Like most cooks I know, I’m a citrus fanatic. From finger limes to kumquats, I love them all. Blood oranges for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Yes, please. And limes! If the scent of a freshly squeezed lime wedge doesn’t signal refreshment, I don’t know what does. Yet if I absolutely had to choose a favorite, [...]
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Who knew that burned cannellini beans smelled like coffee? While lost in recipe editing one afternoon, the smell of malty coffee filtered into the room. This was unexpected. I was the only one home, and I hadn’t made coffee. Upon entering the kitchen, the source was obvious. I had scorched a pot of cannellini beans. [...]
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It started when I was about knee-high, perched around the table at my grandparents’ house in Menlo Park. My grandfather told me to eat a prune. They’re good for you, he said. I looked at the strange, wrinkled orb and thought: whoa, that’s asking too much. My response was a lot less sophisticated. I probably [...]
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To say that summer is the best time to eat locally is an understatement. It doesn’t take much forethought to make meals taste satisfying in June, July, and August. In many cases, the less you do, the better the result. The only people I know who are more stressed in the summer are chefs. They [...]
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There’s nothing wrong with dried garbanzo beans. They are easy to prepare–just soak them in water overnight, simmer them for a few hours the next day, and season the beans (which are also called chick peas or ceci beans) and they are ready to be added to a salad or whirled into hummus. But when [...]
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In my pantry, ingredients have different levels of importance. It’s a hierarchical system: not every item is equal, but each part contributes. There are pantry items that I have to have, items that I also use often (though could do without if necessary), and items that make important contributions, especially if I’m trying to prepare [...]
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