Food & Drink

Making tea sandwiches is a great opportunity to have fun and let your creativity shine. The sandwiches should look pretty, but they should also taste as good as they look. Sandwiches can be open-faced or not. Variations – fillings, garnishes, shapes – are almost limitless. Bread for tea sandwiches should be thin-cut and firm-textured, crusts […]

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 T. chopped parsley, preferably flat-leafed 8 T. (1/2 c.) unsalted butter 2 T. white wine Worcestershire sauce ¼ tsp. freshly ground white pepper, or to taste ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste ¼ tsp. dried mustard 1 heaping T. minced shallot Coarsely chop shrimp, reserving 3 […]

This classic British concoction is most typically used as a spread for scones or toast, but I spread it between cake layers, fill miniature tart shells with it, spread a layer on the bottom of a fresh fruit tart – and have been known to eat a spoonful straight from the jar. It’s delicious made […]

Soupe de Poisson is as much a provençal classic as its more famous cousin, bouillabaisse — and, in my opinion, much better. Adding fish or shellfish makes it more substantial, but the soup is traditional with or without. Large pinch saffron, crumbled 3/4 c. dry white wine or vermouth 2 c. chopped onion, not supersweet […]

Approximately 2 lbs. fish bones, heads, and trimmings or seafood shells or heads. Do NOT use oily-type fish such as salmon, trout or mackerel Stalks from 1 fennel bulb 1 tsp. dried tarragon 1 T. peppercorns 1 bay leaf 3-4 cloves garlic 1 stalk celery 1 small onion, NOT supersweet, quartered 3-4 parsley sprigs or […]

This spicy, garlicky provençal mayonnaise is good not only with Soupe de Poisson, but as a sandwich spread, sauce for shrimp, base for a salad dressing, and anything else where a spicy aioli would be suitable. In Spain, a similar version is used as a condiment with paella. If you’re in a hurry, or have […]

Rice and beans are ubiquitous throughout the Southwestern U.S., Mexico, Central and South America, well as the Caribbean and other parts of the world. The beans differ – black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, pigeon peas, etc., but the preparation is essentially the same. Cheap staples that provide healthy nutrition are combined with aromatics like […]

This classic Haitian condiment can be found on every table, sometimes even when there isn’t a table. The liquid is used as a hot sauce; in other dishes the thinly sliced vegetables are a sort of slaw/pickle condiment for meat or vegetable preparations. Scotch bonnet peppers are traditional –– but their close relatives, habañeros, can […]