tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36668069239777197672012-01-27T20:14:00.775-08:00Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.comBlogger2391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-74622601052028599222012-01-27T20:14:00.000-08:002012-01-27T20:14:00.803-08:00

"The expression as easy as pie, meaning very easy indeed, is a curious one. Why should a pie be easy, after all? It seems that the ease of the pie is in the eating rather than the making of it, as in the similar expression nice as pie. Both originate in nineteenth-century America, where likening something to a particular pie is also archetypally American - as American as apple pie, in fact."

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-4521444145164223572012-01-21T18:54:00.000-08:002012-01-21T18:54:00.555-08:00

Peach pie.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-75830402206251942192012-01-12T12:11:00.000-08:002012-01-27T14:51:48.468-08:00

"Sabine had never seen a kitchen like the one at La Villa Fernand. It was a nightmare. There was too much of everything everywhere. Forty wooden spoons stuffed into one drawer. Cake and butter molds in the shapes of rabbits, elephants, swans, crosses, trees, stars, moons, countless different variations of Saint Nicholas, several fleur-de-lis, and an assortment of lions and lambs. "And there were

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-86634509439046781472012-01-01T12:30:00.000-08:002012-01-27T12:47:40.337-08:00

Because it is New Year's Day.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-33363766230102933232011-12-25T07:14:00.000-08:002011-12-25T07:14:01.185-08:00

"Christmas at my house is always at least six or seven times more pleasant than anywhere else. We start drinking early. And while everyone else is seeing only one Santa Claus, we'll be seeing six or seven."W.C. Fields, quoted in Albert Jack's "What Caesar Did for My Salad: The Curious Stories Behind Our Favorite Foods"

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-63439572978744549982011-12-24T18:26:00.000-08:002011-12-24T18:33:41.795-08:00

Because it is Christmas Eve.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-61472585126141736342011-12-21T11:12:00.000-08:002011-12-25T00:20:22.054-08:00

It is a decent way to start the day.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-71967712637578414022011-12-12T12:33:00.000-08:002011-12-22T00:57:07.734-08:00

This time of year, when store shelves brim with cooking manuals and food books big and small, I begin to play matchmaker. I decide what to present to whom. Like Santa, I make a list and check it twice. I whittle down the gift-giving to eight. The friend who relied on Ottolenghi, a mini-chain of prepared-food shops in London, for dinner parties when she last lived in the U.K. gets chef and

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-86434249101451656042011-12-04T09:49:00.000-08:002011-12-04T09:49:00.754-08:00

"For me, every food can be special. I always think you can add beauty and luxury to a dish by adding lots of herbs to it. "I think a huge platter always looks better than a small plate, so to make my guests welcome and feel special I put many beautiful platters with food, as I do in my shops, so it's quite a lot around, a lot to choose from. "Once you've done that, you can make the simplest

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-49144825145500599932011-11-28T06:59:00.000-08:002011-11-28T06:59:00.910-08:00

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-83450760390681110062011-11-25T10:37:00.000-08:002011-11-26T10:39:54.398-08:00

"There comes a time in every woman's life when the only thing that helps is a glass a champagne."Bette Davis

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-84218942866112002082011-11-22T20:09:00.000-08:002011-11-22T20:09:00.224-08:00

"Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch."Orson Welles, quoted in Albert Jack's "What Caesar Did for My Salad: The Curious Stories Behind Our Favorite Foods"

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-57230975976684075082011-11-14T08:51:00.000-08:002011-11-26T09:01:56.431-08:00

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-20015694144408799342011-11-12T15:52:00.000-08:002011-11-12T15:52:00.713-08:00

Or squashed squash. Same difference.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-72970209645403446482011-11-07T10:22:00.000-08:002011-11-11T15:59:31.768-08:00

"When I've reached the bottom of my cup, fully sated, I head toward the door without any feeling of overindulgence, but fortified enough to handle the fiercest of Parisian winter weather. With a warm glow, I slip on my jacket, re-macrame my scarf around my neck, drop a few coins in the dish by the register, and leave. As I exit, I'm always careful to make a sharp ninety-degree turn just after I'm

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-26161145389283946382011-11-02T14:30:00.000-07:002011-11-02T14:30:01.424-07:00

