Category: Food

Tucson, Arizona: A Culinary Oasis in the Sonoran Desert

Carlos Figueroa is focusing intently on what he says was once just an avocation—freshly made, small-batch tortillas using heirloom corn varieties that are centuries, perhaps even thousands of years old. “I just wanted good corn tortillas, man,” explains the owner of Maiz Tucson, who began making his by hand seven years ago. His day job…


These Mini Muffins Are so Sweet They Might End up Being the Apple of Your Eye

A good snack to keep on hand, these mini muffins can be stored at room temp for a few days or frozen so you can have them whenever you need them. If the muffins are frozen, thaw them at room temperature, and then refresh them by placing them on a rimmed baking sheet and warming…


Have Fun With This Winter Fruit Compote

Some recipes claim to be seriously simple, but require more work than you had intended to do. Here is the ultimate seriously simple recipe that will get you through these cold winter months. Since this recipe requires only three ingredients and simply baking the fruit mixture, you can whip this up whenever you have the…


What Makes a Great Gumbo?

I gathered with a small group in a back room at SoBou, a Creole restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Each of us had a little cup of a deep brown stew with pieces of chicken and sausage rising above the surface and a small scoop of potato salad in the middle. This…


Roasted Winter Vegetables With Creamy Vinaigrette

This is a sensational, flavorful, and hands-off way to cook all kinds of vegetables. Play with what’s in season; just make sure to chop or dice everything to the same size so that they cook evenly. I salt them lightly in the beginning, as roasting vegetables naturally brings out their flavor, and I find that…


Winter Vegetable Soup

A bit of chopping, simmering, and stirring is all it takes to make a healthy soup that makes me feel like the healthiest person around. Winter vegetables, a flavorful, no-waste broth enhanced with the discards, and hearty white beans make this easy dish. Chop the vegetables as evenly as possible for even cooking and a…


In Season: How to Cook With Parsnips

Parsnips may be the paler, lesser-known cousin of the carrot, but they really deserve their day in the limelight. This humble root vegetable, related to both the carrot and parsley, is mild and sweet with a bit of the tang and bite that you would associate with parsley. Simply treat them as you would potatoes…


Roasted Parsnip and Potato Soup

Think of this as a classic leek and potato soup—only so much better. Parsnips add a deep, sweet roasted flavor, pairing beautifully with the creamy potatoes and caramelized leeks. I love this soup when it’s smooth and velvety, garnished with—my new obsession—roasted tomato-flavored pearls, but I’ve also served it chunky and rustic with croutons for…


What’s Your Fortune?

I’m a big fan of Chinese food. I’m also a fan of fortune cookies, and I generally grab a handful when I pick up an order. My husband and I generally save these little crisp, sweet, folded morsels until the end of the meal and then share our ‘fortunes’ with one another. I thought his…


The Secret to the Best Winter Tomato Sauce

The middle of winter can be a tough time for tomato lovers. We’re about as far away from the end of the previous season as we are from the beginning of the summer harvest, and no member of the produce kingdom suffers such a noticeable lack of flavor when it’s imported, out of season, from…