“Hey, sleepyhead, wake up.” I turned my head away and opened one eye just enough to see the lightening grey sky giving way to dawn then shut it again. Even as a six-year-old I didn’t like getting up early. “Wake up.” It was my mom, gently shaking my shoulder. “We’re going to Aunt Bessie and […]
Food & Drink
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It’s the 5th of May, Ole
Do you need an excuse to eat delectable Mexican food and maybe knock back a couple of margaritas or Negro Modelas? I sure don’t. But if you do, Cinco de Mayo provides a perfect opportunity. Most Americans think that Cinco de Mayo is the Mexican equivalent of our Fourth of July. But Mexico’s Independence Day […]
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Queso fundido
1 lb. Mexican white cheese, often labeled as Queso Chihuahua or other mild white cheese such as Monterey Jack. 1/2 c. Mexican chorizo 3/4 c. white onion, thinly sliced 1 medium fresh poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced In a medium skillet, sauté the chorizo until just cooked. Set aside. Return the pan to […]
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Jicama and orange salad
1 large jicama, peeled 3–4 large seedless oranges fresh lime juice pure chile powder (without salt or other spices) cilantro sprigs for garnish Cut the jicama into sticks approximately 3 inches x 1/2 inch x 1/4 inch. Cut the peel off the oranges with a sharp knife so that none of the white pith remains, […]
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Mexican mocha ice cream
1 qt. good quality chocolate ice cream 1 qt. good quality coffee ice cream 1 T. cinnamon Place a large metal bowl in the freezer. Soften the ice creams slightly. Scoop in large chunks into the chilled bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Add the cinnamon and, using the paddle attachment, turn the mixer to medium […]
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Chile-glazed country ribs
8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled 3 ancho chiles 6 guajillo chiles 1/2 c. chicken stock or water 2 T. cider vinegar 2 tsp. ground cumin 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 T. dried oregano, preferably Mexican 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/3 c. honey 1 1/2 tsp. kosher or sea salt, […]
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Spring pottage tonic
This gorgeously vibrant green soup is as delicious as it is nutritious. I’ve never used a precise recipe; just simmered a bunch of whatever greens I grew or could find in water or stock. What follows below is meant more as a guide than something to be strictly followed with specific instructions and amounts. I […]
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Gorging on spring greens
With fresh produce available year round today, it’s almost impossible to realize how much the first edible spring greens were eagerly awaited, and how enthusiastically they were consumed. But it’s not surprising. Think of it: except for those very few wealthy enough to have had hothouses to grow lettuces and fruits, folks who lived in […]
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The glory of Russian Easter
For much of the Western world, the biggest Christian celebration is Christmas – not least these days because it’s become so commercialized. But in other areas Christ’s Resurrection – a.k.a. Easter – is cause for the biggest celebration. Nowhere is that more true than in Russia, and in Russian Orthodox congregations worldwide. It’s not hard […]
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Pashka
I’ve been making Pashka for decades, ever since first reading about Russian Easters in an old, now collectible Time-Life book series, Foods of the World. Initially I made it out of curiosity, but it’s so delicious it’s become part of my family’s non-Russian Easter tradition; something my out-of-town children also make for their Easter feasts. […]
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The fascinating anthropology of Midwestern food
Stuffed – Midwestern sausages, that is. Mother-in-law sandwiches. Journeying through Midwestern sweets and dessert traditions. It’s anthropology of hoof, claw, fin, root and leaf: culinary anthropology. “What in the world is culinary anthropology?” you might well ask. Food anthropologists focus on peoples’ foods and agriculture past and present, how they’ve evolved and how they’ve influenced […]
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A ravioli by any other name
I love ravioli. I’ve always loved them. As a child, they were my inevitably requested birthday dinner. The recipe with a chicken spinach filling came from Italian friends of my grandparents they met when the men worked together in a WWII Joliet defense plant. Nowadays, I don’t have one favorite dish, but ravioli are still […]