"He knew when to leave the boy's mother alone and how best to ask her for ice cream. Don't ask her too often and when you do, don't let her know how much you really want it. Don't beg. Don't whine. "He knew which restaurants would serve them lunch and which would not. He knew which barbers would cut their kind of hair. The best ones, of course. "The thing that he loved most about America, he once

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-33318292629927211792011-10-31T14:22:00.000-07:002011-10-31T14:22:00.254-07:00

Because it is Halloween.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-81428728793230919632011-10-29T15:42:00.000-07:002011-11-11T15:47:23.999-08:00

Because it is apple season.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-85905392173579284582011-10-27T20:05:00.000-07:002011-10-27T20:05:00.146-07:00

"To eat well in England, you should have breakfast three times a day."W. Somerset Maugham, quoted in Albert Jack's "What Caesar Did for My Salad: The Curious Stories Behind Our Favorite Foods"

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-28804889936507624942011-10-26T18:54:00.001-07:002011-12-02T14:36:08.005-08:00

An apple (cake) a day. 'Tis not an altogether bad thought.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-87533676928610139092011-10-25T21:28:00.000-07:002011-10-26T12:39:29.805-07:00

A Ferris wheel set up for the Treasure Island Music Festival reminds me in some way of the London Eye, you know, if the Ferris wheel had been many times larger, if the bay had been the Thames, the Bay Bridge the Westminster Bridge, and the San Francisco skyline Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Yes, I am crazy.But I think of London. I do. All the time. When the sky is overcast, I think of

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-82585277471609474282011-10-15T09:58:00.000-07:002011-12-02T14:42:59.970-08:00

I toss out fistfuls of feta, disappointed with myself for not having used it all quickly enough, before it got moldy. I throw out cooked green beans left over from the weekend's stir-fry after catching a nasty whiff of them in the Rubbermaid container. That 10-pound bag of potatoes worries me, too. I had plans - big plans - when I bought it initially at the grocery store. Life unfortunately got

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-75890355180522600262011-10-08T18:56:00.000-07:002011-10-11T21:57:18.966-07:00

Food on television seldom looks the same as food in real life. It looks better actually. For this, we have stylists, tabletop directors and special-effects riggers to thank. The business section of The New York Times provides insight on people in the ad world "hired to turn the most mundane and fattening staples of the American diet into luscious objects of irresistible beauty."From director

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-80889361212213699242011-10-07T17:56:00.000-07:002011-10-10T21:13:17.890-07:00

The days get shorter and inevitably colder. I think to make soup, using Lisa Schroeder's recipe as a decent jumping-off point. Manhattan Clam Chowderfrom Lisa Schroeder's "Mother's Best: Comfort Food That Takes You Home Again"2 strips bacon, finely diced2 Tbsp. vegetable oil1 large yellow onion, finely diced1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced2 ribs celery, finely diced1 leek, white part only,

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-73260590142990811272011-10-02T13:30:00.000-07:002011-10-03T22:52:26.899-07:00

The dining options at Westfield Century City take food court fare to a whole other tastier level. There is sushi and ramen, Italian and Chinese, cupcake and yogurt. I could get used to this quite easily.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-4552115661306821202011-10-01T16:49:00.000-07:002011-10-03T18:52:26.918-07:00

Would you like a cookie with that frosting?

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-4645182557051988082011-09-29T18:04:00.000-07:002011-10-03T18:56:22.565-07:00

What I like most about Korean restaurant meals: the variety that makes its way to the table.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-84457800227572074102011-09-27T21:39:00.000-07:002011-09-27T21:52:29.466-07:00

"From the New World to the Old came amaranth grain, avocados, various beans, bell peppers, blueberries, cashews, chile peppers, cocoa, vanilla, corn, papayas, peanuts, pecans, pineapples, white and sweet potatoes, pumpkins, quinoa, and tomatoes."In turn, the Old World sent to the New apples, artichokes, asparagus, bananas, barley, black pepper, cabbage, carrots, coffee, lemons and limes, garlic,

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-9301572290045200852011-09-19T13:45:00.000-07:002011-09-21T10:58:39.794-07:00

"As the miles shifted into days and Texas ranches became Tennessee hills and Tennessee hills became historical Pennsylvania, I too began to shift. I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner. I ate snacks. I immersed myself in life's essentials: food, drink, shelter and warmth. "I thought about miles and inclines, flat tires and rain. I thought about the strength of my body and the strength of my spirit. I

