December 2010
Ringing In 2011 With Some Champagne Cocktails
I love Champagne! The way it looks in the glass, the way it explodes when it hits my palate and the way it creates such a festive mood.
But I’ve got to pace myself. It goes down so easy, it can go straight to my head and I’ll be tipsy long before midnight. This year, I’ve got a plan, though.
I’m going to start the evening by exploring Champagne Cocktails, ripping a page...
Make This Sinfully Good Chocolate Cake
This recipe was submitted by a reader of Bon Appétit magazine to said mag in the mid-’90s, during the early days of the flourless chocolate cake boon. There’s a sweet back story to it, as I recall. Elodie was a French foreign exchange student in Los Angeles, and despite being French, was culinarily-challenged. The only thing she could produce with aplomb for her host family was this...
I'm App Happy! How About You?
I just purchased the new iSpice app, and I’m thrilled to have Monica Bhide’s wisdom—more than 100 herbs (huacatay), spices (anise), spice mixes (zaatar), pastes (zhoug) and sauces (sambal)—at my fingertips.
Exquisite photography? Check. Detailed descriptions? Check. Recipes? Check. The iSpice app is the latest in the collection of food-related apps I’ve downloaded...
Reviewing the New Flesh: The David Cronenberg Top...
With the release of David Cronenberg’s audacious dystopian thriller Videodrome (1983) on Blu-ray this month, there comes an opportunity to review the Canadian writer-director’s challenging body of work. “Body” is the appropriate term to use when addressing Cronenberg’s c.v.; his best efforts address the wonders and (mostly) terrors of the human body and their...
Tools and Techniques For Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. Rich and creamy, they act as a base and a foil for so many wonderful cold weather dishes. Thankfully, there are lots of ways to mash spuds. Over the years, I’ve tried many methods.
The Potato Masher:
These days, I generally precook peeled and quartered organic Yukon Gold potatoes in my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker with just a little water....
Do You Need A Paring Knife?
Do you need a paring knife? That’s the question the dedicated testers at Cook’s Illustrated are taking on in the February issue, and the answer is an unqualified yes. Of course you need 8-inch chef’s knives for basic tasks, but nothing beats the paring knife when it comes to “detail work” like hulling strawberries or scraping vanilla beans, the mag said. Its testers...
5 Ways to a Perfectly Sparkling New Year's Eve
Ah, 2010 is coming to a close. Now’s the time to reflect on the past year’s events and accomplishments. Was it good for you? My friend Tawnya quit her job, moved to France and started producing her own sparkling wine. It’s friends like these that make me feel like, perhaps, I wasn’t all that productive this year.
Since she is in the biz, I thought I’d ask Tawnya for...
Have You Tried Pimenton de la Vera?
When Epicurious listed its food predictions for 2011, they included this increasingly popular ingredient, Pimenton de la Vera, a smoky and often spicy paprika from the La Vera region in Spain.
I picked up Piementon de la Vera several years ago at one of the finest Spanish food stores in the U.S., the Spanish Table. There you can find paella pans of all sizes, all manner of Spanish ingredients...
Then and Now: Rachel Swirsky, Transitioning from...
Rachel Swirsky is among the most talented science fiction/fantasy short story writers working today—one of the new generation that’s transforming the genre through a combination of inspiration, renovation, and fresh approaches. She’s been nominated for multiple awards, including the Nebula, and attended both iconic genre workshops like Clarion West and iconic mainstream literary...
Eggcellent Tools for Breakfast
What are your favorite tools for making breakfast?
In my household, we have a fairly wide selection of favorites. Without a doubt, the cast iron frying pan sits at the top of my list. I use mine every day in order to make a basic fried egg. This is the type of pan that I grew up with and it’s the one I rely on daily.
My husband, on the other hand, reaches for his new 10-inch Scanpan...
S.G. Browne on Fated and Greek Gods
S.G. Browne is rapidly becoming known for his ability to take the familiar and re-imagine it through the kinds of humor and satire that also allows for interesting characters. His latest is Fated, which Kirkus in a starred review calls “Another radically funny comedy from one of America’s best satiric novelists.”
What’s it about? From Publishers Weekly:...
S.G. Brown on Fated and Greek Gods
S.G. Browne is rapidly becoming known for his ability to take the familiar and re-imagine it through the kinds of humor and satire that also allows for interesting characters. His latest is Fated, which Kirkus in a starred review calls “Another radically funny comedy from one of America’s best satiric novelists.”
What’s it about? From Publishers Weekly:...
Some Retro Recipes Best Left In The Past
Spent a good bit of time yesterday paging through a 1953 edition of Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, a nostalgic romp that reminded me of some of the bad old days. The casseroles weighed down with processed cheese and cream of something soups. The desserts crafted from cans of fruit cocktail and the fancification of cold cuts and hot dogs. (“Make those hot dogs special by wrapping them...
