Chris Nordquist
I think it was a great success. Last weekend David’s mother Jeri turned 70, and we threw a party for her at our loft in Manhattan. Twenty of Jeri’s girlfriends from her home in New Orleans flew in for the occasion (no husbands, except hers), and around 50 guests from New York joined them for […]
I was in San Francisco the last week of October, and, as usual, the highlight of my visit was dinner with my friends Marta, Dan and John. We’ve cooked together for many years, and this dinner came together like all the others –easily and over a cocktail or two and wine. We made a loose […]
Julia turned three last week, which meant, of course, that it was party time. (Julia’s very enthusiastic about birthdays. On Tuesday, I heard singing from her room, “Happy birthday to my underwear, happy birthday to you!”) For the last two years, we split the revelry in two — an high-spirited afternoon kids party (menu: cupcakes), […]
Both of my grandmothers made truly excellent pies and tarts, but they went about it in different ways. One made piecrust as if she were diffusing a bomb –quiet, concentration and plenty of elbow room were required, and there was a certain amount of tension in the air. The other just seemed to whip it […]
In a post a couple of weeks ago I asked for your help in meeting an everyday challenge: how to make something special out of the less-than-inspiring flowers that are usually available at the supermarket. The parameters were simple: everything (except the vessel) had to come from a genuine supermarket or bodega (no farmers’ markets […]
Ground turkey always seems like a good idea — it’s lean, nutritious and economical, a virtuous substitute for beef, pork and (gasp) veal in dishes like hamburgers and meatballs. I can never get very excited about actually eating it, though. In my hands at least, the turkey version of the meat dish usually ends up […]
It’s just a week away. Here’s a repost of a favorite Valentine’s Day cocktail to get help get you in the mood for (scheduled) romance. There was a time where the whole concept of Valentine’s Day irritated me. Of course, it’s a perfect example of a Hallmark Holiday; that is, a day that seems to […]
This is a side dish that’s worth building a meal around. In fact, it’s a simple dish that turns a straightforward plate of roasted pork, lamb or chicken, or grilled fish, into something special. The ingredients are few, inexpensive and easily obtained, and the preparation is uncomplicated, but the flavor is extraordinary. The braising takes […]
Don’t let the name fool you. This isn’t a mid-century American canned tuna casserole (although there’s nothing wrong with that) or even a reinterpretation of that beloved everyday dish (although that’s not a bad idea). This is a delicious way to cook a tuna steak that’s a nice alternative to the grilled or pan-seared preparations […]
I love a family craft project. This year our annual quiet New Year’s Eve dinner in Southampton somehow blossomed into a party of 22, and I wanted to add a little sparkle to the Holiday decorations to mark the occasion. As of about 9:00pm on December 30, however, I hadn’t done anything about it. I […]
