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Boca Bratwurst Meatless Dinner Sausages

Bonnie: No, I’m not a vegetarian. But I do occasionally have to try meatless burgers and sausages for my various writing outlets. In fact, that’s how I discovered how tasty these meatless bratwurst could be.

In looking for low-fat grilling items for my shopper’s column in Better Homes & Gardens’ Heart Healthy Living magazine, I contacted Boca spokesperson Sydney Lindner to learn about their meatless sausages. I wanted to consider one of their low-fat sausages for my summer grilling story. Syd, a Wisconsin-native, suggested I try them Midwestern-style — that is, simmered gently for 10 minutes in beer to cover, along with a white onion, sliced into rings, then grilled or pan seared about 2 minutes until evenly browned.

Dutifully, I tested them just as Syd had described.

I then dished up the beer-infused brats onto a Dijon mustard-coated bun and topped them with the beer-infused onions. Truth be told, it was...

Bryan: We’ve written about meatless products before and I always let readers know, I’m not really a ‘meatless’ fan. When given the choice between a brat and a Boca brat, I’ll take the brat. (call me a glutton if you will). That preface aside, I’ll also tell you when something tastes good. While you might think that anything boiled with onions and...

Eric: You’re damn right, “you don’t win friends with salad.” I remember the first time (and the last time) I tried one of the Boca Bratwursts because, coincidentally enough, it happened on the same day. I’m not a vegetarian, and, although I’ve admitted that I enjoy vegetables with my meal, I don’t like them being the main focus, and I don’t enjoy...

By |2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00January 16th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|45 Comments
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McCormick’s Gourmet Collection® Smoked Paprika

Bonnie: I'm not sure where I first tasted smoked paprika. Portugal? Spain? However, I do remember at first thinking that the smoky flavor, which seemed to permeate so many Iberian foods, came from wood cooking. That is, until one of my travel mates told me about the local paprika — smoked paprika. I purchased some and savored (actually hoarded) it until my next trip to the area.

I loved the wood-smoked flavor it added.

And then, just last year, McCormick added Smoked Paprika to their Gourmet Collection line. This is one spice you must have in your cabinet. Seriously, it adds a wonderful wood-smoked pepper flavor to your foods.

Last month, when chatting with Kristen, a public relations person I'm working with (who sidelines as a caterer,) we yakked enthusiastically about this wonderful spice. We both love it on roasted veggies (she especially loves roasting cauliflower) made by tossing most...

Bryan: Smoking does interesting things to foods. Like the dramatic changes an oak barrel can impart to a white wine, wood components alter food flavors to bring out new aspects from many common dishes. No one would disagree chili pepper and chipotle pepper do the same. It's also true of McCormick Smoked Paprika. Try plain mashed potatoes and then a smoked potato puree before getting back to me on...

Eric: I always believed that paprika was a colorful addition to a dish, but added no real flavor. Of course, there is a subtle taste, but mostly it was a sprinkle over mashed potatoes, on the rim of a plate of a main course, or mix into my tri-weekly tuna salad addiction. I was recently sent a jar of McCormick's Smoked Paprika. Upon opening it, I held it and looked at it as if I were a monkey with a food...

By |2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00January 9th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|15 Comments
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Sabra Hummus

Bonnie: I first tried hummus during my trip to the Middle East in the 70s. At that time, I hadn’t a clue what hummus bi tahina, the lightly colored dip I enjoyed as part of a meze, was although I remember enjoying it. I also recall that the selection of small dishes served with it included olives, cucumber in yogurt and cold eggplant salad all served with warm pocket bread, which I now know as pita.

Those foods — hummus, tzatziki, baba ghanoush and so many other Mediterranean dishes — are more commonplace today. When I first started to make my own hummus, my guests asked what it was. No longer, as hummus at a party is more ubiquitous today than the sour cream-onion dip of yesteryear.

I like the creaminess of Sabra hummus, which comes in many flavor varieties including their classic hummus (as shown above) or flavored with olives, garlic, jalapeño, roasted red pepper, pine nuts or lemon. I like most all of them.

Oddly (or interestingly) there’s a company in Europe, also called Sabra (see photo), that I discovered shopping with my sister in her local Brussels supermarket. The companies are not related. That Sabra also makes flavored...

Bryan: Hummus for me is an ultimate snack maker — as useful a dipping condiment as any salsa or, shudder, ranch dressing. It is sometimes most delectable on its own with just a bit of warm pita. Enjoy with a glass of fresh mango juice to see a great Middle Eastern version of bread, cheese, and wine. Hummus is dramatically simple to make: garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), tahini ...

