Lyndon Johnson had a good grasp of the perils of the presidency. He once said, “Being president is like being a jackass in a hailstorm. There’s nothing to do but stand there and take it.” There probably hasn’t been a president who didn’t feel the same way. Johnson’s extraordinary grasp of the art of legislating made him one of the most consequential presidents of modern times. He came into office with a nation in shock and mourning, and presided over […]
If America’s Table had a motto, it might be “No Month without a Bourbon Recipe.” We might be overdoing it, but in the depths of miserable weather (and I’m referring to my friends in California), there’s nothing like a hot toddy to calm the nerves and warm the soul. Just the words ‘hot toddy’ sound like something old-fashioned and comforting, a good memory that’s slipped just past our recollection, but something we know we love. This toddy comes from Bon […]
This is an elegant breakfast recipe that I’ve streamlined heavily, because none of us would go to this much trouble – not even for a special birthday breakfast treat – unless it was more user-friendly. Souffles get a bad rap, but they are surprisingly easy: the only trick to a souffle is to beat the egg whites enough to make them rise. Then you’re just mixing up a handful of ingredients that you probably already have at home: oatmeal, milk, […]
There’s something so appealing about a tiny plant, and I must not be the only person who thinks so; every nursery or florist shop seems to be selling these adorable little greens in all their minimalist glory. Maybe it’s a reaction to the post-holiday excess of material goods, maybe it’s because they’re inexpensive, or maybe it’s because it’s an innocent indulgence to enjoy for ourselves. You can put a little plant on your desk or bedside table, near the kitchen […]
This is one of those delicious cake-like cookies that are a bit old-fashioned, the sort of thing you might be served at tea with the Dowager Duchess of Grantham. I love this cookie because it’s festive and unusual. Honey is more a sweetener than a flavor, so honey cookies can be a little bland, but the honey in the soft and shiny frosting comes through like the warm buzz of honey bees hard at work on a midsummer’s day – […]
