trotter exploded onto the dining scene 25 years ago. His Chicago restaurant, Charlie Trotter’s, soon became one of the top – many said the top – dining destinations in America, known for groundbreaking cuisine as well […]
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Of beets and borscht
The best chefs are always searching for new ingredients to expand their culinary creativity. Often those ingredients aren’t really new, but have only recently become available. It may be a Middle Eastern spice mixture, or a fruit, such as the Indonesian mangosteen, that’s only recently been approved for import to the U.S. Old-become-new heritage breeds […]
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Basic instructions for cooking beets
Rather than boiling beets, most cooks prefer baking them: it’s easier, there’s less mess and they retain more flavor and nutrition. Preheat the oven to 375. If the beets have stems and leaves, cut them off leaving about two inches of stems attached. Scrub well. Wrap in a foil packet in one layer, sealing the […]
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Borscht
Aside from pickling, the best-known beet preparation has long been borscht, a soup that originated in Eastern Europe and Russia. It’s particularly associated with Ashkenazi Jews (Jews who live in or whose ancestors came from those areas), so much so that the area in upstate New York with numerous summer resorts that was a popular […]