Eric: I love hummus. Growing up in New Haven, CT one of my favorite late-night foods was a falafel pita from the famous dive Mamoun’s. Not only were their falafel balls delicious, but their homemade hummus was delectable. Since I moved away from New Haven, I haven’t found it easy to find a good falafel and, sorrowfully, I gave up on my search for a substitute pita sandwich. What...

By |2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00January 2nd, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|41 Comments
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Oliso Iron

Bonnie: Yes, yes BiteoftheBest.com is mainly about food. But when designing the site, I included the category of “Just for Fun” in case I tripped over a product that I couldn’t resist telling you about. That’s this iron.

No, I’m not Ms. Susie Homemaker—far from it. In fact, when the boys were younger and visiting friends, they noticed Sharon, their friends’ mom, handling something that they weren’t familiar with.

“What’s that?”

“An iron,” Sharon giggled, as she continued ironing Josh’s undershirts. She ironed almost every piece of her family’s clothing. For me, it was all wash ‘n wear—clothing that I hung still damp to avoid wrinkles.

Fast forward to last January when I attended the International Housewares Association (IHA) Preview in New York City. (It’s a glimpse of what will be showing at their annual convention in Chicago.) I generally attend for Parade magazine, as the deadline for the “Live Longer Better Wiser” issue is before the actual show, and I usually find a couple of items that we could use.

That’s where I discovered the Soda Club Seltzer Maker and other interesting items, including Stixx ...

Bryan: This feature seems so necessary, it’s more of a wonder that we haven’t had a product like this iron offered before. I remember the first time I showed my friend Jon a two-sided belt (brown on one side, black on the other with a reversible clasp.) He was so shocked by the increased functionality ...

Eric: Funny that my mother mentions that “wash & wear” technique from our childhood because it is still what I do today. I have never been one to iron. So, I purchased non-iron dress for most of my suits. For me, the Oliso iron falls into the category of “Why didn’t I think of that?” and will have...

By |2017-09-04T18:01:47-04:00December 26th, 2007|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More|2 Comments
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Holiday Season Entertaining

Bonnie: Parties that are different from the norm (whatever that is), provide lasting effects, meaning your friends will talk about them for years to come. I know mine do.

For your next gathering — whether during the holidays or throughout the year — party plan with a twist. Not just the food, but the event.

For example, consider my Black & White New Year’s Eve party. Hands down, the most fun New Year’s Eve. First, the party was in November. Yes, November. (I had to stage it for a photographer for my weekly newspaper food feature.) And unlike the actual holiday, the gathering contained absolutely no pressure to have fun.

I asked attendees to don black and white. Men enjoyed an excuse to dust off their tuxedos; women easily grabbed a black dress. Everything was black and white — from table settings and decorations to the food — except the fresh red rose I placed on each woman’s black dinner plate. (That touch of red could also be from a tomato skin rose garnishing the main plate.)

The food? Truth is, I had to dig out the newspaper article from the 80s to remember! It contained recipes and alternative menu suggestions, including Belgian endive Romanoff (caviar topped endive), vichyssoise or a smoky flavored cream of chestnut soup, filet mignon with a blue cheese sauce, duchess potato cups filled with garlic mushrooms, fennel and cucumber salad, and a chocolate mousse cake or a white Russian cake decorated with chocolate shavings.

Today, I’d do a black and white meal differently. Caviar and vodka to...

Bryan: As I’ve mentioned before, holidays are all about food, and holiday entertaining is no different. Food and beverage, of course, makes all the difference when it comes to creating a memorable party experience for you and your guests. There are two very different kinds of holiday season entertaining in my opinion – family vs. friends. Family gathers around the table for the religious holidays (Christmas, Chanukah, etc.); it’s a chance to revisit familial...

Eric: It seems as though we’re on a holiday writing kick, and with good reason. With the ensuing Christmas season, and the always provocative aftermath of the New Year’s Eve celebration, it seems right to put aside the culinary talk and focus on the traditions (or lack thereof) that we usually look forward to enjoying. From reading my mother’s and brother’s comments, you can easily put together an...

By |2017-09-04T20:55:30-04:00December 19th, 2007|Just For Fun|4 Comments
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Ro*tel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

Bonnie: In the ‘80s when I was the food editor of the New Haven Register, I penned a “What’s Cooking” column where I answered readers’ interesting queries from “Why did the price of cloves rise so dramatically?” (Because of cigarette smoking in Indonesia; I learned that from Marshall Neale who had represented the Spice Trade Association at the time.) to “I moved here from Texas, can you tell me where I can find my favorite can of Ro*tel tomatoes? I love making cheese dip with it.”

