Category Breads

The ever-evolving tradition of bringing a basket of breads to the table at restaurants is often a quandary. The reason you are there is because you are hungry, so it’s very easy to dig into a basket of warm rolls and ruin your appetite. On the other hand, the breads offered are often so mediocre

Loving pears can feel like a dance with a cruel temptress. You’ll see one across the crowded produce aisle, all golden and curvy, aglow with sweet promise. But once you get it home, that seductive pear turns out to be mealy, gritty, or just plain flavorless. But because you once had a pear so breathtakingly

  Sorghum. Maybe one day it will have the same cultural cachet as Quinoa. Quinoa is right up there with lattes and arugula as a signifier of foodie culture. It’s been a long climb, but that Peruvian grain has been embraced by the gourmets, the health conscious, the vegans, the gluten free. And it is

Bao are hot right now. At least if you pay attention to all the chatter about places like Momofuku in NYC. Bao are simply Chinese steamed buns, and they come in many forms. The folded bao that they serve at places like Momofuku are made with a fluffy, sweet white flour bun, that is opened

It’s a fun little game to play: Ask yourself about things you’d take to a desert island. If you could only have one book, one record, etc. So think about it, if you had to pick one single food to take to the desert island, what would it be? (And if you could make up

Have you heard about “aquafaba?” I know, it sounds like some kind of water aerobics, or maybe a hair styling product. But it’s actually good old bean juice. Yes, the cooking water that we usually drain off and throw away has a new use, and a new name. “Aqua” is water, “faba” is bean, so

It’s funny how you find out about things. In October I attended a conference of the American Cereal Chemists International. Let’s just call it “grain nerd heaven.” Cereal chemists from all over the world were sharing technology and research, and there was an exhibit hall filled with cool toys, food ingredients, and information. I was

Bread is the most elemental of foods. Grain, water, salt, and some busy little yeasts to do the heavy lifting. Depending on your level of commitment, it can take days to craft a great loaf. True artisans nurture starters for decades, and slowly ferment their doughs to the peak of perfection. Or, you can be

Got squash? It’s that time of year, and I know I have gotten carried away at the Farmer’s Market a time or two. The piles of orange, blue, green and gold squashes are too gorgeous to pass by without grabbing a few choice ones. It’s ok, since I love squash so much. I’ve even devised

Aah, the enigmatic rhubarb still has me in its thrall. Just walking by the plants gets my mind going, thinking of things to make with those fat, vigorous stalks. At this point, it’s taking up so much room in the garden that I need to use it, just to give the kale and lettuce some