When the dining hall became unbearable in college, I would treat myself to a fresh tomato, mozzarella, and basil sandwich at my favorite bakery. This combination fueled my most desperate studying, even in the dead of winter. At the time,... More
I nearly died of excitement when I opened this month’s Gourmet to a recipe section called “Picnic in the Glass.” It features salads that are not just composed but beautifully layered in individual glass jars, an elegant presentation that is... More
My relationship with zucchini has never been functional. I want to love it, since there’s so much of it around in the summer and it’s so easy to prepare, but it always tastes watery and disappointing, whether steamed, grilled, or...okay,... More
Just add roast beef and Bousin! A baguette, a round of Boursin, and a bottle of Beaujolais is my idea of a Bastille Day lunch. (As you can see, my relationship to France was formed when I was a student,... More
I don’t think I had ever heard about sesame noodles before I came to New York City. Maybe they were on the Chinese menus in Houston and my family was too excited about egg rolls, spare ribs, fried rice, General... More
One of my favorite sandwiches is roast turkey and coleslaw on a Kaiser roll. I happened to overhear someone order it at the inauspicious looking but better-than-average deli near my first office, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I’m always... More
One of the most exciting things about summer is how cheap herbs are at the Greenmarket. I spend the winter making mournful calculations when I read recipes: do I really want to spend $10 on fresh herbs for a single... More
Last month there was a great thread here about “What do you bring to eat at your desk for lunch?” As interesting as the responses were, I was chagrined to discover near-universal condemnation of people who enjoy tuna salad in... More
Despite the fact that roast beef sandwiches were probably born in the days when people frequently had large leftover roasts to use up, today we’re so accustomed to the deli counter that cooking your own sandwich meat might strike you... More
Chefs often say that diners choose entrées based on sides: for instance, anything paired with mashed potatoes moves faster than it otherwise would. At my house, though, I don’t pay much attention to the side dishes, maybe because there’s only... More