That latter query introduced me to Ro*tel. Unfortunately for the Connecticut resident, Ro*tel's canned tomatoes with green chilies were not available locally. Graciously though, the manufacturer sent the reader (and me) some samples, and mentioned that cases could be purchased direct from the company.

That was then. Ro*tel is now owned by Con Agra, and the tomatoes are more widely available.

I first tried Ro*tel in my family’s quick and easy chili con carne. It adds quite an unexpected kick. Here’s that Chili recipe, adapted using Ro*tel. It makes about 6 servings. It’s not award-winning chili, but it’s certainly the easiest — and it’s good! Cook 1 diced green pepper, 1/2 diced large...

Bryan If you aren’t aware of Ro*tel don’t fret; it can be easy to lose track of brand names for every canned tomato (Prego and Ragu marketing budgets aside). Now that you are aware of Ro*tel, enjoy … it will be easy to make quick dishes with a nice spice. Bonnie has given you some ideas, but let me mention that Tomatoes & Green Chilies also makes...

Eric I was recently home for the launch party of our site and was “attacked” by my mother to try the myriad products that needed to be tested for her variety of columns, and particularly the website. One of my first nights back, we threw together a simple pasta dish that ranks up there as one of my favorites. Boil pasta. Cut (or roughly chop)....

By |2017-08-31T16:18:13-04:00November 28th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|12 Comments
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Seeds of Change Spicy Yucatan Frijoles & Vegetables

Bonnie: Don’t be mistaken. I don’t eat frozen entrees for meals, but I often have to taste test them for my syndicated column (Supermarket Sampler).

Guilt ridden knowing of all the starving people in the world, I reluctantly toss most down the drain. But every once in a while (actually 3 times in the 22 years I’ve been writing the column) I actually like what I’m tasting.

This spicy frijoles and vegetables entree is one of those. It’s vegetarian. And it contains tofu. Smoked tofu.

(Frijoles, by the way, are just beans)

From the sound of those ingredients plus the seriously unappetizing box photo, you’d have to wonder who’d ever buy it. But I must tell you, the smoked tofu in this with the spicy Southwestern seasoned mix of chilies, roasted corn, brown rice and black beans literally dances in your mouth. Even the tofu tastes good.

It’s not your typical veggie entree. It’s certainly not your typical tofu entree, but it’s tasty and incredibly good for you.

Odd side note: I learned about Seeds of Change many years ago at the Food Marketing Institute annual Chicago convention, during the years when everyone...

Bryan: I am being totally honest when I say I just wouldn’t purchase this product. Sorry, but I’m just not a tofu guy nor am I a frozen entree guy. It’s not for me. That being said, this dish by Seeds of Change is actually quite good. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not getting on the frozen tofu train, but given...

Eric: I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the “test freezer” in the basement of my mother’s house and found this product. Let me point out that I believe my brother and I have been spoiled (I can picture the frown on his face when he reads that!) in the sense that we were raised with freshly cooked...

By |2017-08-31T16:18:13-04:00November 14th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|1 Comment
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Kerrygold Butter

Bonnie: What I recall most about Ireland is the rolling emerald green hills dotted with slate stone walls in the perfect symmetry of the Inca’s structures at Machu Picchu. That and their delicious butter. It’s naturally golden from the beta-carotene-rich grass consumed by their dairy cows who produce the milk that’s turned into the butter.

Kerrygold butter is delicious on fresh-baked bread, toast, biscuits or anything you can think of to spread it on. It’s fabulous in sauces, pie crusts and — of course — all baked goods. Thought I’d share some of those butter-based goodies with you.

My baking career began before I hit double digits; my baking mentor, Lenore Rosenberg, shared all her tips and recipes with me. Lenore, who was my late mom’s best friend, was like my second mother. She enjoyed teaching me “her daughter” how to bake. (She, like me, had only sons!) To this day I still make many of her recipes (her sour cream coffee cake is legendary), and follow her helpful...

Bryan: All foods are not created equal. (I think Thomas Jefferson wrote that!) It has become only too obvious in my years of serious eating that only best ingredients make the best meals. The greatest chefs in the world are very talented, no doubt about it, but they create great food because they use the best products. We might not all be masters in the ...

