Saturday Lunch: The Ultimate Tuna Melt

Friday, February 26, 2010

One of our favorite Saturday lunches these days is a classic diner sandwich, the tuna melt.  It’s always been one of my favorites, but I’m often disappointed when I order it out.  The tuna salad can be fishy or just dull, and the cheese can be rubbery or tasteless.  A few weeks ago, I decided […]

Cheerful (Recycled) Lampshade for Julia

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The shade on the lamp over the “story chair” in Julia’s New York room was looking pretty tired. We rescued the lamp itself from our furniture graveyard in the basement in Southampton, and its simple paper shade was showing its age –a crease here, a bubble there, a faint stain or two.  I was about […]

Beyond Vinaigrette #1: Creamy Lemon-Chive Dressing

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

I’m getting bored with my salads.  On the whole they’re pretty good, I think, but my approach follows a formula:  good leaves, a seasonal accent or two, an olive oil vinaigrette.  Actually, the first two variables in the equation seem, well, sufficiently variable.  I think the dressing is the problem.  I’m in a vinaigrut. And […]

Elegant Drinking: Decanters

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

I remember watching old movies as a kid and being intrigued by the way some impossibly suave person –Cary Grant, Ray Miland or someone like that– glided over to his home bar and poured a drink from a glittering bottle of amber liquid –removing the stopper, pouring just a splash, replacing the stopper. It seemed […]

Pistachio, Sumac and Sesame Crusted Chicken Breasts

Sunday, February 21, 2010

This dish has quickly become a family favorite.  Last week I gave Julia a cut-up piece for her dinner.  I turned away from her high chair for a minute or two to tidy up the kitchen, and, when I turned back, it had completely vanished.  I immediately suspected her of feeding it to our dog […]

Bram: A Treasury of Unique Handmade Cookware

Thursday, February 18, 2010

For us cooks, the good news is that over the last 20 years or so good cookware has become widely available.  Equipment that would have been difficult to find outside Europe when we were kids is now available in nearly any shopping mall, and mostly at accessible prices. The downside to this is that it’s […]

Going Green: “The Last Word” Cocktail

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Ok, there’s nothing particularly environmentally responsible about this cocktail, but it’s uncommonly delicious, and it’s a beautiful celery green color.  A few weeks ago my friend and mixmaster Steven sent me the recipe, and I’ve had a hard time keeping us stocked with its ingredients ever since. The recipe is simple, but the flavor is […]

Handsome (and Handy) Cookbook Markers

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

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 […]

Tagine of Lamb with Prunes and Preserved Lemon

Monday, February 15, 2010

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 […]

“Stop By for Drinks”: Strategies for a Successful Cocktail Hour

Friday, February 12, 2010

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, […]

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