As part of my research for the second book, I've been reviewing some old-time cookbooks. This morning, I'm looking at some that belonged to Lisa's grandmother. Vintage cookbooks offer an interesting snapshot of the culinary trends and habits of their time. Consider the "Unusual … [Read more...] about The Curious Revelations of Olde Cookbooks
Recipes
Recipe: Spicy Creole Shrimp with Pasta
Years ago, I did a cooking class event with a special menu titled "Lunch from the French Quarter." I taught a gumbo recipe from my book, The Sharper Your Knife. I developed the recipe below based on a dish that I had in New Orleans during a rushed trip to the Crescent City during … [Read more...] about Recipe: Spicy Creole Shrimp with Pasta
Recipe: Pasta with olives, tomatoes and tuna
This is a cheap and easy meal to craft from pantry staples. The tuna bumps up the protein quotient, but it's optional. You can use fresh or canned tomatoes, but if you use the latter, be sure to drain them well. Cook the pasta in liberally salted water, and then reserve some of … [Read more...] about Recipe: Pasta with olives, tomatoes and tuna
Recipe: Easy Pan-Seared Fish
I’ve been spending the week on Anna Maria Island. No trip is complete without a visit to Cortez, the historic fishing village named for the murderous bastard who wiped out its original population. Mom and I headed over to the Cortez Bait & Seafood Market yesterday and picked … [Read more...] about Recipe: Easy Pan-Seared Fish
Recipe: Mushroom-Lentil Paté
One day during summer break in high school, my mother took me to lunch at the posh The Longboat Key Club, where she worked in HR at the time. Lunch at "the club" meant finger bowls, white linens and posh French food. The first course was chicken liver paté with toast points. I … [Read more...] about Recipe: Mushroom-Lentil Paté