From Scratch

Raspberries are on sale so I bought some over the weekend, thinking a cake would be good. I make a couple elaborate cakes with these fabulous berries but, my goodness, it’s summer. I want something fast, refreshing and, if possible, not too sinful.
And this is it. Creamy on top, somewhat sweet, somewhat tart, loaded with appeal […]

Even with a roadside sign, this tiny farmers’ market is easy to miss, tucked as it is in the verdant front grounds of a New England church.

I was in a bit of a rush, as usual, but of course I stopped. The line between “almost late” and “late” is a fine one and I was […]

The current issue of Consumer Reports can help us to save some money in the kitchen, whether it’s appliances we’re in the market for or some remodeling.
It has published a list of the top ten things it thinks are overhyped, from turbo-charged dishwashers to trendy, beautiful countertops that might not be worth their considerable expense. Top […]

Even though many cartoonists focused on the controversy regarding Barry Bonds’ record-breaking homer this week, I still prefer the cartoon I chose two weeks ago. It makes the point cleverly while honoring Hank Aaron.
So today it’s not one cartoon but 25, a slide show of Hillary Clinton cartoons. Love her or hate her — and I […]

Chicken is such a staple in this house that if I posted a recipe every time I make it I would have to rename the blog Cluck Cluck. I’m always surprised to hear someone say chicken is too boring to bother with; to me it’s a blank canvas just waiting for flavors.
These Asian flavors are […]

Bravo to Bravo for coming to its senses and giving Anthony Bourdain his own blog for the rest of Top Chef Season 3. He’s been filling in as blogger for head judge Chef Tom Colicchio and his sharp writing is always worth reading, in my opinion. Sometimes his frustration jumps off the page, as it does […]

From grunts to galettes and turnovers to tartlettes, the good folks at Fine Cooking have put together a special feature called Summer Berry Desserts, with a dozen seasonal recipes to enjoy. They had people like me in mind when they wrote, “It’s a truism that berries at the height of their season are best served […]

Something I read last night is still bothering me. A new study that went beyond the impact of fast food advertising on kids found an early awareness of — and preference for — foods branded McDonald’s.
Dr. Thomas Robinson, a Stanford University obesity prevention expert, bought a bunch of food at McDonald’s. Some was left in […]

“Oven fried” is an oxymoron, but I’ve tried several recipes over the years in hopes of a healthier alternative to fried chicken, and perhaps you have too. If the taste is good, the texture is not and vice versa. So I keep trying, and this is the latest, which is from the anonymous staff of […]

The origin of hummus can be told in three words: lost to antiquity. It’s been around for thousands of years, in the Middle East, the Mediterranean and parts of India. While the word “hummus” is Arabic for chick pea, the primary ingredient, most of us use the word for the popular dip and spread, which […]

No, I’m not thrilled about Murdoch buying the Journal either, but there seems to be an element of pot-kettle-black in some of the hand-wringing, as Wright of the Detroit News reminded us Thursday.
 Related: Cartoon of the week - 6/3
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This one’s personal. Irish music legend Tommy Makem died yesterday of lung cancer here in New Hampshire, his adopted home for decades. He was 74. He, along with the Clancy Brothers, became household names with their Ed Sullivan Show appearances in the early Sixties. He also performed solo, never failing to bring down a house […]

Republican Senator John McCain has changed his mind about illegal immigrants.
At one time he championed a bill that would have enabled many of the estimated 12 million illegal aliens in the US to achieve citizenship through a guest worker program. The bill failed earlier this year and McCain, whose presidential campaign is also failing, has a […]

Nature seems to conspire against us at times. Peaches are peak right now, for a short time, but it’s way too hot to turn on the oven to bake a luscious pie. What’s a peach lover to do?
This peach lover decided to try a recipe that’s been sitting in the files for so long it was typed. […]

Someone who is just beginning to cook emailed me and asked, rather shyly, if I have a “real” recipe for pork chops, not just a mention of pork brined in a few ingredients, as in yesterday’s rice timbales post. I replied with this recipe, which produces moist and flavorful chops, as long as they’re not overcooked.
Since […]