There are countless variations of lasagne throughout Italy. What they all require is a layering of ingredients and flavors: Paper-thin sheets of fresh pasta are usually combined with ragù, bechamel, and cheeses—from mozzarella to scamorza, to a simple dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano. My grandma’s version calls for béchamel sauce, her Tuscan ragù, mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano,…
Comfort by the Spoonful
I had my first baby in the middle of fall, the same week the tree outside our front window burned bright orange and pumpkins appeared on every doorstep in my neighborhood. I brought my brand-new daughter home and spent those first weeks of motherhood bouncing and feeding a newborn while the leaves dropped outside my…
Galette des Rois: A French Cake Fit for Royalty
Before wrapping up the holidays, there is one final occasion the French take to eat and rejoice: the Fête des Rois, or “Feast of the Kings.” Held on Jan. 6, the 12th day of Christmas, this celebration involves eating a galette des rois, or king cake—two circles of buttery puff pastry filled with sweet, creamy…
Finding the Flavor of Childhood in a Winter Salad
The village is covered in a blanket of snow so thick you can build labyrinths from door to door, on bridleways and pathways, raising snow forts or small igloos on the way—little retreats in a rural wonderland. Inside, a fire crackles in a rustic terracotta stove, drawing pictures in the embers. These are some of…
Crème Brûlée Flambé, to Bid the Year a Flaming Farewell
The dark days around winter solstice make human beings hungry for light. It could be a decorated tree, a menorah in the window, or just some lights on your house. Whatever your creed or culture, you probably have a tradition that casts a glow during the holidays. But this time around, as we bid farewell…
Simplicity Meets Elegance: Lobster Pasta for the Holidays
Holiday festivities are muted and gatherings reduced this year, inspiring feelings that toggle between a yearning for glitter and a craving for comfort. How to celebrate and what to eat strive for a balance between these mixed desires. In my mind, the following recipe achieves just that. It’s simple yet elegant, special but not pretentious,…
New Year, Same Chili: A Comforting Family Tradition
Growing up, it was never an option for my siblings and me to miss New Year’s at home—nor did we want to. My parents, who have a house on a ski resort, loved to invite friends up to spend the holiday with us. We’d spend the afternoon on the slopes, soaking up the fresh air…
Easy Entertaining: A Lucky New Year’s Lunch
I am totally superstitious. I knock on wood, cross my fingers, step over cracks on the sidewalk, and wish my thespian friends good luck by hoping they break a leg. By the same rule, I avoid black cats, leaving my hat on the bed, or passing the salt from hand to hand at the table….
Cozy, Comforting Meatballs That Capture the Spirit of Hygge
It’s winter, nearly the new year, and uncertain times. With that convergence, we could all do with some hygge right now. You might have heard about hygge, a Danish word that’s made a splash beyond its Nordic borders. It’s an appealing term, albeit linguistically challenging (pronounced WHO-gheh). The meaning, however, is hardly challenging. Hygge is…
Traditional Cozonac (Romanian Walnut and Rum Celebration Bread)
This sweet, enriched yeast bread owes much of its deliciousness to its swirls of bittersweet walnut and rum filling, one of the most popular across Romania. The dough is rich with butter, milk, and eggs, and perfumed with lemon zest and vanilla. It resembles golden silk as it’s mixed, and fills every house and bakery…
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