Paper Palate

This recipe can be found in the February/March 2007 issue of Cook’s Country magazine. Although I’m not much of a frier, as a rule, this shallow-fried chicken sounded so tempting that I had to give it a go.
The chicken itself turned out quite well. I probably underdid the chicken seasoning of mustard, garlic powder, and […]

A chicken fricassee is the sort of humble but hearty fare that Cook’s Country magazine often considers. Traditionally, the fricassee is made of a whole cut-up chicken stewed in gravy. However, this iteration of chicken fricassee is intended to be a 30-minute meal, so boneless, skinless chicken breasts get the nod in this case. It […]

Bi-monthly magazine Cook’s Country is the bigger, glossier, and down-homier sibling of Cook’s Illustrated. Cook’s Illustrated readers will recognize the style of the equipment and product reviews; these get their own departments, “Equipment Roundup” and “Food Shopping,” respectively. Cook’s readers will also recognize the method of experimenting with and testing dishes until they really shine, […]

Mention the phrase “old books” and most of us probably think either of libraries or of used book stores. Old books can be fragile, expensive, or rare, but they often contain interesting information.
Online archives are starting to make access to old and rare books easier. One resource that everyone who enjoys food should know about […]

Asian Ingredients: A Guide to Foodstuffs of China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam by Bruce Cost, published by Quill, New York, in 2000. Paperback, $18.00.
Asian food has gotten a lot of press for being healthy. If the number of Asian restaurants in the US is any guide, Asian food is popular. The standard Chinese […]

Test Recipe: Ayam Tempra (Spicy-sour Stir-fried Chicken) from Terry Tan and Christopher Tan’s Shiok!. Serves 2-3.
Ingredients list: 4 large chicken thighs or breasts, deboned; 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste; 1 tablespoon palm sugar, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon water; 2 tablespoons ketjap manis, or dark soy sauce; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 onion, halved and sliced […]

Shiok!: Exciting Tropical Asian Flavors by Terry Tan and Christopher Tan, published by Periplus, Singapore, in 2003. Paperback, $24.95.
As befits its geographic location, Singapore is a culinary crossroads between China and Southeast Asia. Soy sauce and fish sauce, stir-fries and curries sit cheek by jowl in this country’s cooking. The ultimate fusion […]

Test Recipe: Garlic Fried Shrimp from Marnie Henricksson’s Everyday Asian. Serves 4.
Ingredients list: 1 1/2 pounds large or extra-large shrimp, 6 tablespoons canola oil, 4 large garlic cloves (minced), half an onion (thinly sliced), 2 tablespoons sugar, two tablespoons fish sauce, half teaspoon salt, half teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, cilantro sprigs for garnish.
Directions: “1. […]

Everyday Asian: From Soups to Noodles, From Barbecues to Curries, Your Favorite Asian Recipes Made Easyie Henricksson, published by Morrow, New York, in 2003. Hardcover, $14.95.
When I started cooking Asian food, all I wanted to do was to be able to make Japanese food at home. This book was the key that got me cooking […]

Test Recipe: Quick Khmer Pork with Green Beans from Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid’s Hot Sour Salty Sweets two to four as part of a rice meal.
Ingredients list: 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil or lard; 4 to 6 cloves garlic, smashed and minced; 1/2 pound boneless lean pork, thinly sliced across the grain; 1 […]