Roasting chicken always, always reminds me of Jeffrey Steingarten. I think the moment my crush on him bloomed into undying love was when I read his essay “As the Spit Turns” in the August 1999 issue of Vogue (reprinted in... More
My biggest liability in the kitchen is my extreme pokiness at doing pretty much everything. Chopping onions, thinking through recipes, and (especially) washing vegetables—I’m just not speedy. Cookbooks that list prep times always make me laugh (a little tightly) because... More
Besides big roasts, slow braises, and stuffed pastas that are probably best for lazy-Sunday cooking, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking has much to offer in the way of weeknight dinner (if you’re accustomed to spending about an hour making dinner,... More
When I read the comments on my first post about Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. I realized that I had underestimated the delicacy of the thumbnail biographer’s task. As an educated, experienced woman who brings home the bacon (okay, a... More
Marcella Hazan, who introduced an America familiar with red sauce joints to true Italian food, is a teacher and writer with whom every home cook should spend some time. She was born in Italy but immigrated to the United States... More