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-8115854495172968172011-09-15T13:13:00.000-07:002011-09-27T21:53:58.608-07:00

It is often easier to eat pie than it is to slice and serve pie intact. The filling is sweeter than I would have liked. But it is nothing a small scoop of vanilla ice cream afterward can not temper.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-24509863236914850132011-09-10T22:41:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:56:45.116-07:00

The U stands for Umami, by far the best burger in Southern California I have eaten today.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-39295422998672667972011-09-06T16:20:00.000-07:002011-09-06T16:20:00.447-07:00

The tree by the side of the house is sprouting apples again, if sprouting is the right word for apples on a tree. The thing is, I haven't cared for it all year. I haven't given it any special treatment. I haven't pruned it or fertilized it. Nothing. Like clockwork, autumn approaches. The apples return. Like magic, time shifts.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-29763787803575246432011-08-31T18:46:00.000-07:002011-09-01T18:58:52.987-07:00

"What sugar is and what it means changes according to where we happen to find it. It's a wholesome ingredient blended into down-home confections or it's the non-nutritive additive dumped into junk food. It's the pure and natural sweetener in fruity retro-chic sodas, or it's the stuff of evil lurking in cereal, baby food, and juice. It's a woman's food, in chocolates and cupcakes. It's a man's

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-30510623576163752962011-08-29T19:52:00.000-07:002011-09-01T19:00:58.158-07:00

I see directions for a vegetable paella in a cookbook, and think to tackle the dish myself. I saute onions and bell peppers, but mess up on the spices. The heat is just a tad too intense. Not to worry. There is peach ice cream to finish.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-21839009837657383872011-08-21T12:22:00.000-07:002011-08-30T16:21:59.288-07:00

A restaurant does not stay in business for four decades without graduating a few fascinating food folks. The San Francisco Chronicle's story on Alice Waters and Chez Panisse highlights, among other things, the Berkeley eatery's impressive and far-reaching network of alumni, which extends "to high-end restaurants, artisan bakeries, ice cream shops and cafes - not to mention the pages of dozens

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-4373848882817027242011-08-18T18:56:00.000-07:002011-08-18T19:05:16.641-07:00

"Consider where the fruit came from. If it came from 3,000 miles away, then bear in mind that it was probably picked at a much more immature stage, and it's not going to be as ripe and delicious. If it came from a neighboring state, it's probably a whole lot riper." Desmond Layne, Clemson University peach specialist, on NPR's "All Things Considered"

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-22067996369620872462011-08-09T10:20:00.000-07:002011-08-16T12:17:35.667-07:00

"It was quite a large hole, the sort of thing an animal about the size of a fox might have made. "James knelt down in front of it and poked his head and shoulders inside. "He crawled in. "He kept on crawling. "This isn't just a hole, he thought excitedly. It's a tunnel! "The tunnel was damp and murky, and all around him there was the curious bittersweet smell of fresh peach. The floor was

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-25162136909867945852011-08-07T10:56:00.000-07:002011-08-18T19:09:56.632-07:00

"You're gonna slurp those noodles. You're not chewing them. You're not cutting them up. You're trying to inhale them like a human noodle vacuum. And they should slurp in a pleasing way... "And then that broth that they're served in, it should dress the noodles. It should coat the noodles. It should flavor the noodles. It seems like the simplest thing for a bowl of noodle soup to do. But when

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-91138059712813116042011-07-31T10:20:00.000-07:002011-08-15T14:34:23.810-07:00

For Nigel Slater, the best part about honey-glazed chicken wings comes toward the end of the meal. "Like watching the credits rolling after a film, the licking of fingers is when you get to savour what you have just enjoyed..." The British food writer serves up another damn fine read in The Observer. Without fail, he makes us hungry.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-15054665745955649142011-07-30T12:21:00.000-07:002011-08-04T13:24:49.549-07:00

One minute I am reading about bagels in Britain, reminiscing, for example, about Brick Lane Beigel Bake in London. "Anyone who has visited an authentic bagel shop will know the steamy, burnished aroma of bagels made in small batches... Freshness is the core philosophy in this place, and the ovens are on the go continually. Under the glossy crust, the dough is dense yet tender, slightly sweet with

