This week, I joined two friends at Marani, located in Rego Park, NY. I found it to be quite a cool eating spot. The dining room is low key; yet there are linen napkins. Ana, the owner, is welcoming and helpful as are the rest of the staff. While the menu […]
Sometimes you just have a yen to go out and have a delicious steak. Prime Grill, located midtown in NYC can satisfy that need. I went on Open Table and got one of the last two tables in a packed dining room on a Wednesday night. The main area is […]
I first tasted Watermelon Pickles at one of my Mother’s elegant dinner parties. I was a child fascinated by what the cook was creating. She placed a circle of watermelon rind on a round piece of bread and topped it with goat cheese. It was amazing! It was only as […]
The combination of oranges, strawberries and fresh coconut is called Ambrosia. This word refers to the “nectar of the Gods” in Greek mythology. It is aptly named, although Ambrosia has its origins in the South! The natural juices from the fruits combined with the mellow flavor of fresh coconut is […]
Saganaki is actually the name of the traditional skillet in which you fry the cheese. Wikipedia tells us that fried cheese began in Cairo during the Middle Ages and was popular through the time of the Otttoman occupation. Since then, country after country has put their own spin on this […]
I love mashed potatoes. Actually, I love all potatoes; but I’m talking about mashed here. I find that I make mashed potatoes most often when I’m serving meat; consequently, I don’t add butter, milk or cream to the potatoes. Olive oil is my “go to” for a little healthy fat […]
This Endive Salad is special because the endive is mixed with blood orange, avocado and chioggia beets. This salad has both beautiful colors and contrasting textures. When I saw the rainbow sweet Chioggia beets, I imagined them with juicy, mildly acidic blood red oranges, pale green mellow avocados and crisp […]
I’m an obssessive recipe clipper. I admit to regularly pulling out recipes from magazines and papers (those I own, by the way, not ones found in the Doctor’s office)and adding them to my research file. So many ideas and not enough time to play with them all. Many of the […]
Esther Benzaquen of Bakar Kosher Meat sent me two five pound roasts to prepare for my dinner party. She also sent me a smaller roast for me to practice on. Esther knew I had never seasoned or prepared a sirloin roast before; because it is not generally available to the […]
Chimichurri Sauce originated in Argentina. It is a spicy fresh herb sauce that is spooned generously over grilled meats. There are a million ways of adjusting the spiciness and herbiness of Chimichurri. I made this sauce several times before I found a balance that worked for me. I tend to […]