Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy

We didn’t eat much fish at my house when I was a little girl – except on Fridays. We always had fish on Fridays, because that was what all good Italian Catholic families in the Bronx did. Even after Vatican II said it was okay to eat meat on …

Tis the season for holiday office parties, open houses and potlucks. And that means food, people. Food, food, and more food! While cookies are usually the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Holiday treats, there’s more to party eats than that. After all, man (or woman) …

It got down into the 40’s here last weekend. THE 40’s! In NOVEMBER! In FLORIDA! That almost never happens. Don’t tell anyone, but I might have even turned the heat on in the house for a second or two. Apparently, I’m turning into a weather wimp. With each passing …

What is it about the mere mention of certain savory foods that can transform a grown man (or woman) into an quivering puddle of desire? Pork belly, Foie gras, short ribs… SHORT RIBS!!! Ooooh, short ribs! Those beautifully marbled, meaty little slabs of beef have the power to bring …

Do you ever imagine what your life would be like if you could have a “do over”? If you could just pick up and move wherever you wanted, where would you go and what would you do? I think about that a lot – not because I don’t like …

Broccoli rabe, rapini, broccoletti, broccoli raab. Depending on where in the world you live, these nutritious leafy green bundles go by many aliases. Call them whatever you like. I call them delicious.
Broccoli Rabe was a staple in my family’s diet when I was growing up. Honestly, it almost …

Although he grew most of the vegetables we ate, my father wasn’t really much into cooking. He was in charge of salads and made eggs on Sundays, but that was pretty much the extent of it. Dad did, however, have a few signature dishes that he loved to prepare …

In my family, we always knew it was a special occasion by the telltale aroma of lasagna baking in the oven. Neither my grandmother nor my mother made it often. A traditional lasagna is a labor intensive dish that takes several hours to prepare – even longer if you …

I’ve always been somewhat of a food purist. I’m probably the only person over the age of five that actually prefers a plain cheese pizza to one with a zillion toppings. Pasta nirvana for me is a bowl of spaghetti with Marcella Hazan’s three ingredient tomato sauce. And, I …