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-10734990629828863012011-07-25T14:07:00.000-07:002011-08-16T12:20:08.690-07:00

"Then the Tour started. And it was impossible to resist. It always is. It sits there like a slice of key lime pie or the last piece of fried chicken, mocking will power. Cycling may punish you later, but it's so seductive in the present. That is what the sport knows, why it perseveres, despite its repeated, maddening mess-making..." Only in The Wall Street Journal perhaps can a sports writer

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-87708376434645436862011-07-22T23:23:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:52:18.854-07:00

Who knew the banana could be such a complicated fruit? Or, perhaps more accurately, who didn't know? Really.Dan Koeppel's book "Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World" is fascinating. "The more I researched, the more it became clear that there's nothing we eat - that the world eats - more paradoxical than the banana," he writes. "The humble treat we pack into our lunchboxes is among

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-12892868097820794112011-07-19T22:53:00.000-07:002011-10-03T23:05:52.468-07:00

This is Just To SayI have eatenthe plumsthat were inthe iceboxand whichyou were probablysavingfor breakfastForgive methey were deliciousso sweetand so coldWilliam Carlos Williams, quoted in Romney Steele's "Plum Gorgeous: Recipes and Memories from the Orchard"

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-64431264394429224352011-07-17T20:11:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:55:50.807-07:00

I could not let the moment in Manhattan Beach pass without a picture.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-65725505712208909132011-07-15T12:23:00.000-07:002011-08-03T21:02:08.572-07:00

Ever since a friend in London mentioned passata in a curry recipe from his mother's kitchen, I have wondered about it. Is it essentially pureed tomatoes? The Telegraph talks about San Marzano tomatoes in a piece on store-bought passata, used in this case to add depth and texture to weeknight pasta sauces. It provides some enlightenment.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-28557703300887993602011-07-14T18:33:00.000-07:002011-08-04T13:24:11.992-07:00

On a Thursday in Southern California, we navigate the 405 one last time before Carmageddon strikes over the weekend. The sushi at Kabuki in the Howard Hughes Center is worth the drive. We enjoy the food and the company.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-53212649606064537052011-07-09T11:51:00.000-07:002011-08-16T21:41:37.463-07:00

Breakfast might or might not be our favorite meal of the day. That remains a toss-up. It does, however, give us an excellent reason to get out of bed in the morning. Travel + Leisure offers a compelling look at hotel breakfasts around the world. There are dumplings in China, for example, and parathas in India. There are bangers and bacon in Britain, and biscuits and beignets in the U.S. There

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-49219660736590549562011-07-05T17:56:00.000-07:002011-07-06T18:22:22.026-07:00

When friends in the United States ask about her native Singapore, Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan often tells them she misses "the food first and then my family. They think I'm joking." She assures them she's not. She misses the complexity of dishes influenced by Chinese, Malaysian, Indian and European flavors. The availability of seafood and a love of spices, for example, gave birth to chili crab, "a

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-9255038174817446152011-07-04T18:58:00.000-07:002011-07-06T19:03:06.390-07:00

Because it is the Fourth of July.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-92174877927098334402011-07-01T10:42:00.000-07:002011-08-18T19:12:18.914-07:00

"One of the extraordinary things about grilling, it's a public event. It's a theatrical event. It's a social event. People do not gather around a stove to watch a pot of soup simmer, or an oven to watch a cake bake. But when you grill, instantly, you have a crowd." Steve Raichlen, author of "The Barbecue! Bible," on NPR's "Morning Edition"

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-43661434433965314732011-06-26T15:39:00.000-07:002011-06-26T15:39:00.305-07:00

Leave it to me to bypass meat and seafood recipes in Lourdes Castro's latest cookbook "Latin Grilling: Recipes to Share, From Patagonian Asado to Yucatecan Barbecue and More" and hone in on dessert. Or more specifically on alfajores. "Found all over Argentina," she writes, "they are made up of dulce de leche sandwiched between two cakey brown sugar cookies. The sandwich is then either dipped in

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-46603329329364067192011-06-20T12:09:00.000-07:002011-06-20T12:24:26.879-07:00

