Tag: Food & Dining

The Red Wine Myth

One of the most enduring myths of red wine is that the older it gets, the better it is. Where this erroneous line comes from is buried in history, but it’s likely no true wine lover came up with it. Most wine lovers know that certain wines age nicely for decades, but most red wines…


A Simple Stew With Big Flavor

Here is something for your winter dinner rotation: chunky vegetables and slow-cooked beef swimming in a stock of beef and beer. This hearty, no-nonsense beef stew is a must-have for a dreary winter night, and with St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, you can dump a bottle of Guinness into the stock and call it…


Delicious Dip: This Creamy Eggplant Spread Is Tasty Hot or Cold

If you’re looking for a delicious dip, look no further. This creamy eggplant dip, served warm or cold, only has seven ingredients and is simple to put together. To start, broil a large eggplant until the skin has blackened and the flesh is completely soft. Then scoop out the flesh and mix in ground tahini…


A Stew That Satisfies, No Meat Necessary

Who says a meatless meal isn’t filling? Packed with fiber-rich vegetables and chickpeas, this fragrant stew satisfies. If you like, kick-up the spice by adding more jalapeño pepper. This double-batch recipe makes one meal for tonight and one to freeze for up to a month. Curried Chickpea Stew Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 55…


What My Husband’s Homemade Cake Donuts Taught Me About Hospitality

When my husband, Andrew, and I first bound together our souls and wallets the year after we graduated from college and moved to a new state, we, like many who marry young, were completely broke. We moved to a tiny basement apartment in Charlottesville, Virginia, with popcorn ceilings and a musty odor. Like any other…


A Journey Into the World of Tea

“Tea tempers the spirits and harmonizes the mind, dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and prevents drowsiness, lightens or refreshes the body, and clears the perceptive faculties.” —Lu Yu, “The Classic of Tea” Tea has long been one of the most popular drinks in the world. According to World Tea News, tea ranks second…


The Art of Cheese-Hunting

Just the title alone: “A Field Guide to Cheese.” I love it! This new book brings a wealth of information for cheese lovers and the cheese curious. The volume fits nicely up on the bookshelf next to my field guides for birds, trees, and other wonders of nature, and likewise offers compelling inspiration to go…


The Secret to the Best Fried Eggs? A Drizzle of Smoky Herb Butter

My meal mantra as of late, due to fatigue from almost a year of nonstop cooking, has been simple: Put an egg on it. This is hardly a new notion, but it has provided me with great comfort throughout these unsettled months where I find myself staring into the fridge at a total loss of…


Add Flair to Your Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette

Toasted sesame oil adds an unmistakable flavor to dishes and is usually reserved for recipes with an Asian flair. However, recently I’ve discovered that if you add a small amount to a balsamic vinaigrette, you won’t be disappointed. It creates a delicious subtle nuttiness. The key to making a well-balanced vinaigrette is getting the right…


French Crepes, Finished With Fire

Crêpes Suzette, classically thin French crêpes drenched in an orange-butter sauce and flambéed tableside, is one of the most memorable French desserts. The recipe can vary from one cook to another, but in essence consists of delicate crêpes in a beurre Suzette, a sauce of sugar, butter, and orange juice and zest. For the finishing touch, the sauce…