Posts Tagged ‘Recipes’
Never Too Many Tomatoes
Posted on: September 5, 2012
- In: Food
- 4 Comments
Theoretically, you may be on a tight budget this month, due to last month’s lobster binge. That’s ok. Today’s recipes are not only gloriously cheap, but delightfully simple, which is equally important if, like me, you are feeling sloth-like in these final dog days of summer. This time of year
is defined by one thing for me: tomato season. About 70% of the time, I’m pretty much a snob about eating what’s in season locally. (The remaining 30% is composed mostly of an unwavering dedication to tropical offerings such as bananas. Seriously, a world without bananas?) Tomatoes are one of those foods that I preach about incessantly. They just don’t taste like much when they come off a truck from Mexico in the middle of December. So, when they’re good and fresh I hoard them like a squirrel would his nuts. Lucky for the squirrels, nuts stay fresh a lot longer than tomatoes. So, if you find yourself with a few too many ripe tomatoes this season (and I hope you do), I recommend using them in the following ways. Read the rest of this entry »
- In: Food
- 6 Comments
All right, you’ve seen and heard it everywhere: we are experiencing a glut of lobster this season. Yes, a glut. This word alone seems to have infiltrated the world at a higher rate than the actual lobsters it’s describing, but never mind. The lobsters are everywhere, and basically asking to be eaten! Growing up, I vacationed in Maine every summer with my family. It took until my early teens to appreciate the glory of a fresh lobster, but upon enlightenment I made great, eager strides to make up for lost time. Never in all my years of Maine-ing, however, did it ever occur to me that I could make my own lobster. Since most lobster in the northeast comes from Maine anyway, I never had the desire to cook one at home; I always waited patiently until August to eat a lobster from the motherland. Read the rest of this entry »
This Is My Jam
Posted on: August 8, 2012
- In: Food | Uncategorized
- 6 Comments
Some women compulsively buy shoes. Others prefer handbags. Me? I have a berry problem. Straw, rasp, black, blue, mul – you name it. I love berries in all their juicy, staining glory. I have written before about my untamable desire to buy produce, but it’s a good berry that really drives me wild. The jewel-toned colors, the sweet-tart pucker, their welcome place in oatmeal and pancakes! J’adore. The only downside is how fleeting their season really is. But I shall teach you to make summer last forever! [Insert villainous laugh.] Read the rest of this entry »
Presto! It’s Pesto
Posted on: July 25, 2012
- In: Food
- 7 Comments
I present to you a perfect summer recipe, with just a single caveat: this is not a first date food. Pesto is on a short list of dishes I can’t in good conscience recommend for times when you might perhaps want to feel and/or look sexy. This list, for your consideration, includes: sushi (nothing sexier than realizing mid-bite that maybe that piece was a little too big for one mouthful), lobster (the bibs make me feel ridiculous, but, hey, if your first date includes lobster, this person is probably a keeper; I take it back), BBQ ribs, and corn on the cob (the latter two for the same obvious reason). Pesto earns a spot on the list because it typically leaves me with a very green smile and some garlic breath. Hot. Read the rest of this entry »
Red, White, and Tipsy
Posted on: July 4, 2012
- In: Drinks | Food
- 3 Comments
My ideal 4th of July consists of a long weekend filled with BBQs, picnics, and a cold beer or fruity sangria (or both (but not together, ew)). Unfortunately, I’m no master brewer, so I won’t be teaching you how to make beer today, but I figured I’d equip you with the knowledge to conquer the other elements of a relaxing July 4th. And should it be the case that you’re just getting started on your holiday plans right now, you’re in luck! Neither of these recipes involves much forethought (though they both benefit from it), so you can be on your way to your BBQ/picnic/cookout/potluck in no time. Read the rest of this entry »
Perhaps It Won’t Be a Pie
Posted on: June 6, 2012
- In: Food | Uncategorized
- 4 Comments
For someone who cooks as much as I do, it’s something of a wonder that I’ve made it this far in life without ever having baked (or even eaten!) strawberry-rhubarb pie. It’s relatively standard as far as spring-time pies go, and I know what rhubarb is all about (looks like red celery; leaves are poisonous), but I’ve just never done it. I decided this would be the year I add strawberry-rhubarb pie to my portfolio. Read the rest of this entry »
Cook It, Don’t Buy It!