In "Drinking Japan: A Guide to Japan's Best Drinks and Drinking Establishments," Chris Bunting talks of sake and shochu, beverages long associated with Japan. He also takes a substantial and welcomed look at the popularity of beer, whiskey and wine in modern Japanese culture. He provides context and suggestions on where to find the best and most of them, citing hours and atmosphere, for example,

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-60206135383849921932011-06-19T18:26:00.000-07:002011-06-19T18:26:00.513-07:00

"Other studies suggest that stress is countered by the smells of food cooking in a home, which are received by the brain's limbic system (the ancient part of our mind, which stimulates our parasympathetic nervous system); in other words, the smells of cooking relax us, put us at ease, though we are rarely conscious of it."Did you ever wonder why, at every party, the kitchen is the most crowded

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-49729258843625846372011-06-12T16:52:00.000-07:002011-06-13T11:29:31.865-07:00

"Cherries bring with them a certain frivolity, a carefree joy like hearing the far-off laughter of a child at play. Their appearance, in deepest summer, comes when life is often at its most untroubled. A bag of cherries is a bag of happiness."Nigel Slater, in "Tender: Volume II, A Cook's Guide to the Fruit Garden"

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-64063393922430861322011-06-09T14:18:00.000-07:002011-06-09T14:18:00.278-07:00

And so pie it is.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-64227951316981590732011-06-07T19:17:00.000-07:002011-07-30T10:43:59.041-07:00

I get a full flat of strawberries for cheap from the farmers' market, intending to share with people back at the house, relatives who had come to visit on a Sunday afternoon. Since they leave unexpectedly before I return, however, I find myself with a whole lot of strawberries. Their loss is my gain. Just as well, I say, and dig into dessert books on the desk for inspiration.From "The Grand

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-30808230393855372972011-06-03T10:21:00.000-07:002011-06-07T20:04:51.822-07:00

Slate has a piece on pie. It is wicked, meant to turn readers off the sweet treat. But, of course, it has the opposite effect on some of us. Among the highlights:"Unlike the tart, which sits low and topless in a shallow pan with a svelte layer of topping, pie requires a hefty piece of bakeware with outward-sloping sides, practically dooming the pastry to collapse. "And unlike a torte - a short

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-42567159797634356842011-05-24T12:37:00.000-07:002011-05-24T12:37:00.471-07:00

This I know for certain: I will not forage. A walk in the woods for me is just that, a walk. I can not fish. I do not have the time or ability. I will not hunt either. I can not ever see myself picking up a gun and shooting something. But I can appreciate Hank Shaw's efforts in doing so. And I can appreciate the meticulous way in which he writes about his favorite foods in "Hunt, Gather, Cook:

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-33062229383989950382011-05-09T15:31:00.000-07:002011-05-24T16:29:08.099-07:00

Edited by C.J. Jackson, director of the Billingsgate Seafood Training School at Billingsgate Market in East London, "Seafood: How to Buy, Prepare, and Cook the Best Sustainable Fish and Seafood from Around the World" is a comprehensive volume with more than 300 classic and contemporary recipes. It checks in at a remarkable 400 pages.I find myself flipping past sections on tuna, trout and scallop,

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-66476644318090317102011-05-06T20:16:00.000-07:002011-05-24T16:32:28.622-07:00

Because sometimes we just need a slice of cake. (And, apparently, onion rings.)

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-47331020181553543072011-04-19T14:27:00.000-07:002011-06-08T14:06:12.244-07:00

Heather Shouse does the legwork so we don't have to. In "Food Trucks: Dispatches and Recipes from the Best Kitchens on Wheels," the Chicago resident chases down a number of meals-on-wheels in cities across the United States. She talks to the women and men behind Curry Up Now in the Bay Area, for example, and RoliRoti, whose chicken, potatoes and porchetta I have yet to taste. She tracks down Roy

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-42486193364178922262011-04-03T14:43:00.000-07:002011-04-04T16:10:38.714-07:00

I am a sucker for orzo. And cooked broccoli. So I find myself drawn to Heidi Swanson's Orzo Salad, from her second cookbook "Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen." The dish promises to be light, tasty and healthful. It will work itself easily into the rotation. These days I have been seeing green. Happily. Orzo Saladfrom Heidi Swanson's "Super Natural Every

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-68523867277829781382011-03-28T17:49:00.000-07:002011-04-05T18:02:31.919-07:00

"In central Texas, you don't hear a lot of people talking about the piquancy of a restaurant's sauce or the tastiness of its beans; discussions are what a scholar of the culture might call meat-driven." Calvin Trillin, in "By Meat Alone" from "Trillin on Texas."(A review appears in Publishers Weekly.)

