When I began waiting tables at The Provinces during my college days, I already a très sophistiqué understanding of French Cuisine from my tenure as a professional Crêpe Assembler (actual job title) at the Magic Pan. Additionally my authority was bolstered by my mastery of "Instant Haute … [Read more...]
QANTAS BARRAMUNDI MACADAMIA: GOURMET RECIPE
Why a recipe for sautéed barramundi from the flight galleys of Qantas (Queensland and Northern Territory Services, founded 1920)? Long gone are the days when you'd dial up the travel agent, book your airline trip and anxiously await the tickets in the mail. The subtle excitement of soaring the "Friendly Skies" aboard gleaming … [Read more...]
BAY LEAF ROASTED NEW POTATOES: LORENZA DE’MEDICI
If ever I need to retreat to a happy place, I can turn to my well-thumbed copy of "The Renaissance of Italian Cooking" by Lorenza de'Medici. Her roasted baby potatoes, each with its own blade of bay leaf riding high across the top like a dorsal fin, makes me smile. I believe this was her first cookbook (I got it in the … [Read more...]
THE BEST THANKSGIVING RECIPES FROM SPECTACULARLY DELICIOUS
As the big day approaches, here's a quick guide to some of the best Spectacularly Delicious Thanksgiving-appropriate recipes. Make them yourself or assign them to the "Is there anything I can bring?" Less work for daddy and happiness all around. Start out with the new Brussels Sprouts Hash with Bacon recipe. Even if you can't get to a fresh … [Read more...]
BRUSSELS SPROUTS HASH WITH BACON
You want drama? I'll give you drama. Brussels Sprouts Hash with Bacon recipe drama. Bring one of these bad boys to your Thanksgiving feast preparations with your trusty mandolin and you'll put on quite a show. Dream-boat Celeb chef Tyler Florence demoted this recipe at the S.D. Culinary you might recall I was posting about a few weeks ago. This is his … [Read more...]
A SPECTACULAR CELEBRATION OF POMEGRANATES!
I happily accepted POM Wonderful's invitation to host an all-things-pomegranate dinner party. And what do you know? In short order an enormous box of the brightest fresh fruits arrived at our door. Now it was up to us: we needed to dazzle them with new recipes, fabulous decor and fun times. No sweat. That's the way we roll at … [Read more...]
POMEGRANATE CHICKEN THIGHS: SHAH OF IRAN
Working on this pomegranate theme, I wanted to create an extra-special, super tasty main dish. My efforts paid off! This recipe for pomegranate chicken thighs was such a regal treat I've dedicated it to a couple of really classy royals, The Shah of Iran and his glamorous Shahbanu Farah Diba. At the risk of going a little Marge Schott on … [Read more...]
PICKLED SEABEANS (SALICORNIA)
Down at East Hampton's Three Mile Harbor, already mentioned about 100 times in S.D. posts about clams and oysters and the like, I've long eyed the lush clumps of Salicornia. This stalky succulent thrives in the salt marshes at water's edge, and now, at long last, I've been turned onto a great new recipe … [Read more...]
TOSTONES ZOILA
Flipping Out's Jeff Lewis yells downstairs to a sleeping Zoila: "Zoila, ZOILA! Wake up, get up here, we need you." "Cheffrey, I sleeping. I'm in pajamas. I not wearing a bra." "Get up here, now, we need you." Recently House Beautiful editor Newell Turner and I were invited to Valley Oak to talk about the Rock Center … [Read more...]
PROVOLETA: THE MELTED CHEESE OF ARGENTINA
All hail the voluptuous splendor of melted cheese! Make way for the glorious recipe for provoleta! Let it be known that mighty Argentina has enthroned provoleta -- oozy, chewy, spicy,melted provolone -- on the Olympus of melted cheese dishes. Visiting Buenos Aires for the first time this past spring, Steve and I had all the fun that … [Read more...]