The aromas from five rotisserie chickens, purchased just before the tasters arrived, were so enticing that the group of six sat at the table, forks at the ready, and let out a collective “Mmm.” All of the birds had come out of their ovens between 4 and 5 p.m., timed perfectly for shoppers on their …
Read morePhoto by: Debra Samuels Zeppole with vanilla cream and amarena cherries By Debra Samuels Globe Correspondent / March 18, 2009 In Italy tomorrow, men named Joseph and women named Josephine will hand out zeppole, a Neopolitan pastry of fried dough filled with cream, to family and friends to mark the feast of San Giuseppe. Closer …
Read moreBoston Globe, February 25, 2009 In this fish curry from the Maharashtra region in western India, you get both delicate and piquant in one dish. Coconut milk makes the sauce creamy but you get plenty of heat and flavor with a balanced blend of spices. Most Indian cooks toast and grind whole spices – some do …
Read morePhoto by Debra Samuels Boston Globe, February 11, 2009 Instant cocoa mixes are made for the moments when you come in from shoveling, can’t feel your fingers or toes, and need something hot and nourishing – fast. This easy hot cocoa mix requires only boiling water. To make it, mix nonfat dried milk with high-quality …
Read moreGifts that keep on giving In the right hands, cookware makes for happy returns By Debra Samuels, Globe Correspondent December 22, 2008 If you’re still looking for a holiday gift, think outside the mall. In fact, think outside all your usual places. The Institute of Contemporary Art’s museum shop offers many ultra-hip selections (including an …
Read moreBap till you drop By Debra Samuels, Globe Correspondent November 5, 2008 In Korea, some foods trickled down from the Imperial palace and others have humbler origins. Bibimbap seems to be somewhere in the middle – a dish thought to have been introduced to Korean monarchy by the court of China, but also served to …
Read morePhoto By Debra Samuels Boston Globe, January 21, 2009 This Chinese chicken hot pot combines the heartiness of a casserole with a light, warming chicken broth. Slices of fresh ginger root and scallions are two aromatics that signal that this is not Grammy Greenberg’s Jewish penicillin. But like hers and other pots of chicken soup, …
Read moreBy Debra Samuels Boston Globe, December 17, 2008 Kasha varnishkes Serves 8 Eastern-European Jewish immigrants brought kasha varnishkes to this country at the turn of the 20th century. Kasha is roasted buckwheat groats; varnishkes means noodles in Yiddish (bow ties are now classic), and Wolff’s Kasha is the brand most cooks use. Mix eggs into …
Read moreTASTE KITCHEN: TOASTED O’S CEREAL Bowled over By Debra Samuels Globe Correspondent / January 7, 2009 In a supermarket, the breakfast cereal aisle is a football field-long corridor. Some of have morphed into many other brands. Recently, nine members of a food and nutrition-oriented 4-H club, ranging in age from 6 to 17, tasted five …
Read moreThis is an updated version of the old presentation that is served with vanilla ice cream and liquer-infused whipped cream. Here the berries are macerated in Cointreau and sugar. Strawberries Romanoff Ingredients: Serves 4 1 quart strawberries, rinsed and hulled (leave 4 berry stems intact) 1/4 cup Cointreau or other orange liqueur or orange juice …
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