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-30010510263953343752011-02-26T11:40:00.000-08:002011-03-02T11:50:00.496-08:00

"'You're the new smoking police,' I tell Thorne when he sits back down. 'From now on you can give out citations.''What is a citation?' he asks, and takes a drink of Sprite.'A ticket,' Tony says. 'You can write up smoking tickets and hand them out on the street to anyone you see smoking.' Thorne laughs, and then the dumplings come and they're boiled, not steamed or fried, and a little doughy on

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-4906342767544647672011-02-14T17:18:00.000-08:002011-03-02T11:39:18.345-08:00

We are not into chocolates, hearts or chalky Valentines. But we do find ourselves craving lemon doughnuts. With or without coffee. We want sunshine when the weather has been gray, dull and overcast. We want daffodils when all we have seen in a while have been brown and bare and boring. We want bright light and sweetness. We want spring.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-59896452602554539142011-02-07T18:22:00.000-08:002011-02-16T13:58:41.583-08:00

Lunar New Year celebrations boast deep-fried dumplings and steamed cupcakes, too. We can not resist either and get to enjoy both.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-12463053430553404212011-02-05T18:26:00.000-08:002011-02-16T11:35:42.682-08:00

We try our hands at artistic. We are impressed.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-75998700924867033582011-02-03T18:10:00.000-08:002011-02-16T14:00:55.462-08:00

My mother cooks to mark the Lunar New Year, the start of the Year of the Rabbit. Time flies when we eat. Just yesterday it had been the Year of the Tiger.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-2931183608397332812011-02-02T11:21:00.000-08:002011-02-16T14:06:00.537-08:00

NPR has an interesting piece on Lunar New Year's feasts in the Caribbean island of Trinidad. "(In) Trinidad, Chinese food is staple fare," Ramin Ganeshram writes. "We eat fried rice once a week. Chow mein is as common as a casserole. Stir fries with calabaza pumpkin, taro root and hot pepper are everyday foods, and soy sauce is a regular ingredient in brown stewed meats." We never suspected.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-11863228566624684912011-01-16T15:01:00.000-08:002011-02-16T15:27:50.905-08:00

"Countless new foods have been introduced in restaurants, and most of them hit the three points of the compass. Sugar, fat and salt are either loaded onto a core ingredient (such as meat, vegetable, potato or bread), layered on top of it, or both..."Potato skins, for example: Typically the potato is hollowed out and the skin is fried, which provides a substantial surface area for... 'fat pickup.'

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-41954832267995365142011-01-03T10:51:00.000-08:002011-01-03T11:08:09.945-08:00

In the beginning, Sarabeth Levine made fruit spreads, jams and preserves, and sold them in specialty shops. Shortly thereafter, she opened a bakery and café "on what was then a distinctly inelegant Amsterdam Avenue on Manhattan's Upper West Side." These days, the James Beard Award-winning pastry chef has grown her brand and her business significantly, running bakeries and restaurants in a number

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-23429324889493990732011-01-02T18:27:00.000-08:002011-01-13T18:34:58.867-08:00

A peppermint and chocolate ice-cream sundae from Fentons. Because the diet can start tomorrow.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-84593489051781306122010-12-25T19:34:00.000-08:002011-01-14T00:19:25.998-08:00

A toast to the holidays. I eschew an extended-family get-together for some time home alone. It is my gift to myself.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-88339157579518095972010-11-27T14:54:00.000-08:002010-12-12T11:08:17.819-08:00

If the Henri Cartier-Bresson photo show at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is the sundae, then "How Wine Became Modern: Design + Wine 1976 to Now" has to be the cherry on top.The exhibit, up through April 17, looks at contemporary wine culture and the role big-name architecture, for example, has played in its evolution. It highlights, among other things, wineries in Northern California and

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-19876139990579109792010-10-27T18:12:00.000-07:002011-08-03T21:00:44.865-07:00

