Category: Food & Dining

My Favorite Meatloaf

I shouldn’t really call this “My Favorite Meatloaf,” as it changes depending on what I have in my fridge. A more fitting name would be, “My Favorite Way of Making Meatloaf.” Start with three or four kinds of ground meat, which you can substitute as you wish—ground beef, turkey, veal, pork, and sausage all work…


The New Essential Guide to the World of Beer

Beer has a story that stretches back to ancient history, reaches into nearly every country on earth, and, in the last couple of decades or so, has entered an incredible new chapter that celebrates standing traditions, resurrects a few nearly forgotten ones, and forges ahead into new territory. That’s a lot to keep up with,…


Barmbrack (Irish Fruit Bread)

Barmbrack is a dense, spiced bread that’s speckled with dried fruit. Raisins are traditional, but you can also add glacé cherries or candied citrus peel. Tea gives the bread a lovely flavor, but some bakers add a bit of whiskey in place of some of the tea for a little more complexity. Makes 1 loaf,…


Irish Treats, Not Tricks: Traditional Dishes to Celebrate Halloween

When you think of Halloween, you probably think first of trick-or-treating. It’s been an American tradition for more than a century, where costumed children ring doorbells in hopes of filling their bags with candies and treats by the handful. While candy corn and mini chocolate bars wrapped in orange and black wrappers are certainly synonymous…


Colcannon

Colcannon is hearty and richly satisfying, a homey blend of creamy potatoes and kale or cabbage. Some recipes omit the green onions, but I find they lend a little brightness to the dish. Use a medium-starch potato, such as Yukon Gold, if you can find them. Russets also work well. Serves 6 2 pounds medium-starch…


Easy Homemade Soup to Soothe the Soul and Budget

I have a treat for you today: A recipe for classic butternut squash soup that is ridiculously quick and easy. Easy on the wallet, too. Thick, creamy, and full of flavor, this is a company-worthy butternut soup recipe you will make now and forever! Before we get going here, and just in case you are…


Consider the Pear: How to Properly Ripen, Prepare, and Appreciate Fall’s Forgotten Fruit

Money may not grow on trees, but golden treasure does. Though they are called green Anjou pears, the bell-shaped fruits glistening in the October morning sun on a 20-foot tree at Kiyokawa Family Orchards, in Oregon’s Hood River Valley, exhibit a topaz sheen that makes them look like foot-sized jewels. “They’re on the sunny side…


Mini Pear Galettes

This easy, impressive dessert from chef Ben Stenn showcases pears in a flaky puff pastry crust: “The pastry puffs up around the fruit and the juices cook down and concentrate the flavors.” Choose firm pears that will soften as they bake but still hold their shape. Serves 6 2 Starkrimson, Comice, Taylor’s Gold, or Bosc…


Waldorf Pear Salad

The Waldorf salad may be traditionally made with apples, but we love it with the soft, seductive sweetness of ripe pears. Instead of gloppy mayonnaise, we toss crisp celery and fennel, toasted walnuts, grapes, and those succulent pears with Greek yogurt for a tangy take. Fresh herbs and sunflower seeds add texture and a modern…


Pear and Walnut Flatbread With Gorgonzola, Arugula, and Balsamic Glaze

This easy flatbread is made extra delicious with onions, gorgonzola, and a balsamic glaze finish. It can also be gluten-free friendly. Serves 4 12 ounces pizza dough, homemade or store-bought, or naan Oil 1 small red onion, sliced 1 medium pear, thinly sliced 1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola 1/4 cup chopped walnuts Arugula For the Balsamic…