Paper Palate

On the trail of the “Top 50,” our first book was a  collection of recipes written by an authority with an encyclopedic knowledge, no “chi-chi,” no pictures.
Nothing could be more different from that than Ghillie Basan’s Flavours of Morocco. This book could be a picture book, with its gorgeous photography by Peter Cassidy: you can almost feel […]

The year was 1992 and sushi’s status as a fad was just beginning to ebb when a co-worker invited me to join her for dinner at Samurai in Nashville’s trendy Elliston Place neighborhood. My date had worked with Samurai’s chef/proprietor, Yun Choo at the Japanese steak house just off Music Row. His sashimi creations were part […]

When I discovered Matthew Mead at Country Home magazine years ago, I became an instant fan. I’m always on the lookout for his latest decorating and design ideas, and follow his Web site religiously. So it’s no surprise that I was thrilled to find out he came out with a new book celebrating one of […]

Michelin stars are the goal of every European restaurant and of those select few good enough to earn them, fewer still achieve the adjective “important.” To be important in Europe, a restaurant must be groundbreakingly innovative; your everyday innovations just won’t cut it. Although service, taste and creativity are necessary, the most important attribute of […]

It started with an innocent review of the Independent “50 Best Cookbooks.” After writing it, I put the subject aside. As far as I was concerned, that was it, period, end of story. But I kept thinking about the list, wondering, ”How did these books make it to the top 50?” “Do they have something in common?”
Oh, yes, we were […]

More from the “eat seasonal” front.
It is October and that means that gourds and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes have invaded the grocery stores.  I used to think that pumpkins were merely unprocessed jack o’ lanterns, but then my friend bought a pumpkin and roasted it in the oven to make pumpkin puree.  Suddenly, the […]

When it comes to potato salad recipes, there are literally thousands. Maybe even tens of thousands.  When I usually make it, I don’t follow a recipe; for me, my version is just an intuitive one. But for a recent Supper Club gathering where BBQ was the theme, I wanted to go with a potato salad with a twist. You […]

Once October hits, anyone who has a subscription to any food magazine just knows that they can look forward to the holiday edition to arrive soon. When I opened my mailbox and found the November issue of Food & Wine, I immediately got excited because the main feature is all about Thanksgiving. Since Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, I love reading […]

Are you tired of your kids asking you to buy Twinkies and other prepared baked goods when you grocery shop? The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Snack Cakes may be the solution you have been looking for all this time. 
As with the other Complete Idiot’s Guides, this one shares tips throughout the book with small icons to make […]

Time waits for no man it would seem. No sooner have I finished making the Orange Pound Cake and scoffing the Salmon and Spinach Tart then the next issue of Delicious arrives. Can we have a couple more weeks of Autumn please so I can get though the last issue?
I’ll have to scrap my last […]