Appetizers + Hor d’oeuvres

Brie en croute is essentially a brie wheel wrapped in a pastry dough and baked until golden. “En croute” (pronounced “on KROOT“) is simply a food that has been wrapped in pastry dough and then baked in the oven. The dough can be an ordinary pie dough or more commonly, puff pastry. Brie en croute is a […]

I can’t believe it’s almost been a year! This is the 12th (and final) installment in my Changemaker series. This series has been a very meaningful one for me. I have truly enjoyed sharing some amazing people, organizations, and foundations making positive changes in our world. There really is a lot of good and kindness […]

My entire family is addicted to Chinese food.  For my husband and me, it’s just in our blood after growing up in NYC. We grew up eating crispy Peking duck served with fluffy pancakes; dumplings of all varieties; and perfectly browned, crispy scallion pancakes. Our older son was born in NY and being that I was […]

My featured Changemaker is Suzen O’Rourke who is a pioneer in the field of culinary team-building and founder of a cooking school Cooking by the Book (or “CBTB”) in New York City. Suzi (as many call her) is also a dear friend and mentor. Suzi is one of the feistiest, most dynamic people I have ever met, […]

For those who don’t know, Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa is a Japanese celebrity chef and restaurateur. Nobu is known for his unique fusion style of blending Japanese dishes with Peruvian ingredients. Nobu’s super-star status can in part be credited to his friendship with Robert De Niro, who was a frequent patron of Nobu’s much-loved Los Angeles […]

I have been struggling to get a post up the last several days. I lost a close friend recently and although I had been mentally preparing for this for years, it hit me substantially harder than I anticipated. Loss sucks. But today I woke up thinking about my friend and all the many good memories. […]

I love Summer! Summer is the season for abundant fruit selection. From grocery stores to farm stands, gorgeous, flavorful enticing fruit surrounds us. Just looking at the bountiful selections makes me feel healthier. I have blogged about how to make an irresistible winter fruit platter. Here, some of the same principles apply: focus on fruit that is in […]

I could live on tuna tartare. Seriously, straight up or on a cracker, I love the stuff.  If you know me at all, you know I order tuna tartare–or any kind of variation of it–almost everywhere I go no matter what the season. In all honestly, I prefer fresh raw tuna over the cooked stuff. […]

Gravlax is a huge favorite of both mine and my husband. Honestly, I prefer to eat salmon like this or sashimi-style rather than cooked. The most common question I’ve heard about gravlax is how it is different from smoked salmon.  Being a New Yorker (yes, even after living on the West Coast all these years […]

A charcuterie board is a great, easy go-to for entertaining and it works year-round. If it is made well and is visually appealing, it will be desirable to any non-vegetarian guest. Seriously.  Most people love a great charcuterie.  The word, pronounced  “shar-cute-er-ree”, means “pork-butcher’s shop“. The word is derived from the French word “chair” (meaning meat) and “cuit” […]

My older son believes that he could live on mozzarella sticks—they are his guilty pleasure.  When I was his age, I loved them as well.  For lunch, my friends and I would often head to Mama’s Pizza on Broadway on the Upper West Side, right around the corner from our school.  We would munch on […]

Chef Charlie Ayers is my featured Changemaker this month.  Ayers is often known as the “Google Chef”.  Yes, he was the mastermind behind the incredible, innovative, earth-friendly food originally served on Google’s Mountain View campus (which everyone in NorCal who does not work for Google has heard about for years). Google’s food offerings became the standard […]

Chances are, you have had this before, especially if you love cheese. If not, you have been missing out.  Marinated goat cheese is an easy and delicious thing; and if you are entertaining, your guests will love it.  It’s casual and flavorful, and it takes very little time to whip up.  Goat cheese, or “chevre” […]

Not surprisingly, I know a few chefs.  Most are in NYC.  One I met almost 20 years ago when we began working together as culinary instructors.  We became instant friends and despite the distance between us, we have remained close.  Rian has a lovable Southern background with a great New York attitude. He is quick, […]

A true American classic, synonymous with potato chips and Sunday afternoon football games. French onion dip, also known as “California Dip” or “Lipton California Dip” is a well-known, extremely basic dip made primarily with sour cream and minced onions (what’s not to love).  Typically served with chips (the less fancy, the better), this is all […]