Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Easy meals result from leftovers
If the sizzling days of summer have zapped your culinary zest, here’s a simple solution to the “What’s for supper?” scream: Cook once, eat twice. Back to basics When I think of fall and back to school, I think of harried parents with dark circles under their eyes, running stop …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Blueberries are a sight for sore eyes
Is another birthday on the horizon? Blowing another candle out on your cake doesn’t have to mean adding another ache or ailment to the list. Like the fairy godmother in “Cinderella,” you may soon be able to eat a magical food and erase symptoms of aging. It might be as …
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Watermelon: The perfect food for sun worshipers
Are you ready to head out into the sun to have a little fun? Take a quick inventory to make sure you have all you need to keep your birthday suit at its best. Sunscreen? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Hats? Check. You’re now armed and ready to enjoy the great outdoors …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
New England seafood still boasts great flavor
I have lately been struck by how incredibly lucky we are in New England. Amid reports of ecological catastrophes from areas as renowned as the Gulf Coast and Chesapeake Bay, our waters of the Atlantic from New Jersey, New England and the Canadian Maritimes are still able to deliver an …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
To pepperheads, the pain is worth the pleasure
“A really good hot sauce takes you by the shoulders, gives you a good shake, and slaps your face to say ‘HELLO.’” – “Condiments” by Kathy Gunst; Putnam; 1984 Hot pepper lovers are nicknamed pepperheads because their intense devotion to the spice borders on an addiction. And in many ways, …
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
People the world over have love affair with peppers
“My first affair with peppers, Peppers, The Domesticated Capsicum, changed my life, as most affairs do.” – From the foreword to “Red Hot Peppers” by Jean Andrews, 1993) The affair to which Jean Andrews refers to was hotter than anything ever seen on “Desperate Housewives.” It was a love affair …
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Ratatouille is wonderful dish for summer veggies
Believe it or not, there was once a time when the word “Ratatouille” didn’t automatically conjure up a computer-generated rodent whipping up award-winning meals in a fictional Paris restaurant. Ratatouille is a French dish, a melange of summer vegetables cooked together and generally served with a loaf of crusty French …
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Potato chips employ thousands, make billions
When I was a youngster living in England in the early 1960s, I experienced firsthand the gap between British and American technologies. And no, I’m not talking about rocket science or color television; rather, it had to do with potato chips. You see, here, you had a kind of salt …
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Traditional couscous gained popularity in an instant
There are some foods that are so ancient, they hail almost from the dawn of civilization. We’ve already discussed lentils, which are prominently mentioned in the Old Testament. North Africa has its own old and revered staple: a peculiar pasta known as couscous. The earliest known example of couscous preparation …
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Jake’s scoops up sweets – and some science
Deep within the recesses of an unassuming Amherst sweet shop, there’s science afoot. A mint hunk here, a pumpkin there, even some Mexican chocolate – each plays its flavorful part in concocting the unique ice cream flavors ginned up in the back room of Jake’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream and …
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Practice makes perfect for Swan’s chocolatiers
Michael Anderson doesn’t like chocolate. He loves it. He craves it. …
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Merrimack’s mile-high pies are no tall tale
Just because pie-maker Joe Lannan’s process is mechanized doesn’t mean his pies have lost that homemade feeling. In fact, each of the 5,000 to 6,000 New England Country Pie Mile High Apple Pies that go out a day are still hand-filled by 20 to 35 workers on the factory floor, …
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Food and fun from Fort Fairfield to East Boston
A few “Craves and Raves” ago, I suggested some New England foodie day trips, including Portland, Maine; Wellfleet, Mass.; and Providence, R.I. Now that the warmer weather has arrived and all the road salt is washed off our cars, it’s time to take a spin to even more great locales. …
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Compromise on food for healthy ‘marriage’
Don’t ask me who “they” are, but “they” say marriage is all about compromise. Well, I’ll be honest, my “marriage” with food has been turbulent. Lots of ups and downs. I’ve spent some time lately reflecting on this relationship, and – good or bad – food and I are in …
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Planning will help get an Easter buffet done
In just a few short weeks, my doors will open for an Easter Day celebration for not only my family, but his. Did I mention this will be our first hosting event together and the first time our families meet? Eeeek! I won’t get into the details on how I’m …
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Cheers, Nashua – it’s been a tasty ride, Senel signs off
Over the course of the last year, I’ve had the opportunity to take my passion for wine to the next level. From the day I started writing about wine and local wine experiences for The Telegraph, I embraced the opportunities that presented themselves. There are two experiences in the area …
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Mass. gives residents the business; NH gets it
Massachusetts has been lovingly or hatefully referred to as “Taxachusetts” for a while, depending on which side of the border you live. Ever since the years of Gov. Michael Dukakis, the state government has levied a humongous tax burden on its people, and most are simply waiting to be taxed …
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Feds looking to deal wine lovers a huge blow
A while back, I wrote on my blog about how nothing good comes of government intervention in wine. At that time, I was merely speaking of how Alabama’s banning of Cycles Gladiator’s awful wines because of the nude lady painted on the label led to a huge spike in their …