Under the Radar: Ekaterina Sedia on Her Novel the...
Looking for a unique novel that’s thus far flown under the radar? You might try Ekaterina Sedia’s latest, The House of Discarded Dreams, a phantasmagorical modern fantasy that follows on such critically acclaimed novels as The Secret History of Moscow and The Alchemy of Stone.
Booklist describes the new novel as follows: “Vimbai, who studies invertebrate zoology because of a...
Tagine Dreams
I am inexplicably taken with the one-pot braises of Morocco—the tagine. I love the hearty dishes that are spiced with cumin and cinnamon, loaded with sweet fruits like golden raisins and dried prunes, and rooted in lamb or chicken. Poured over golden couscous, these easy one-pot meals make a warm and filling meal for a group on a cold day.
I have been searching for great recipes for these...
Hungry for Julia Child? Listen to This Amazing...
I was driving along in my car on Christmas Eve, minding the road, when an old, familiar voice came on the radio. It was the French Chef, Julia Child.
But Julia wasn’t giving cooking lesson or talking about French cuisine. She was introducing “A Christmas Carol”, Charles Dickens’ 1843 holiday masterpiece, on a series of special broadcasts under the name of...
Will You Be Serving Goose For Christmas?
I love reading about the foods of yore, and there’s no better occasion than on Christmas, when our family reads Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales.
Then I would be slap-dashing home, the gravy smell of the dinners of others, the bird smell, the brandy, the pudding and mince, coiling up to my nostrils, when out of a snow-clogged side lane would come a boy the spit of...
Friday's Food For Thought: Hostess Gift Edition
Instead of the regular format this week, I thought I’d pass along a few gift ideas for the procrastinators out there:
HOSTESS GIFT IDEAS
A nice bottle of champagne or sparkling wine. If you really love your hosts, splurge on a bottle of Veuve.
A bottle of dessert wine is thoughtful gift, as many people don’t automatically put these in their grocery cart. I’ve been loving...
Last-Minute Gifts
Looking for a last-minute gift that won’t scream “last minute”? Consider pre-orders. Some fabulous food books are coming up in the next few months, and a card explaining “I ordered this wonderful book for you, and it will be delivered hot off the presses” seems more thought-out than picking a current title and confessing “I ordered this too late for Christmas...
Ho-Ho Oh No! The Holiday Anti-Classics
You say you can’t face another round of Rudolph or A Christmas Story this year? Or your taste in holiday fare leans more towards Bad Santa than Santa Claus is Coming To Town? The limited theatrical release of the Finnish film Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, which suggests that kindly old Santa is, in fact, a prehistoric monster, reminds us that that a subgenre of mad, bad and decidedly...
Naughty But Nice Chocolate Biscotti with Cherries...
We made these cookies over a year ago at my FCI graduation, and they’ve held a place in my heart (and hips) ever since. I am generally *not* a huge biscotti fan, but I find myself unable to stop eating these. They are the perfect combination of sinfully rich chocolate, salty nuts, and bright and chewy cherries.
A few helpful hints:
*Splurge on nice chocolate (dried and solid). You will...
Cookie Crazy!
I didn’t exactly leave cookie baking until the last minute. Sometimes it just happens that way! Are you doing some last-minute baking yourself?
I make a selection of cookies every year, always the same. It’s tradition! My long-time favorite, (and that of interior designer Maria Buatta, too), Sour Cream Ginger Cookies, comes from Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Cookies.
This...
What To Make in Your Dutch Oven
So we’ve established how valuable a Dutch oven can be in the kitchen. We’ve talked about how to choose one. Now, you may be wondering, what should you cook once it arrives?
As I mentioned, All About Braising has enough great recipes to keep you eating well for months. But last night I pulled mine out for a new book that landed in my mailbox, “Not Your Mother’s...
Ask the Editors: We're Baaaack
We were ready to hang up our Ask the Editors hats, but just couldn’t end the fun without answering this one from Karin:
“Having read your Ask the Editors all month and purchasing many of the book recommendations, how about some suggestions for all the moms out there that have also done the same? I noticed most of the inquiries were from women. As a mother of four children (ages 7...
Play It Again: The Best Movie Remakes
The Coen brothers have remade the 1969 John Wayne classic True Grit, and critics, while admiring the Coens’ version, have also mused on whether it was necessary to remake a perfectly serviceable film. After all, Wayne won a Best Actor Oscar for his work in the original.
But Hollywood loves a sure thing, including movies that have been a success before. And sometimes, the remake is...
All Hands On Deck With These Nifty Gloves!
