My Bohemian grandmother used caraway seed in her cooking all the time – in soft and salty rye bread, with dill in scrambled eggs, with pork loins and bread dumplings with sauerkraut – even in the Thanksgiving sage stuffing. It has a distinctive flavor that I’ve always loved, and if you haven’t tried it on your Thanksgiving turkey, this might be the year. And the gravy from the caraway-rich drippings! Don’t miss it – it’s amazing, maybe the best thing […]
This is a decadent autumn soup very similar to one we used to serve at the White House. It was so good that people would scrape their bowls to finish it. I like soups for a first course in the fall and winter, in small cream-colored soup bowls. The smaller, handled bowls hold just enough to whet the appetite for the rest of the meal, and it’s a simple and comforting beginning. It would make a great starter for a […]
What’s better than sitting around on a frosty evening with a nice hot apple-y drink to warm the cockles of your heart? I use ginger liqueur in cakes and breads, but it’s especially fab in a bracing cold-weather toddy. If you’re feeling sniffly at all, it’s like the best-tasting liquid cough drop you’ve ever had, ushering you off to a deep and dreamless sleep. Hot apple cider with a dash of cinnamon and some grated fresh ginger are easy to […]
I’m a lazy cook. I like recipes with fewer ingredients that aren’t too complicated, especially foods that are adaptable for different kinds of meals. This mushroom soup can be an elegant starter (wonderful for a Thanksgiving dinner if you’re already thinking about the holidays) or a substantial entree with the addition of wild rice. You might see this on a menu and think, ‘Mushroom soup – meh.’ But it’s rich and nourishing, and with the addition of caraway rye crackers […]
Brussels sprouts are still having their moment. This long-maligned veg has found its audience, with new recipes popping up on the best food blogs and cooking magazines. This recipe is an old favorite, adapted from the Cheesemonger’s Seasons, a great cookbook for putting fruits, vegetables, and cheeses together in unexpectedly delicious ways. I substituted the Podda cheese, which I had trouble finding, with manchego (sheep’s milk) cheese, but you can also use gruyere. It takes a little time to “leaf” […]
