Chris Nordquist
When we entertain, particularly on weekends, my partner David and I usually divide up the cooking dish by dish: one takes the soup, the other the meat, and so on. This works pretty well. Responsibilities are clear, nobody feels like the other’s sous-chef (or galley slave), and it’s relatively easy to work out the timing […]
I was at our place in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago, and the big old Meyer lemon tree in the garden was heavy with ripe lemons –hundreds of them. When I headed back to New York, I stuffed as many as I could in my suitcase. Whenever I have a bumper crop of […]
I’ve found that inviting a few guests over for a cocktail on a weeknight is a nice way to connect with other busy people. You can offer hospitality without committing to dinner and all that entails (either in or out), and your guests can accept even if they have other plans later in the evening, […]
I have visited Turkey several times, and I’m always struck by the careful and accomplished cooking in that country. From the fine restaurants on the Bosporus to simple cafes in Sultanahmet, it seems almost impossible to have a bad meal. Many meals either begin with or consist of a collection of delicious, full-flavored small dishes […]
Last Tuesday my partner David was bringing home two colleagues for dinner, one visiting from Japan, one local to New York and both eager to see Julia, our 17-month old daughter. Vaguely recalling of an episode of Bewitched (Wasn’t she always whipping up something for Larry Tate and some client of poor old Darren’s?), I […]
Nobody gets excited about a chicken dinner, but I think they should. At least I do. I don’t think there’s anything better than a properly roasted chicken –crisp on the outside, moist and tender inside, and filled with the comforting flavors of fresh chicken and herbs. Pairing this classic everyday dish with a luxurious side […]
Unless it requires a rider to your insurance policy, something you made yourself, I think, usually makes the best Valentine’s Day gift. The day is so full of dull, mass-produced tokens of affection –chocolates, ho-hum red flower arrangements, rushed dinners at crowded restaurants– that any personal touch really stands out. Recently I posted a great […]
The homemade brandied cherries that my friend Marta gave me for Christmas (last year) had run out, but it was still the height of Manhattan season (the cocktail, not the island). I had to do something. Supermarket Maraschino cherries weren’t an option. For years I told myself that they were an amusing retro touch to […]
Our 17 month-old daughter Julia and I share many favorite things — vintage disco, french toast, cardigans, and, perhaps less predictably, cauliflower. Raw, I find it almost inedible, and steamed or boiled it’s watery and dull. But roasted in the oven it’s transformed into a nutty, tender vegetable delight. It’s one of my favorite side […]
One of the many unexpected benefits of having a child has been remembering some of the pleasures of my own childhood. Brownies, for instance. As I searched for the brownie of my childhood, though, I found that a really good one is hard to come by. Some were dry and chewy and tasted only vaguely […]