I’ve been intrigued by the Skrub’a potato gloves for some time. The coarse gloves are designed to be worn while scrubbing potatoes and other vegetables.
I’ve yet to purchase my first pair, but I was impressed when I found this pair of Skrub’a gloves for children. How nifty is that? If you have budding chef who loves to belly up to the counter and get involved when it...
Writing Those Holiday Menus, Checking 'Em Twice
I’ve been in a major pickle about what I’m going to make for dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There are no traditional dishes we just have to have. Nobody is a fan in my family is a fan of turkey and we’re too small a group for a big ham or prime rib.
So, I’ve been flipping through cookbooks and searching online for some inspiration. I don’t want to go...
Neon "Expendables" : 10 Great Action Movies from...
On paper, The Expendables shouldn’t have worked: a throwback to ’80s-era action fests, top-billed and directed by graying screen hero Sylvester Stallone and featuring a cast of B-stars (Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts), cartoon brawlers (Steve Austin, Randy Couture), cameos by Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger and whatever category Mickey Rourke falls into...
What's Christmas Without Hammond's Candies?
What’s Christmas without Hammond’s Candies? Begun in 1920 with Carl T. Hammond, Hammond’s Candies have become a holiday tradition. I especially love their peppermint ribbon and the crackly sound it makes when you bite into a length of it.
If you’re a fan of caramels, Mitchell Sweets’ all natural marshmallow caramels are the sweetest. Know someone who needs a lump...
Ask the Editors: The Final Trifecta
Well, here we are, with our last Ask the Editors requests of 2010. We’ve had a great time thinking about books for the folks on Omni readers’ lists—thanks for sending us the fun inquiries and thoughtful comments.
First up is Liz:
I’m looking for books for my younger sister. She’s a voracious reader, and a self professed snob. (That means nothing that could be...
Our Cars--1973 Ford Gran Torino Wagon
Car Lust $1,500 Challenge Reader’s Challenge Introduction Reader’s Challenge Results Hafner’s Challenge Introduction Hafner’s Challenge—Traditional American Car Candidates Hafner’s Challenge—Imported/Sporty Candidates Hafner’s Challenge—Truck/Wagon Candidates The Winner—1973 Ford Gran Torino Wagon
Here we are, finally at the end of...
Grim and 'Grit': The Best and Worst Coen Brothers...
The arrival of the Coen brothers’ True Grit, which has gathered very strong reviews, is a great occasion on which to look back over the brothers’ work—now spanning several decades. Ethan and Joel Coen, and their films, are impossible to categorize, veering as they do from comedy to drama to horror to, shall we say, eccentric. This may be because, as The Los Angeles Times’...
How Do You Resurrect Expensive Burnt Pots?
Oy. Who wants to deal with a burnt pot at this time of year?
I readily admit that I’ve burnt many things over the years. One incident that stands out as one of the worst was when I was making a large pot of split pea soup in my pricey Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker. As I recall, I got distracted by my children and forgot that the pot was simmering quietly on low. When I returned, the soup was...
I Love You, Somerset Maugham: Day Five in...
Well, I’ll admit I’ve never read Somerset Maugham, but I’m sure going to give The Moon and Sixpence a shot now. An old friend in Philadelphia wrote to say that her husband was replaying tonight’s last question almost as much as he replayed the punt return that won the Eagles game yesterday. And I have to say, having “20th Century Novelists” come out of the sky,...
Meatless Monday, Gift-Wrapped!
If you’re fond of prognostications, you’ll be interested to note that Epicurious has predicted 2011 to be the year of Meatless Mondays and Tofu Thursdays, the year that “eating meat-free will be on the calendar more than once a week.” But Epicurious is not the only one touting a veggie new year.
Mario Batali began serving meat-free meals to the mainstream in May....
How To Choose A Dutch Oven
I share Tracy’s love for Le Creuset Dutch ovens. It’s one of those kitchen staples that I consider an heirloom rather than a luxury. When she asked how to choose a pot, and how to choose the correct size, I jumped over to the book that originally made me such a Dutch oven fan: “All About Braising” by Molly Stevens.
Several of the best cooks I know have this book in their...
Candy Is Dandy, Especially This Time Of Year
This month could also be known as the sweetest spot on the calendar, a time when we indulge in goodies not typically on the menu the rest of the year. There’s eggnog and hot buttered rum. Frosted gingerbread cookies shaped like Santa. Oh, and the candy!
Since first writing about my toffee making disaster early in 2010, I’ve gone back to the drawing board a few times, working on my...
A Sensible Sushi Solution
Do you ever crave something, but avoid the indulgence due to cost? I sometimes do, but last week I decided to take charge. My teenage son had a cold and was craving some California rolls and wasabi. I was heading to Seattle’s Central Market. Will asked me to buy “two or three of those California roll containers from the sushi takeout department.”
