Okay, folks, I think I might have a pita addiction problem–I love the whole-wheat variety the way Imelda Marcos loves shoes. But dang it, pitas are just so handy to have in the kitchen! I threw together a mini spinach pizza yesterday for a quick lunch and thought it was one of the tastiest things [...]
Whether you’re making this for lunch or an appetizer, Gruyere cheese and spinach are classy companions to the crabmeat. (Spinach, I’m finding out, acquires much more versatility when the leaves are rolled up and then sliced thinly across to make a chiffonade.) Serve these quesadillas with a side of fresh salsa for an even more [...]
Vinegar is what wine becomes when it ferments for a second time. A microorganism naturally present in the air mixes with the wine (or cider, malt, or rice alcohol), forms a layer on top of the wine, and then drifts down through it, transforming the alcohol into acetic acid. How smooth the finished vinegar is [...]
Continue reading about Vinegar, the Other White (and Red) Wine
A pavlova is a baked meringue shell topped with fruit or sauce. (And yes, it’s named after a Russian ballerina.) Pavlovas are very simple to make, yet never fail to impress. I topped this one with a kiwi pureé, diced mangoes, and pomegranate seeds. It’s a flavorful, visually-stunning dessert…and it’s fat-free! Not only that, kiwis [...]
With the seafood/fishing industry fast becoming the next big agribusiness, there is increasing concern about the level of contaminants in seafood as well as the environmental impact of many of the large-scale fish farms. (The shrimp industry in Thailand being a recent example.) In some waters–both domestic and international–species are being decimated; where Atlantic cod [...]
Healthy substitutions strike again, this time in the name of one of America’s favorite comfort foods! I’ve reduced the amount of saturated fat in this recipe by using sharper-tasting Feta and naturally-lower-in-fat mozzarella in place of the traditional Cheddar. I will warn you, however, that this tastes quite a bit different than the orange variety–this [...]
Persimmons are an exotic and versatile fall/winter fruit. Their bright-orange flesh and mildly-sweet flavor means they’re equally at home adorning a salad or sliced and served plain. They’re also sturdy enough to be sauteéd and are a particularly good match for chicken. Try adding a peeled and cored persimmon to your fruit smoothies to add [...]
You may have seen the giant, dark-green leaves and wondered how to use them. Chard (also called Swiss Chard and Green Swiss) belongs to the cultivated greens family. (As opposed to “wild” greens such as purslane and nettles, which have to be foraged.) Like all green, leafy vegetables, chard is high in iron, vitamins A [...]
