And so I obliged her, digging into one of my favorite recipe books, The Foods of Italy by the late great Giuliano Bugialli, who was a guest on my television show in the 1990s. Bugialli was a champion of simple, authentic vegetable dishes from all over Italy. I found a variety of his insalata recipes … Continue reading My daughter asked for ‘various salads’ for a birthday dinner . . .
Proustian memory: Steamed windows and chop suey
A Proustian memory is the sudden, involuntary recall of a forgotten moment or experience, triggered by an aroma, taste or touch. It was a madeleine dipped in tea that sent Marcel Proust back in time. My latest Proustian memory — I’ve had many — occurred during a search for a recipe for French cassoulet. I … Continue reading Proustian memory: Steamed windows and chop suey
Annual Reminder: The official sandwich of Labor Day
Pardon me if you've heard this before, but as a champion of a good peppers-and-eggs sandwich I feel a need to keep reminding American workers -- and retired workers -- that it constitutes the official meal of Labor Day. It was so established in 2014 in the void of any official dish being associated with … Continue reading Annual Reminder: The official sandwich of Labor Day
Dan Can Cook: Swiss chard quiche (or maybe a pie)
If you run into a massive pile of Swiss chard — from your garden or from a neighbor’s or, in my case, from my daughter Julia’s — here’s a delicious way to dispose of it: Make a quiche or pie. Wash, break in half and blanch a bunch of chard with the stems; after a few … Continue reading Dan Can Cook: Swiss chard quiche (or maybe a pie)
In praise of San Marzano
Our San Marzano tomatoes, the Champagne of plum tomatoes, are starting to come in, though apparently it’s a violation of European Union rules to call them San Marzano tomatoes when they are grown in a Baltimore backyard or anywhere other than in the Sarno Valley of Italy. The Italians will dispatch consiglieres and Carbiniere if … Continue reading In praise of San Marzano
Tortellini: The aroma of things past
Ever had a Proustian memory? Clinically speaking, it’s the “involuntary memory” triggered by the senses: something you taste or smell or see for the briefest moment. Marcel Proust famously described it in a passage from his book, À la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past, or In Search of Lost Time), when he … Continue reading Tortellini: The aroma of things past
Tinned dinner: Yes, you can
Tinned fish has become a thing in American cuisine -- mainly because of the nutritional values of the types of fish that end up in cans. Sardines, for instance, are a good source of selenium, a mineral that acts as an antioxidant and produces glutathione, another antioxidant, according to the pre-DOGE National Institutes of Health. … Continue reading Tinned dinner: Yes, you can
The French Butter Bell: Le beurrier
The French butter bell is having a moment in social media. It has been around for several centuries, at least in Europe. The bell allows you to safely leave butter at room temperature so that it's soft when want it to be -- for spreading on baguette or brioche, crepe or pancake, waffle or whatever. … Continue reading The French Butter Bell: Le beurrier
A long Russian war on Ukraine will lead to more world hunger
This is an expanded version of my Baltimore Sun column of May 11, 2022. Russia’s unconscionable war on Ukraine could likely ignite a food catastrophe in parts of the world already dealing with shortages due to drought and the long-term effects of the pandemic. Staff from Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services (CRS) are seeing first-hand the … Continue reading A long Russian war on Ukraine will lead to more world hunger
My 20-step plan to cook multiple meals and get the house warmed up at the same time
It's winter so I again offer my 20-step plan for staying warm and sufficiently fed, making optimum use of the stove for heating and for creating several meals. My plan involves a few hours of early-morning cooking, which compensates for the inadequacies of your home-heating system, and you'll get a good workout, an exercise in … Continue reading My 20-step plan to cook multiple meals and get the house warmed up at the same time
Dan Rodricks 