My first job out of culinary school was working as a line chef; it was a position for which I was vastly unqualified at the time.  On my second day, I learned that they did not have a pastry chef.  Although I was hired as a saucier (responsible for the meats, fish, and sauces) I was […]

My younger son, Noah, has always been a fish fan.  At one point, I thought I had a pescatarian (someone who eats fish but not meat) on my hands.  Thankfully, I don’t–I say that only because my other son is a huge carnivore and will not eat fish.  Fortunately, Noah eats almost everything, but he […]

A good classic homemade tomato sauce is the cornerstone of countless culinary creations. Its essence lies in the quality of the tomatoes. Ripe, flavorful tomatoes bring a natural sweetness and depth that no store-bought version can match. Good quality canned tomatoes or ripe fresh tomatoes are the heart and soul of any tomato sauce. Their […]

My husband is a big pie fan. Huge actually. His theory is: eat it in the morning for breakfast so you have the whole day to burn off the calorie bomb.  I find this particularly funny as my husband is 6”1 and on the slim side—weight, you could say, has never been his concern.  Lucky […]

I have never loved yogurt.  It was not the texture or tartness; to me, yogurt has always been too sweet.  And then I went to Iceland… Greek yogurt started a whole thick-and-creamy yogurt trend.  Fage introduced their yogurt to the market in the late 90’s.  By the early 2000s, it was all the rage.  Greek […]

Gazpacho is a raw vegetable soup served chilled.  Gazpacho is believed to have originated in the Southern Spanish region Andalusia but is commonly seen all over Spain and Portugal (where it is known as “Gaupacho”).  Historically, the most well-known versions of gazpacho (or “soup-salad” as it has been called) come from Seville and Córdoba.  Traditional ingredients […]

I discovered Cotija cheese several years ago when I hosted my husband’s 40th birthday party, which had a Mexican theme and was catered by Tacolicious, a fantastic California-style taqueria in San Francisco.  Cotija has become a staple in my house ever since.  Cotija is a cow’s milk cheese named for the small Mexican town in […]