Paper Palate

Nathalie Dupree is a popular Southern cookbook author and is no stranger to entertaining.  In a recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, she shared some of her favorite go-to pantry staples:
Green Tomatoes
Rockland Plantation Green Tomato Chutney is wonderful served with turkey.  Or pour it over cream cheese for a Southern-style appetizer.  $4.49 for […]

Even though Valentine’s Day is now just a memory, you don’t need a Hallmark holiday to get romantic with your loved one.  And lest you be lost when it comes to food and wooing your significant other, fear not.  Celebrity Chef Rocco DiSpirito, in a recent issue of OK! magazine of all places, is offering […]

Years ago, when my husband and I were in Orlando for a vacation, we ate at Gloria Estefan’s restaurant, Bongos.  Because my husband is Cuban, any chance to visit a Cuban restaurant is an opportunity I don’t want to miss.  The food was delicious, the atmosphere electric and the memory solid now some 10+ years […]

Fans of Mark Bittman will be happy to know that he has a new book hot off the presses.  Food Matters, A Guide to Conscious Eating, delves into the topic of eating less meat and less animal products, but more whole grains and vegetables.  You can read all about his reasoning, and follow along as […]

We are nearly one-sixth of the way through 2009, so now is a good time to examine some of the emerging trends in the culinary world.  As a reference I will use two publications geared towards opposite ends of the table, so to speak.
Gourmet is aimed at the consumer.  Acting sort of as a liaison between those preparing […]

New Orleans… The Big Easy. Although memories of Katrina have caused the world to immediately think of the devastation Mother Nature placed upon the Crescent City, the history, energy, and culinary excellence still remains, refusing to be washed away.
Part of the culinary excellence in this southeastern Louisiana city is The Commander’s Palace. Encompassing a balance […]

The James Beard Foundation (www.jamesbeard.org) has announced the 2009 JBF Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists!  These awards cover nineteen categories, including Outstanding Chef, Outstanding Restaurant, Best New Chef, and Best Chef by region.  I always like to scan the regional “bests” to see if there are any interesting ones in my area, and also to […]

Ever since I first saw Debi Mazar in the movie GoodFellas and later NYPD Blue and countless other features many years ago, I became a fan.  An actress with a quirky sort of personality, I was drawn to her because she is real and far from the traditional Hollywood mold.  A welcome respite in the […]

The first time I made reservations at Kansas City’s best tapas bar, La Bodega, it was Valentine’s Day maybe five years ago.  I proudly called my wife and told her I was taking her to a tapas bar.  Of course, this was over a cell phone and I had a lot of explaining to do […]

More and more people are moving in the direction of seasonal eating.  After all, it just makes sense; food tastes better when it’s not forced to ripen when it’s not of a mind to, or hasn’t traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles from the place where it is in season.  But what to do […]