Paper Palate

Do you really need a book devoted entirely to cookies? That was the question I was asking myself as I requested to review a copy of Martha Stewart’s newest book, Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share. After poring over the book for the past couple of weeks, I’ve learned that the answer is […]

My mom often told me when I was growing up that you catch more flies with sugar than vinegar. In other words, being nice will get you further along in the world than being a jerk … so always try to be nice. I try to live by that philosophy as much as possible. No […]

When I received the June issue of Food & Wine I was excited just reading the highlights on the cover.  This issue is filled with articles on grilling and fantastic recipes for entertaining outside this summer. Keep reading and I’m sure you’ll be running out to purchase your own copy.
A Virtuoso Griller’s No-Fuss Dishes - Marcia […]

Real comfort food makes us feel all safe and warm inside. It brings together family and friends by blending years, memories and tastes. The novel Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs brings all these elements to the table. Family, friends, warmth, deliciousness, love, and being hungry can all be found in Comfort Food. Jacobs’s fictional television world of “The Cooking Channel” […]

We all agree that a book review is about the book itself. When Feast Bazaar by Barry Vera dropped on my doormat, I thought it might shatter in a thousand and one shards like a mirror would. I had received a colourful mirror. I grew up on Moroccan food; I have images of my gran ”rolling”  couscous. I […]

The bounty at farmers’ markets in northern California gets ridiculous in late spring. Organic strawberries, sweet English peas, and purple artichokes already appeared on the stands here in San Francisco. Going to the market and selecting beautiful produce is no problem–the challenge is being overwhelmed by the options.
That’s where The San Francisco Ferry Plaza […]

In actuality, these are really called Go Green Chicken Sammies, but as much as I might like Rachael Ray, some of her names are a little too cutesy, even for me.  So these are henceforth called sandwiches, thankyouverymuch.  Whatever you call them, they are delicious and made for a perfect weeknight meal in the already-gone […]

For most Americans the cubical is little more than a prison with bi-monthly paychecks and a nice 401K. They are shabby ersatz rooms of false walls covered in nondescript synthetic fabric with little to differentiate one from the other. Any given cubical could belong to a paralegal, claims adjustor, or travel agent. Not so for […]

My family loves pizza, especially when the crust is thin and crispy. So, when the new cookbook, Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas, arrived, I was very excited to test out some recipes right away. Now, this cookbook is not just about pizzas, it also includes piadinas, salads, and desserts. The beginning sections of the book give you a detailed list […]

Spain and the World Table (DK Publishing, hardcover) from The Culinary Institute of America, with text by Martha Rose Schulman, is a seamless blend of classic Spanish recipes mixed with the innovative and modern dishes that have emerged from Spanish kitchens in the last decade.

The cookbook offers 125 scrumptious recipes, gorgeous photographs, and additional information […]