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 . . .
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)
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
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