Good Taste is the Worst Vice

Summer gazpacho

What to do when you have guests coming for dinner and an oven that mysteriously refuses to heat up?  Make gazpacho. And it turned out for the best, since this was a hit - cool, flavorful, and rather virtuous. I used colorful heirloom tomatoes and threw in some juicy watermelon to add a hint of ... continue reading...


Japan 2015

Exciting news: D and I booked tickets to Japan this spring!  What better way to celebrate than with these cute buckwheat cookies and some ume (plum) liqueur? As you can imagine, I'm nose-deep in researching and planning places to go and things to do eat. Our itinerary will likely be something ... continue reading...


Chocolate salami

Here's a project for anyone who likes smashing and squashing things.  (Who doesn't?) D and I were served a slice of chocolate salami on Spiaggia's dessert tray the other evening, and it was my favorite of all the desserts - chocolate studded with cookies and generously flavored with rum. So I ... continue reading...


Cherry clafoutis

Hooray for cherry season! I've been eating piles of fresh, sweet cherries this summer - they're so good, I hope you have too. And when you've had your fill of fresh cherries, try a summery cherry dessert, like this clafoutis. The cherries are soaked in kirsch or cognac, set in an ... continue reading...


Lemon buttermilk bundt cake

There's no two ways about it - I love cake.  And I especially love lemon cake. My sister made this cake for me last year (yes, she's the best!) and I savored every slice. So I set about to make my very own lemon buttermilk bundt cake. It's a more complicated recipe than what I usually ... continue reading...


Hart Davis Hart wine auction, Chicago

There's a scene in the Golden Girls where Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose go to an art auction and naturally, hijinks ensue - Rose fans herself with her paddle and finds herself (temporarily) on the hook for $25,000 worth of Greek statuary. That was running through my mind when we first sat down at ... continue reading...


Breakfast at the Carneros Inn (Boon Fly and Hilltop)

I'm not much of a breakfast person in general, but I'll make an exception on vacation (and anyway, during our stay at the Carneros Inn, breakfast was included in our rate!). We tried both restaurants, the Boon Fly Cafe and the Hilltop dining room (open only on weekends most of the ... continue reading...


Chicken with apricots, herbs, and basmati rice

Chicken and rice is one of those classic combinations that crosses cultures - whether it's arroz con pollo, chicken paella, or chicken teriyaki. I was inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's cookbook Jerusalem to try my hand at a Middle Eastern-themed one pot version - spiced chicken and ... continue reading...


Cheese x 13 at Brindille, Chicago

Now that's a cheese plate! Brindille offers thirteen varieties of French cheese arrayed in a neat circle, with meltingly sweet baked apple in the middle.  Starting at 12 o'clock, they proceed roughly in order from mild to intense: Chevre d'Argental - Rhone-Alps Blanc Bleu Tombor - Pays de ... continue reading...