Posted on: May 9, 2012
- In: Food
- 8 Comments
For about a year I wrote for Mark Bittman, a culinary role model of mine. I would cook and photograph a selection of his recipes each week and write about what happened in the kitchen, to make it easier for other non-professional home cooks to follow along. If you don’t know Mark’s style, it’s very much about making cooking accessible. Not boring and not dumbed down, but simple, delicious, and do-able. And while the recipes are not all easy, per se, they encourage experimentation and exploration. Most recipes have options. Don’t have lemon? Try lime. Don’t have a clue what lacinato kale is or where to get it? Use spinach. Don’t have time to fully caramelize onions? Try this trick to speed it up. You can make it your own by trying out different flavor combinations and cooking methods. You can almost always get creative with proportions. The idea is that there’s no one right way to cook a dish. Unless something gets set on fire. That’s almost always the wrong way to cook.
Why Ramps Make People Giddy
Posted on: April 11, 2012
- In: Food
- 4 Comments
If you are in the business of reading food blogs, you know that the word of the moment is ramps. This much is clear. But perhaps less obvious is why on earth these weedy, reedy looking plants might cause such a stir. To me, ramps are like the poor man’s truffle. They’re elusive (their season arrives with the first inklings of spring and departs as soon as you realize how amazing they are). They’re unexpected (creamy is not be a word you’d be quick to associate with some haggard-looking scallion). They’re delightful (no parenthetical description needed).
When I discovered them last year at the farmer’s market, I was eager to buy a bunch, mainly because of the way people seemed to be gravitating toward them (my mind hearkens back to the excitement of seeing a Tickle Me Elmo on the shelf of a toy store, circa 1996). The simplicity of the word written on the cardboard sign, “RAMPS,” was minimalist enough to intrigue. Like the Madonna of spring onions: no explanation necessary. The helpful vendor told me to, “like, sauté them or whatever,” which was surprisingly adequate advice. It’s hard to mess these guys up. Just a rinse, a chop, and a 3 minute sauté, and you’re on your way to rampy bliss.
Cookie Season
Posted on: March 28, 2012
- In: Food
- 3 Comments
March has come in like a lamb and out like a lion, it seems. I had to revive my gloves today! Gloves! The horror. Thankfully, regardless of the irreverent spring weather, March means one thing for sure: Girl Scout cookie season. Unfortunately, I don’t know any 8 year olds these days, and since I don’t work in a traditional office, I don’t have co-workers vying for my cookie purchases on behalf of their daughters. This means that sometimes Girl Scout cookie season comes and goes before I have time to even register that I’m missing out. This year, however, my connection to the food world has paid off in the form of one complimentary box of Savannah Smiles, the newest Girl Scout cookie, sent from the Girl Scouts of Nassau County,Long Island. My status as a food blogger (and long time GS cookie connoisseur) qualifies me as an official cookie reviewer! Score!
- In: Food | South by Southwest
- 3 Comments
In honor of Front Psych’s visit to SXSW, I thought it only appropriate to write my column Texas-style this week, i.e., about beef. For about a year I
traveled to Dallas for work on a nearly weekly basis. I was introduced to traditional Dallas BBQ, excellent molé sauce, and 64oz Slurpees (everything’s bigger…). And I can say with confidence that Texans really do love their beef.
If you’re familiar with the movie Food Inc., what I’m about to say will probably resonate with you. The film takes a deep look at mass production of meat in this country, and ever since seeing it, I have been much choosier about where and when I eat meat. I try to avoid it at restaurants unless I know they value high quality products or, even better, if they list the farms where their food comes from. I’m not Portlandia-level crazy about it, but I do my best.
Anyway, despite Texas being the beef capital of America, I didn’t eat a whole lot of red meat. However, getting flack from my male friends about my steak-free Texan diet, I decided to make the journey to Fort Worth, about an hour from my hotel, to get my hands on what I had heard was some seriously good steak at The Lonesome Dove. This restaurant is known for sourcing local products and grass fed beef, and I figured it would be my best shot at satisfying my desire to try Texas steak without letting my values slip. It was undeniably delicious (juicy, tender, buttery), and my first real glimpse at the difference between high quality meat and everything else.
Frontier Psychiatrist 