You know summer is finally here when you start thinking about how many days are left before it’s gone. Or is that just me? It’s not that I’m a pessimist. I just look ahead to what’s next rather than fully enjoying the moment. Sundays are the perfect example. Although Sunday is considered a weekend day, […]
Summer has always been the worst time to be sick. When I was a kid, the loss of valuable vacation time to something as trivial as a cold, was enough to bring on bouts of childhood depression, also known as whining. When I became an adult, it got worse. Not that I’m whining. That’s a […]
This week’s soup is pesto. Not one of those new, nouvelle?, pestos like cilantro, dill or mint (oops), but the classic made from fresh basil. This sauce, a paste really, was one of the first things I ever cooked on my own. Note: I’m not counting that batch of Charlie Brown’s brownies I made […]
I know it’s pathetic but I was looking through my old clippings last week and I stumbled upon the first menu I ever wrote for the Los Angeles Times (it’s here if you’d like to see it). It had a Spanish vegetarian theme and featured empanadas, garlic soup, and a great Catalan dish with grilled […]
In keeping with my goal of using vegetables that are in season and, the season being summer, keeping kitchen time to a minimum, I bring you the summer squash. One squash in particular, actually: Zucchini. I’ve been a fan of zucchini ever since I was a kid. No surprise there. It’s what you might call […]
Sorry for the title but I always loved that screwball comedy as a kid.(Learn more about it here.) The movie’s about the place where they print money and I’m writing about the herb. Get it? (Sigh.) I don’t think Netflix is getting their money’s worth from me. Okay, the fact is nobody minds mint. Most […]
When my youngest daughter saw the soup on the dinner table this week, she groaned. “Cold soup? Can’t you just serve that to the grown ups?” Like most kids, she has pretty narrow parameters about the way she likes foods. She’s more adventurous than her sister, but to both of them, cold soup is a […]
It was 90 degrees in Chicago last weekend. And when it’s that hot out, you don’t feel much like eating, it just makes you sweat more. Hence the classic summertime pairing of soup & salad. I should really say former classic, because this summer will not be like seasons past. As you can see from […]
I wasn’t feeling very well this week so I didn’t make any soup. Not that I’m leaving you without a recipe. I’m not inhospitable. It’s just that, after a few days of feeling a bit like a slab of meat, I decided to go with a favorite meatless entree. It’s a vegetarian chili from my […]
