Your mother probably told you not to play with your food. But did she tell you not to play your food? As Morgen described on Interesting Thing of the Day, the members of the Vienna Vegetable Orchestra do just that. The morning of each performance, they go shopping at a local produce market and pick […]
During our first several weeks living here in Paris, we became accustomed to shopping at either of two local supermarkets, a Monoprix and an ATAC. Both of them have a pretty good selection of the basics, though their prices are typically higher, and their freshness typically poorer, than any of the outdoor markets. Still, there […]
I came to France for the bread. There, I said it. OK, I had lots of reasons for moving to France, but even though I joke about it, it’s absolutely true: I have what some might call an unnatural fondness for traditional French breads—especially baguettes. I’ve gotten into several arguments animated discussions recently about whether […]
Contrary to what every cookbook instructs, I’ve frequently cooked pasta in the following unorthodox manner: put the dry pasta and just enough water in the pot, turn on the heat, and turn it off when the liquid is all absorbed. In other words, somewhat like the way you cook rice (though uncovered). No draining, no […]
Before leaving California, I got to sample the latest innovation in energy bars from a local (San Francisco) company: bars you can bake yourself. The idea behind Matisse & Jack’s TrailBlaze Bake-at-Home Energy Bars is that you get the same nutritional benefits of a commercial bar (if not more), but with all-natural ingredients, without all […]
Last year, following the step-by-step advice in a well-known cooking magazine, I decorated a batch of holiday cookies. My efforts yielded a ghastly mess of smeared, melted, and clotted sugar. This year, I headed over to the local Sur la Table store to take a class from a professional cake and cookie decorator. It was […]
A few weeks ago a new eatery opened just a few blocks away from my home in the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco. Called Eggettes, it’s located at 2810 Diamond Street, in the space formerly occupied by Dr. Video. While the store was being renovated, I could tell from the decor that it was […]
When it comes to whipped cream—one of my all-time favorite edible substances—I’ve always been a purist. Freshly whipped cream (sweetened with a bit of sugar, and with maybe just a hint of vanilla) tastes best to me, and I’ve never considered the process of sticking a mixer into a bowl of cold cream to be […]
Now that your jack-o-lantern has enjoyed its moment of glory on the front steps, it’s time to turn your attention to the pumpkin’s smaller—and far more edible—relatives. The botanical family name Cucurbitaceae covers everything from cucumbers and melons to gourds, pumpkins, and squash. If you’ve found yourself standing in the supermarket puzzling over a display […]
Over on SenseList today, I posted a list of 70 different things you can get in the mail every month with a subscription. More than half of these are foods. I’ve personally been a member of a fruit-of-the-month club and a chocolate-of-the-month club, and for a while we subscribed to the Illy a Casa program […]
