Which food tradition has been Switzerland’s best gift to the world, fondue or chocolate creations? I think it’s a draw — life without cheese or chocolate would be difficult. (Although it is possible to do some amazingly cheese-like things with nuts/seeds and tamari. If you don’t believe me, just try some dried kale chips dusted [...]
What to do with all those perfectly ripe and sweet summer tomatoes? Not to mention peppers and onions and beets … as Shakespeare might say, ’tis a delightful dilemma. Last week, I chose to resolve that dilemma — my garden is kicking into High Tomato Season — by putting all of my random leftovers together [...]
Last summer, my mother (a.k.a., the original “Cultured Cook”!) and I headed west across the mitten of Michigan to attend one of the nation’s top culinary events, the Epicurean Classic. We got to see and occasionally sample everything from organic, Michigan-grown white tea to an array of top-notch estate olive oils. Plenty of chefs, cookbook [...]
Caponata is an Italian dish consisting of marinated eggplants and other chopped vegetables served with a healthy wedge of bread. Moroccans, too, present vegetables in a variety of ways–from stews to relishes to tagines–and they often include flatbread for dipping. Why not combine the two cuisines? And while we’re at it, let’s top the dish [...]
