Some reviewers call clam shacks “dives”, and I’m against it. The fare is market-based and fresh; the menus classic and unpretentious; the clams hyper-local, the lobster rolls chunky and only lightly dressed. The emotional fulfillment of an unchanged menu decade after decade in a land of sun and surf is more treasure than an ordinary ...
The classic southern yeast roll reminds me of cotton candy. It is billowy. It becomes thread-like when you pull it in half and then melts into bread-flavored syrup in the first bite. It is a harmony of milk, buttery wheat, yeast, and salt. It is a symbol of southern culinary grace. If I see ...
Bread teaches us patience. We have to wait for yeast to activate; then slowly mix and knead the bread dough to develop gluten strands, which create an internal structure capable of rising. Next, the dough must ferment or "proof"; and then we have to wait for it to bake in the oven while a shiny, ...
Journalists tell us they need three sources to confirm a story, and trendologists (it's a real job!) use similar observations to spot a food trend. The business of food (over $140 billion for specialty food alone last year) includes technology, artistry, nutrition, and taste. "We're social creatures. We like to share what we're cooking, which ...
Tables burst with autumn harvest specialties: pumpkins, apples, kale, and cider. I think of these items as delicious props in the theater of farmers' markets. I finished up the baking Saturday mornings around 6:00am on my market days, trying not to clank pans too loudly as my children (sweet pre-teen part-time workers) groaned ...
The Slow Food Nations Food Festival wrapped up last weekend after three days of workshops, talks, and parties focused on Where Tradition Meets Innovation. Dana Cowin, Ron Finley, Alice Waters, and Paolo Di Croce Colorado Pastry Chef Trisha Frei & CA Pastry Chef/Cookbook Author Susie Norris This year, we were merchants in one of the 70 wooden booths ...
The season behind us is worth a look back. Much more than a prelude to summer, spring in Japan is THE high season because of its cherry blossoms. A national celebration peaks in Kyoto, the capital of rich, ancient traditions and the once-home to centuries of emperors. Fresh fish and sea creatures with the ...
How could it have happened? The spire of Notre Dame burned. Our greatest achievements are fragile. These photos - most taken in Notre Dame's neighborhood a week before the fire - remind me that we must treasure beautiful things because they are impermanent. I will try to appreciate the beauty of the classics, ...
It's finally time to hit the road. A Baker's Passport, with over 200 recipes for sweet and savory global classics, is based on this very blog and now available to buy here: A BAKER'S PASSPORT: Recipes for Breads, Savory Pies, Vegetarian Dishes, Tarts, Cakes, and Cookie Classics. When I began Food Market Gypsy, my dream was to have a cookbook emerge from the pages and pictures of ...
How great to be back in Boston for the Boston Travel & Adventure Show. I met so many people ready to hit the road, and THANK YOU to my new friends from the show who are now exploring culinary travel here. I spoke with many of you about my years in Boston as a college student ...
This blog celebrates desserts and what fun it is to write about them. Somehow, the adventure of discovering sweet and savory baking classics in their homelands has become the story of my life and now, a book: A Baker's Passport: Recipes for Breads, Savory Pies, Vegetarian Dishes, Tarts, Cakes, and Cookie Classics. A Baker's Passport is available for ...
Almost speechless about this Strawberry Mousse in a chocolate-dipped cookie cone at Landtmann's Patisserie in Vienna at the Cafe Museum. And yes, you are seeing lightly toasted almond slices on top. Working (sleuthing) to get this recipe. The many strawberry desserts in Vienna may not enjoy the same fame as Sachertorte (see story below) but they do ...