When I got to Central I realized that each...
Perfect Table Settings for the Holidays
With Christmas just days away (yikes!), many cooks have their menu and wine selections in place (here’s hopin’), but most probably haven’t given a lot of thought to the holiday table itself, as in tablecloths and napkins, centerpieces and party favors.
Luckily for us, Los Angeles-based Denise Vivaldo, a caterer and food stylist, cookbook author and recipe developer who has...
Notes on Marginalia: Sam Anderson's Year of...
I mentioned some favorites in the Millions’ Year in Reading last week, just in time to miss the entry on Thursday from one of my favorite critics, New York’s Sam Anderson, who, happily, turns the genre inside out with a glimpse into what his year of reading was actually like, with scans of some of his livelier marginal notes, written on the books as he was reading them. As someone who...
Sunday Snaps: Two Little Piggies
Yes, I am posting my own photo this week. You see, I am in charge, so I can do that.
December 25 is now less than a week away, and there’s been no decision in my household on what the main course will be. I am lobbying for a suckling pig. Suckling pigs are available in the 20-pound range and at that size are small enough to be roasted in your oven. They are kind of pricey at around $150,...
The Christmas Shopping Countdown Is So On
I don’t want to freak anybody out, but Christmas is just six days away. The clock is swiftly winding down for placing orders online. This is no time to procrastinate!
Are you listening Honey?
Yes, my dear husband has many fine qualities, but gift shopping is not one of them. He’d rather be doing most anything else besides pulling the trigger on thoughtful stuff to put under the tree....
For an Effortless Open House, What Are Your Tips?
I’ve just come back from my friend Chris’s Annual Solstice Party. She’s been hosting it for years now and always has a rafter of people who join her to celebrate the longest night of the year.
“She’s just fearless,” noted one of the guests, who marveled at the number of people milling around in the living room, dining room and kitchen. “I could never...
Culinary Mysteries Revealed: Kwanzaa Cake
As I was scrolling through my Twitter feed in the middle of the night last night, I happened upon a tweet that promised to reveal the origins of Sandra Lee’s infamous Kwanzaa cake. If you haven’t seen the Kwanzaa cake in the making, I implore you to watch the above video.
To my surprise I instantly recognized the name of the culprit: Denise Vivaldo. She’s one of the funniest...
The Perfect Pot
I used my Le Creuset Dutch Oven this evening, one of my very favorite pots in my collection, when it occurred to me that it would make a great gift for that special cook on your Christmas list.
It works both on the stove and in the oven, looks great on the table, cleans up in seconds and lasts forever. Le Creuset’s color selection has grown over the years and in addition to traditional...
Ask the Editors: The Sports Fan Who's Read 'Em All
Today we tackle what turned out to be a toughie, from Jill:
Help me find something to appeal to my hubby. He’s retired, loves sports(don’t bother, he’s read them all), recently read all the Harlan Coben books, likes some popular fiction(Stephen King,Dan Brown,John Grisham), loves the newspaper, particularly sports columnists(although not Lupica so much). He’s not a fan...
Director Blake Edwards, Master of Modern Screwball...
Writer-director Blake Edwards, whose body of work spanned the genres from the downright slapsticky (The Pink Panther, The Party) to thoughtful drama (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Days of Wine and Roses), has died at age 88.
Edwards, who had been married to actress Julie Andrews since 1969, began his career as an actor, but quickly became a successful writer in the 1950s in Hollywood. He was...
Here's A Holiday Gift Idea That Really Pops
My daughter’s a big popcorn fan, though she’s sworn off the microwave stuff. Too many burned bags. There’s nothing quite as stinky as blackened popcorn.
I’ve tried with mixed success to pop it on the stovetop, but there’s a fine line between “done popping” and “overdone”. Seared and charred might work well for steaks and seafood, but not these...
The Perfect Holiday Gift? Michael Moorcock's...
Need a sure-fire gift for your SF/Fantasy geek friend or relative? Pre-packaged for Christmas in shades of red and green, Michael Moorcock’s Doctor Who: The Coming of the Terraphiles might just be what you’re looking for. Iconic post-World War II English writer teams up with iconic English SF franchise to produce something that’s not just Moorcock channeling Who.
What’s...
The Orange Eats Creeps Author Grace Krilanovich on...
Last month, Grace Krilanovich’s surreal, phantasmagorical The Orange Eats Creeps, made Amazon’s Top 10 Best SF/Fantasy for the year. Along with the other writers who made the list, she’s been invited to provide her own list of favorite reads in 2010. Here’s Krilanovich’s list. Some really great choices!
TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2010
by Grace Krilanovich
In...