Category: Food & Dining

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena: How to Spot the Real Deal—and Why It Matters

Sponsored content by Original Balsamic Vinegar In the culinary arts, it’s not common practice to let vinegar stand on its own. But Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is a remarkable exception. Richly dark and concentrated, this flavor bomb can be drizzled over mozzarella in a caprese salad, over fresh strawberries, or even on ice cream. Chefs…


Family Traditions: A Warm Indian Pudding to Brighten Cold Days

For Maneet Chauhan, the India-born, Nashville-based James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and TV personality, winter weather calls for her family recipe for gajar ka halwa, a sweet and creamy carrot pudding served warm. The traditional Indian dessert is often served at temple festivals and during Diwali, the five-day festival of lights. This year, the main day…


Celebrate Diwali With This Savory Karanji

Karanji are a type of dumpling popular in Maharashtra, India. They’re typically fried and can have sweet or savory fillings. You’ll find karanji in several parts of India, and they are called by different names in different languages. You can eat karanji any time, but they’re especially popular as a snack during the festival of…


Episode 6: Great Britain – Chillingham Castle

Will the spirits in the haunted castle enjoy the roast pheasant with rowanberry jelly and chips? Sir Humphry Wakefield, the eccentric lord of Chillingham Castle has a weak spot for the paranormal. Yet the hunting menu is very down to earth – will the sprits let the noble guests eat in peace? Or will there…


A Taste of the Basque Country in Boise

Boise, Idaho—The first thing that strikes me about chef Dan Ansotegui’s cooking is the colors. I’m staring at an aromatic quartet of vibrantly red roasted piquillo peppers, stuffed with a creamy spinach béchamel, floating in an orange and red pepper sauce and topped with green parsley. More plates of Basque delicacies, equally tantalizing, quickly follow…


Ansots Spinach Béchamel-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

Piquillo peppers are a specific type of sweet pepper grown in Navarra, in the southern part of the Basque Country in Spain. Roasted red peppers could be used as a substitute, but are usually much larger than piquillo peppers. Makes 28 peppers For the Peppers 2 cups whole milk 2 cups half-and-half 1 tablespoon unsalted…


Kale Chips Even Kids Will Devour

“Normally, it’s gross,” announced my son Louie, setting up a discussion about a certain prospective snack ingredient. “It tastes like poop,” clarified his friend Ella. “I don’t usually like it,” observed my son Remy, who is the chef of the family. “But in this form I do.” When Ella realized to which snack we were…


Rooting for a Vegetable Mash

A fluffy mashed or pureed vegetable side dish is always a crowd-pleaser, and the humble potato is often the star. This recipe gives the spud a rest and turns to the season’s bounty of root vegetables for inspiration. Nutrient-rich roots are storehouses of energy and guaranteed to add an extra dimension of color and sweet,…


How to Host Thanksgiving Dinner on a Budget

Sharing a meal with beloved family and friends gathered around the table and giving thanks for all we have is the heart of the Thanksgiving holiday. This year, however, nationwide financial struggles, food shortages, and worries over ever-increasing food prices may raise concerns. Well, take comfort, because with some planning and creativity, you can still…


Musings on Merlot

I like many red wines that use merlot as their sole or dominant grape, especially when the merlot is grown in a cooler climate and has some of its natural varietal aroma characteristics. That is a little less likely these days with so many acres of the grape being planted in warmer regions, where its…