There’s a wonderful Greek restaurant in Malibu called Taverna Tony’s, where they serve an addictive dip with warm pita bread that’s so good we barely have room left to eat all the Greek deliciousness that follows. I always say to the waiters, “What’s in this stuff?” – like there’s some secret ingredient that explains why we – and everyone at the tables around us – are scraping the bowl and licking our fingers. The friendly waiters patiently reel off the […]
When I was a kid, we had a big strawberry patch that needed to be picked clean every June, beginning just as school was out for the summer. My brother and I hated that patch. When the fruit was ready, we’d spend long mornings bent over in the hot sun picking berries – itchy, sweaty, back-breaking work – which my parents then gave away to friends and neighbors. One especially hot summer when the season was over, the straw that […]
Is there an etiquette to picnics, that most casual and relaxed of summer get-togethers? Sadly, yes – just a little – because wherever humans gather in groups of more than one, the potential for thoughtless behavior exists. It’s a bummer, I know, but just a little bit of self awareness and forward planning can help ensure that your next sunny day in the park or out in the backyard with friends will be as much fun as you imagined it […]
I’m always on the hunt for a really great chicken-based burger – one that stands up to the weight and flavor of a cheeseburger – and this is it. The combination of bacon and ricotta in the burger is so good I don’t know why this hasn’t replaced McDonald’s Big Mac. It couldn’t be more simple: just mix up ground chicken, ricotta, and bits of crispy bacon, throw it on a hot grill, add your favorite condiments and a brioche […]
I love multi-purpose recipes, and I love re-purposing the kitchen accessories and serving pieces I have to make the most of them – and this recipe does both. The gazpacho is smooth in texture but strong in flavor, and while it makes a great appetizer – particularly with the addition of a mustard cream garnish (a great recipe from The Paris Cookbook by Patricia Wells) – I found that adding some vodka to the mix gave me a whole new […]
