Chris Nordquist
One of the happiest memories of my childhood is making bread with my grandmother. She baked often in her busy farm-style kitchen, and had virtually unlimited patience for little hands helping with the day’s culinary activities. Maybe because of this I started baking this bread in the days after Julia was born, and I’ve made […]
It’s gazpacho season! The tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are ripening in the garden, and the weather is right for a chilled soup. One of my favorite food memories is making gazpacho in our sunny San Francisco kitchen right after Julia was born. I think I’ll always connect the flavor and aroma of gazpacho with those […]
It’s probably a fair question to ask why one would want to pickle green beans. But, for me, there are two pretty good reasons. First, if you have a garden, you’ll know that unless you have a very large family or you’re truly crazy about the vegetable, the few frail little seedlings you plant in […]
Caesar salad has to be one of the most common salads served in restaurants, and I used to wonder why. Most of the Caesars I ate were masses of limp Romaine struggling under the weight of a too-garlicky parmesan dressing with a few damp croutons thrown in to help carry the load. There was something […]
When I went to San Francisco’s Bi-Rite Market this week, something among all of the beautiful local produce caught my eye, and my nose –great bunches of brilliant green, fragrant basil. For me, nothing signals the arrival of high summer like the aroma of fresh basil at it heady peak. I bought a few bunches, […]
One of our favorite summer Saturday lunches is grilled shrimp with fresh salad from the garden. It’s quick, easy and, importantly, light, given the slightly indulgent dinners that sometimes (ok, often) follow. Here’s a delicious and interesting version of this simple dish, incorporating dried lime, a versatile ingredient that I’ve been experimenting with lately. Originating […]
I can’t take any credit for this simple and sublimely delicious cheese course: it’s been on the menu of San Francisco’s Zuni Cafe for most of my adult life. The rich, salty, nutty flavor of really good Parmigiano Reggiano cheese blends with just-sweet-enough, creamy dates in a way that makes you experience both of these […]
It’s been a warm June in New York, and the tomato plants in our Southampton garden seem to double in size every few days. It won’t be too long before we have fresh tomatoes from the garden. Here’s a recipe to help you celebrate the upcoming tomato season. It’s a traditional Moroccan “kemia” or small […]
Cheese! (pronounced “Cheece!,” which rhymes with Greece) was one of Julia’s first words. She loves cheese, and not just the mild ones like Provolone and that weird tasteless string cheese that people tend to feed their kids. (At a Christmas party last year she was crawling around stealing pieces of Stilton off unattended plates). About […]
Zaalouk (sometimes spelled Zahlouk) is my favorite traditional Moroccan salad, and probably one of my favorite foods. The dish’s eggplant base is rich and creamy, enhanced by the flavor of toasted cumin and accented with tomato, lemon and cilantro. It’s loaded with flavor, but at the same time light and refreshing. And not loaded with […]
