AWEsome Cookery

  A pile of ripe tomatoes and a drizzly day remind me of another soup we used to make in the deli.  This creamy tomato soup is simple and homey, and if it doesn’t bring up good childhood memories hopefully it will create warm fuzzy new ones.     This year I planted climbing beans next to the tomatoes so the tomatoes would benefit from the nitrogen fixing wonders of the leggy legumes, and they completely merged and intermingled on

  Last fall we bought an extra turkey —we love turkey and can’t figure out why we don’t eat it all year round.  This week we cooked it because it’s been so cold and rainy that the idea of a warm oven and turkey aromas sounded cozy and appealing.  The day after turkey-roasting came the stock-making ritual, and we awoke to another rainy chilly day so I was doubly glad to have a that flame and good smell in the

  I know I keep saying this…but this soup really truly was one of the favorites at the Deli.  The silky broth texture was such a treat.   My friend Kristen shared many a great recipe with the Deli and Hmong Market Soup was no exception.  It was adapted from a recipe she brought us from Savoring the Seasons Of the Northern Heartland. . .  Fresh ginger is available these days in most grocery stores, but unless you have creative

  Spring!   It’s here, complete with snow that will soon turn to muddy slush.   I don’t have anything poking through in the garden yet, but our local hoop house gardeners soon will and I’m ready for some good greenery.   This soup was another favorite in the Deli and a great one for spring.  When I started working there in the 90’s it was a tiny operation and I was making things up as I went along.  My

. The foggy night emerged into a sunny day and left behind a Winter Wonderland.  Fern-like crystals of hoar frost on every surface, I had a difficult time keeping my eyes on the road it was so breathtaking.  There is something incredible about the reflected whiteness of snow and frost that helps increase the light and raise our spirits during this season of chill.  We may live in a quieter part of the world, but we do occasionally have frozen

  Making a soup without stock. We all hear that the best way to make a great soup is to use some kind of broth or stock.  But many of us, both professional and home cooks, are often too busy to take that extra step.   In the Deli we had to be very economical with our time so instead of making stock there were three key vegetables added to nearly every soup.  While simmering in the water these veggies

  I love tangents, especially ones that involve geeking out. I spent last weekend with two of my sisters, indoors with the curtains drawn and snacks within easy reach as we ventured into a marathon of the watching Lord of the Rings trilogy (extended version of course).  We ate Hobbity food (bacon, squash, beer, sausage..) and our version of Elvish Lembas whey bread for sustenance during our long adventure. Friday morning we prepped, making the Lembas using Bob’s Red Mill

  These are some photos of my journey home, wandering through old haunts and childhood byways.  VW Beetles are far too adorable to just drive by so I had to stop.  Later that day this sunset brightened my road as I drove northward. . . . . . Light, lemony and brothy, this Greek Lemon and Rice Soup is another lively addition to a spring menu….not to mention a great way to eat kale!  Note that there are still rain

  For many years in my restaurant life I rarely made soups.  Life was about working “The Line”: prepping and pureeing and sautéing and grilling and assembling and plating and decorating.  But then I moved to a slower life.   It did not include ‘cuisine’ or ‘dinner before the theater’ or figuring out ways to use sea urchins.  This new life was about Good Food for The People. I was called to develop a fledgling Deli, and there soup became

  “Fragrant” would be the word for this hearty North African soup. As we continue with the idea of mixing ‘sweet’ spices (like nutmeg) with savory dishes, Harira is a perfect example to try.  Cinnamon and ginger play important roles in this stew, providing a warm spice that earns it a spot on the list of comfort foods even if you’ve had no history with it. . Harira is traditionally served to break the fast at Ramadan and at other

    For a few months now I have now been hoarding my summer goodies that were processed and stored in the freezer.  Those tastes-of-sun treats—the green beans and strawberries and pesto—I keep thinking that I need to wait for that special moment to bring them out.  It’s a small freezer and I did no canning, so the bounty is not endless. But it’s time to stop the saving and begin the archeological dig into the frozen depths to see

. Frost on the windows leaves a new masterpiece every night, and the chilly weather makes me want to eat. Poultry sounds good, but I have no specific plan!  The words Brothy and Hearty come to mind. This process of pondering what to cook raises the question “How is a dish created?“.   For me there are often three elements: 1) A memory or an idea 2) Assessment of my ingredient availability 3) Research. Then taste as I go. Sometimes