I arrived at my friend Kristin’s house on Saturday evening to find a large, gorgeous, and abundantly fragrant basil plant on the kitchen table. Not having the resources to shop with any frequency these days, I hadn’t considered stopping at my favorite money-sucking nursery – and I say that in the nicest possible way –… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Vegetarian
Roasted Root Vegetable Pot Pie
It’s fancy enough for a special occasion (think Valentine’s Day, people), has a sweetness from the roasted vegetables that contrasts nicely with the crust, and should cost you in the neighborhood of thirteen dollars and fifty-cents to make. If you serve it to only two people, you will have six remaining servings, so for $3.45… Continue Reading
Ribollita: Zuppa di Cucina Povera
If you’ve read any of the previous posts in which I’ve described having Ribollita for dinner, you are already aware that it comes from the tradition of cucina povera, or the poor kitchen – also known as peasant cooking – which was the necessary means of cooking throughout Italy for generations. Many of the dishes… Continue Reading
Sweet Caramelized Bliss
In the neighborhood where JR lived as a child, there was a family that he insists ate caramelized onions at dinner every night. This makes me believe that they must have also eaten either beef or pork every night as well as caramelized onions best complement meaty dishes – you wouldn’t normally think of having… Continue Reading
Prunes in your Pasta
Now, I realize that you might be reading this and thinking, “um, why, precisely, would I enjoy prunes in my pasta?” And I understand your skepticism. However, you must hear me out. I had a fantastic ricotta and prunes pasta dish for the first time a few years ago in Italy. So fantastic that while… Continue Reading