Today I want to share a simple carrot soup that my son really loves. It has a bright sweetness and is richly satisfying without being heavy. In a way it is a kind of soup version of the classic French dish called Carottes Vichy, which are carrots cooked in a small amount of buttered, slightly sweetened … Continue reading Carrot Sweet Potato Soup
Just wanted to share something my friend Lauren passed on to me recently, which is a fantastic photojournalism project. It reminds me a bit of one I blogged about a while back featuring families from all around the world and their weekly diet. This one is called Delicatessen with Love by Gabriele Galimberti, and in … Continue reading Global Grandmas
For today’s post, I thought I would delve once again into history, specifically Summer, 1948. A few months ago, I asked my mom to bring me some old women’s magazines that she collects for her artwork. I think there are few things that give you a more approachable sense of an era’s preoccupations, interests, and … Continue reading Women’s Day Magazine
These past couple of weeks, Denis’ mother and cousin came to visit from France. I’ve always enjoyed cooking with my mother-in-law, and this trip was no exception. We have significantly influenced each other in the kitchen, she teaching me traditional French wisdom like how to make homemade liqueur the old-fashioned rural way or how to … Continue reading La Pâtisserie de Tom
One thing all Asian cuisines seem to maximize is the taste experience called umami, a Japanese term coined at the beginning of the 20th century. Umami refers to a sort of earthy, savory, or meaty quality that foods can have, and scientists now know that there is a scientific basis to this. It comes from amino acids called glutamates, which occur naturally in a wide variety of foods, but are especially concentrated in meats, mushrooms, tomatoes, aged or cured products, and stocks. Note that this list covers all of the things mentioned in the flavor-building techniques of both Western and Asian cuisines that I listed above. Continue reading UMAMI!
As I’ve probably said before, I am generally averse to food products that carry the “something-free” label. It strikes me as far too radical, and when I see it, I feel anything but free. People who categorically ban certain things from their diet (unless of course they are allergic) are as mysterious to me as marathon … Continue reading Alternative Pizza Crust
After living in France on and off in my twenties and early thirties, I can definitely say that my tastes changed because of it. Many processed foods that I had previously found acceptable and even tasty suddenly tasted artificial, overly salty or sickeningly sweet. To my husband’s occasional confusion, however, I still retain a fondness for certain garish … Continue reading Pop (T)art
This past New Years, my husband made a Bûche de Noel (Christmas log) that we hoped would be reminiscent of the kind of desserts one buys in a fine French pastry shop. One of the hallmarks of French desserts and candies is the use of hazelnut, and the recipe he found offered a variety of … Continue reading Holy Hazelnuts
I think gnocchi might be my son’s favorite food, so I have started exploring various versions on the market and in recipes. This is a slightly sweeter and more complex take than the traditional one, and I think of it as the ultimate comfort food. These little pillows of pasta are also as fun to make as they are to eat. … Continue reading Sweet Potato Gnocchi
So I’ve been a very lazy blogger lately, or maybe just a very distracted mom, and I have started several posts that I haven’t yet finished. But I wanted to do a quick post this evening on the topic of churros. Who doesn’t like churros? What could be bad about sweet dough, fried and coated … Continue reading Churros!!
The Children's Table 