Author Archives: David

A Real Do-Ahead Dinner

Posted on June 6, 2011 by David

Do-ahead dinner” brings to mind Sandra Lee’s “skills” with a microwave and a can opener, but a true do-ahhead diner can require at least a day of advance planning to execute. The idea is to get everything ready for a … Continue reading →

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Market Opening

Posted on June 5, 2011 by David

The Union Square Farmer’s Market opened for the season yesterday. I told myself that I would do two things differently this summer: arrive at opening time to avoid the crowds (and dogs, and baby strollers, and bike-toting hipsters), and buy … Continue reading →

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Pyramid Scheme

Posted on June 3, 2011 by David

Yesterday the USDA unveiled their new diagram for what constitutes a balanced, healthy diet. Seen above, it’s a plate, with the proportions clearly delineated and reflecting what we’ve come to accept as a healthy food intake: mostly vegetables and grains, … Continue reading →

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Blessed Are the Cheesemakers

Posted on June 1, 2011 by David

After reading this post about homemade cheddar cheese, I decided I should try my hand at home cheese making. There’s a one-stop shop here in Massachusetts that sells the most popular book on the subject as well as starter kits … Continue reading →

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Memorial Meat

Posted on May 27, 2011 by David

Last weekend’s meat CSA share seemed specifically designed for grilling on Memorial Day weekend. Instead of a whole chicken I got a bone-in whole breast and some leg quarters, for beef there was a sirloin steak and two six-ounce burgers, and … Continue reading →

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Duck Variations: Rillettes

Posted on May 25, 2011 by David

I had a brief moment of panic on the morning of the day I was serving the Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner for She Who Must Be Obeyed. What would I serve early arriving guests before the meal began? I couldn’t put … Continue reading →

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Taking Stock, Revisited

Posted on May 23, 2011 by David

I have a short list of classic cooking techniques that I feel obligated to attempt, if for no other reason than to be able to say “I know how to do that.” Until a few weeks ago the technique at … Continue reading →

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Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner: Chocolate, Peanut

Posted on May 20, 2011 by David

Having successfully manipulated our guests’ expectations with the orange and beet jellies, I wanted to end the meal with a playful dessert, something less formal that what I have served in the past. This recipe – a “grown-up” version of a … Continue reading →

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Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner: Orange and Beet Jellies

Posted on May 18, 2011 by David

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I honeymooned in Italy, a ten-day package tour that began in Rome and ended in Venice at the Hotel des Bains, one of the shooting locations for the 1971 film adaptation of Death in … Continue reading →

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Sixth Annual Birthday Dinner: Apple Pie & Cheddar Cheese

Posted on May 16, 2011 by David

I have a friend who was born and raised in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Even after he moved away, he made a point of returning every September to visit his parents and attend the Franklin County Fair. We joined him for almost … Continue reading →

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