This time last year, we were in London eating, exploring food shops and outdoor markets. This time this year, we are not. Fiona Cairns, though, takes us back a bit to England. Her company, set in Leicestershire, supplies fanciful desserts to British department stores such as Selfridges, Harrods and Waitrose. The cookbook "Bake and Decorate: Charming Cakes, Cupcakes & Cookies for Every Occasion"

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-51839421664517440602010-10-18T18:43:00.000-07:002011-08-03T16:00:20.948-07:00

Nor can we resist good bread.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-72838771019500121932010-10-15T18:40:00.000-07:002011-08-03T15:46:14.481-07:00

We are attracted to chocolates like bees to honey. Sweet.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-688162372593183982010-10-12T18:47:00.000-07:002011-08-03T17:46:41.567-07:00

It is perhaps not the tastiest Thai food we have eaten. The flavors could pop that much more. But in a pinch, in Moab, it is tasty enough.In the land of the blind, as they say, the one-eyed man is king.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-56876479094720155752010-10-08T18:44:00.000-07:002010-12-11T19:53:15.182-08:00

A day spent hiking in the heat calls for an evening eating and drinking.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-46278579398272420152010-10-07T18:49:00.000-07:002011-04-04T16:23:19.977-07:00

We eat it out of the box in our hotel room after a day's worth of driving. A paradox. It tastes pretty darn good.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-24067503551234805622010-10-06T17:38:00.000-07:002010-10-18T18:56:30.011-07:00

Because it is the official snack of the state.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-80924544031415425062010-10-03T17:03:00.000-07:002010-10-18T17:23:42.626-07:00

The second oldest restaurant in Utah - we haven't a clue as to the first - Ruth's Diner in Emigration Canyon is housed in an old-school trolley car. We like the vibe and the decor. With baked macaroni and cheese, a grilled portobello mushroom sandwich, and a classic chocolate malt pudding, we also like the menu.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-42958351301466516122010-10-01T16:45:00.000-07:002010-10-20T16:58:45.294-07:00

I am not certain how it is pronounced, but the kouing aman from Les Madeleines patisserie and cafe in Salt Lake City is interesting. The French pastry is crispy and buttery, sticky and sugary.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-56510858351904126992010-09-29T16:27:00.000-07:002010-12-11T19:47:15.450-08:00

We seldom heed guidebooks, winging it on the road instead. When it comes to food, however, we can not resist local recommendations. We like to see what other people eat, and do not mind the hunt.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-55067893950049290482010-09-26T09:23:00.000-07:002010-12-11T19:45:41.255-08:00

Though we know him for the chocolates, John Scharffenberger apparently has done and now does considerably more. The San Francisco Chronicle details his pre- and post-chocolate endeavors: "His food businesses have been nothing short of diverse. Besides having produced Champagne-style bubbly, high-end dark chocolate bars and now gourmet soy, Scharffenberger is also juggling a small sauerkraut

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-33767203066349500732010-09-19T17:30:00.000-07:002010-10-20T16:55:46.450-07:00

Geography matters. Or not.We go to see Phoenix at the Hollywood Bowl. Tonight, we travel to Memphis in Manhattan Beach, where we order catfish and crab cakes, a bison burger and fried chicken. When the food arrives, we pass the camera around the table. It is a habit we have developed. We eat and swoon.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-29946237654687079112010-09-14T18:41:00.000-07:002010-09-16T11:23:13.037-07:00

A corn syrup by any other name is still artificially sweet.From The New York Times:"The Corn Refiners Association, which represents firms that make (high-fructose corn syrup), has been trying to improve the image of the much maligned sweetener with ad campaigns promoting it as a natural ingredient made from corn. "Now, the group has petitioned the United States Food and Drug Administration to

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-30435825216837814752010-08-24T19:12:00.000-07:002010-08-24T19:12:00.240-07:00

"A piece of bacon here, a chicken wing there, all eaten out of hand, fingers licked afterward. The sun is heading toward the horizon now; the small bit of beer in the bottom of my bottle is warm. Sunday is coming to a close and we've done nothing all day but grill and eat meat - which sounds absurd but feels sublime..."Tara Austen Weaver, writing about barbecue in "The Butcher and the Vegetarian:

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-78033185388363235782010-08-13T22:31:00.000-07:002011-08-18T19:08:20.271-07:00

