RECIPE: Beef Cacciatore

[1] Beef cacciatore: Hearty food for a cold day (photo courtesy Touchwood Editions). [2] Fig is one of several flavors of Lucero fruit-infused balsamic vinegars. [3] The cookbook “Italy: Recipes For Olive Oil & Vinegar Lovers,” from which the Beef Cacciatore recipe is excerpted (photo courtesy Touchwood Editions).   It’s freezing across 75% of the…
Continue reading “RECIPE: Beef Cacciatore”

FOOD HOLIDAY: The History Of Blondies For National Blondie Day

January 22nd is National Blondie Day, a confection also called blond brownies and butterscotch brownies. (To add to the confusion, May 9th is National Butterscotch Brownie Day.) The shape and texture are similar to chocolate brownies, but the ingredients are different. Blondies substitute vanilla for brownies’ cocoa powder. They contain brown sugar instead of white…
Continue reading “FOOD HOLIDAY: The History Of Blondies For National Blondie Day”

TIP OF THE DAY: Posole, A Mexican Stew That Sticks To Your Ribs

On a freezing day like today, cook something that will stick to your ribs. One option is the Mexican dish, posole (also spelled pozole). While Americans eat lots of burritos, enchiladas, tacos and tostadas, not many outside the Southwest are familiar with posole, a dish made from hominy. Posole means “hominy” in the Nahuatl language…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Posole, A Mexican Stew That Sticks To Your Ribs”

TIP OF THE DAY: Cornish Hen (Cornish Game Hen, Rock Cornish Game Hen)

[1] Cranberry and apple-stuffed Cornish hen. Here’s the recipe from Running To The Kitchen. [2] Buttermilk-brined Cornish hen, trussed and ready to roast. Here’s the recipe from Kitchen Confidante. [3] Cornish hen roasted with wine and herbs. Here’s the recipe from Drizzle And Dip. [4] Cornish hens in the yard (photo courtesy Poultry Chiller). [5]…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Cornish Hen (Cornish Game Hen, Rock Cornish Game Hen)”

TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Oregon Chai

The chai craze began sweeping across America some 15 years ago. It leaped to the mainstream from Indian restaurants and tea parlors, The formal name of the tea in Hindi is masala (spiced) chai (tea*, from the Mandarin cha). It originated on the Indian subcontinent. Americans shortened the term, and chai (CHY) it is. Its…
Continue reading “TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Oregon Chai”