"In trying to save my Sun Crest peaches, I discover that they are more than just food, they are part of a permanence, a continuity with the past. People who enjoy my peaches understand what juicy, sweet ones taste like. Biting into one may send them back to the orchards of their childhoods and that warm sense of constancy of family found in their memories. Individuals leave for the city, but the

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-57481354399830115542010-08-08T23:15:00.000-07:002010-08-11T17:26:05.272-07:00

Because sometimes the display is simply too beautiful to ignore.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-36878857465211700322010-08-07T17:33:00.000-07:002010-10-18T16:13:34.310-07:00

When Real Madrid arrives for a friendly against the LA Galaxy, when 89,000-plus file into and out of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on a sunny afternoon, we look for icy drinks to cool us down. Horchata2 cups boiling water3/4 cup rice powder or rice flour4 cups lowfat or whole milk1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk1/4 tsp. cinnamona few drops vanilla extractWhisk the boiling water into the

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-8636176753991598682010-07-29T16:42:00.000-07:002010-07-29T16:42:00.760-07:00

"Nobody makes strawberry chocolate pie the way you do. Wednesday is my favorite day of the week because I get to have a slice of it. I think about it as I'm waking up. You could solve all the problems of the world with that pie... "Just a pie? It's downright expert. A thing of beauty. How each flavor opens itself one by one, like a chapter in a book. "First a burst of exotic spices. Just a hint

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-77225328249361949102010-07-25T21:35:00.000-07:002010-08-13T10:50:50.257-07:00

The July issue of Food & Wine includes a story on Spike Mendelsohn, whose Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, D.C. is a 15-minute drive from the White House, and whose menu features a heart-healthier Michelle Melt, "a turkey burger flavored with sauteed apple and celery." What intrigue us most in the piece, however, are the recipes:Michelle's Turkey Burgers with Lemon Mayonnaise3 Tbsp. canola oil1

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-17668364151529927482010-07-20T13:25:00.000-07:002010-07-23T18:50:59.794-07:00

In the months before my grandmother's death, my mother cooked. She bought pork and lamb at the store, glad to take advantage of grocery specials. She marinated beef to roast in a hot oven. She trimmed Chinese greens. She chopped and braised, steamed and stir-fried. She spent time in her kitchen with the television on but often ignored.My mother cooked not for my grandmother, who by then hardly

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-51986058454913645632010-07-15T14:23:00.000-07:002010-07-16T20:46:44.748-07:00

Pie, pie, three-berry pie. Though the crust is store-bought, the lattice is not. The filling, consisting of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, is totally summer.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-47198131054521442902010-07-04T18:37:00.000-07:002010-07-06T13:29:22.231-07:00

Because it is red, white and blue.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-68587993211463454592010-07-03T18:35:00.000-07:002010-07-16T20:48:56.773-07:00

In a box of 15 macarons from La Boulange in San Francisco, we are down to the final four. One for each of us. We check out a jazz festival on Fillmore Street and uncover a French bakery on Pine Street instead. The cookies have all been excellent. We pass them around the table and think of getting more.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-43417027759481004942010-07-02T18:26:00.000-07:002010-07-13T20:15:06.542-07:00

The Guardian does a combination history, how-to pick, eat and store piece on strawberries. It is a light but informative read. It seems to me the British strawberry season coincides nicely with the U.S., another reason I love England.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-70006019860357073412010-06-28T19:54:00.000-07:002010-07-16T20:51:23.114-07:00

OK now this has got to stop.I survey the groceries and realize there is simply too much food in the refrigerator. There are tons of fruits and vegetables. It's crazy.After the Mexico-Argentina game Sunday afternoon, I went to the Berkeley Bowl, where I got raspberries, blackberries and blueberries on the cheap. I don't want to keep them too long, though, so I make a crisp.I got a bag of eggplants

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666806923977719767.post-74772414147615072842010-06-26T21:53:00.000-07:002011-08-20T20:58:24.464-07:00

"My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard and they're like it's better than yours. Damn right it's better than yours. I could teach you but I'd have to charge." The lyrics are taken from "Milkshake" by Kelis. The sign hangs at Trueburger on Grand Avenue in Oakland, where they serve hamburgers, french fries and, yes, milkshakes. It proves a nifty play on words.

Christina Enghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05888096586407524237noreply@blogger.com0