Eric: Darina Allen. That’s the only thought that comes to mind as I sit at the keyboard and wonder how to put my thoughts down about this magnificently smooth, tasty butter. I had the privilege of working with the “Chef of Ireland” (and owner of the famed Ballymaloe Cooking School in County Cork) when she catered a private function in the kitchen of Craft, the hot...

By |2017-08-31T16:18:13-04:00November 7th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|44 Comments
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Bite of the Best Official Launch Party

Bonnie: Pardon our indulgence. Next week, we’ll be back to business as usual. Usual as a BiteoftheBest.com’s NewsBite, that is. This week, instead of sending you a Featured Bite about one recommended product, we’re featuring the details — and tons of photos — of our official launch party.

With Eric home for a couple of weeks getting ready to go to Zanzibar for a hospitality internship, I decided Bryan should fly home too, and we’d celebrate our new site since we’d all be together at home for the first time in a couple of years.

“Thanks for coming,” I said, as I handed each guest their official coded party map detailing the evening’s food, libations and entertainment. “Be sure to turn the map in when you leave to see whether you’ve won the Soda Club Seltzer Maker or a Lean Cuisine Susan B. Komen insulated lunch bag.

“Grab your mug and a spoon for tastings. Everything here has been or will be featured as a Bite...

Bryan: I haven’t been to my hometown in a bit, so returning this past weekend for the launch party was a great time and just another reminder of how good food is so integral to good life. The predicted 100% chance of rain stopped an hour before the party started and everything went smoothly from there. Friends, family, good food and a few cases of wine—what more could you ask for? Flavorful soups and Absolut100....

Eric: As part of my time in The Netherlands, I was able to start a party & event organization, www.thegc.nl. Over the years of spearheading and planning events, and marketing and running operations, I discovered one of my passions: planning and coordinating to the very last detail. I was glad to be able to travel home and help my mother plan and organize our website launch party. It was nostalgic to...

By |2017-09-04T20:59:39-04:00October 31st, 2007|Just For Fun, Rambling|12 Comments
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KitchenAid® Stand Mixer

Bonnie: We each have some kitchen appliances that stay on the countertop at all times. Others get put away, often never to be seen again.

Did someone say bread machines?

My KitchenAid stand mixer has been on my counter ready for use since I got it. I use it often; as–with all its attachments–it’s versatile (some come with, others you need to buy separately).

Before getting my stand mixer—when I was young, single and living in Manhattan—I used a handheld electric one that I bought at a going-out-of-business sale at a store on 23rd Street. The mixer was cheap. Seriously cheap. The box had been opened and the store owner just wanted to get rid of it. I remember thinking it would be worth the couple of bucks if it held up for a few uses.

That mixer worked well for over 20 years. I gave it away (donating it, as it still worked well), only because I got my KitchenAid and a new fancy...

Bryan: There are few things that will survive us all: cockroaches, Twinkies and KitchenAid Mixers are among a select few. It’s true; these mixers will outlast your car and any other machine...

Eric: I was, and still am, the baker of the family. During my youth I was trained in the “arts” of manual whisking, folding, beating, mixing and whipping. I loved it. I always thought that there was something so special about...

By |2017-09-04T17:59:50-04:00October 24th, 2007|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, xyz misc|9 Comments
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McCann’s Quick & Easy Steel Cut Oatmeal

Bonnie: For breakfast, my hot cereal of choice is oatmeal. I eat it plain with nothing but a smidgen of salt—which my friend Lyerka calls gruel, as she often tops hers with brown sugar, fruit and milk. Others I know add honey, granola or chopped nuts.

I had always made my breakfast bowlful using McCann’s Quick Cooking oatmeal in the microwave, having perfected the technique so that the oatmeal stayed in the bowl and didn’t splatter all over the microwave oven. I mixed 1/2 c oatmeal, 1 c cold water and a pinch of salt in a deep bowl and microwaved that for 2 to 3 minutes (depending on which of my two microwave ovens I use).

Then, on a power walk with my friend Delia while at a “Pasta Fights Back” conference in Rome, she sang the praises...

Bryan: Waking up on a snowy day to a warm breakfast topped with a little brown sugar was a sublime treat growing up in the North. I now live in Atlanta; snow never graces my morning commute and warm cereal has been noticeably...

Eric: I am not an oatmeal eater and, having grown up in the Northeast of the states, especially with two “hot” cereal family members (plus—on occasion—my father), I was constantly confronted with the tasteless, gooeyness of Cream....

By |2017-08-31T16:18:13-04:00October 17th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|7 Comments
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Alaskan Wild Salmon

Bonnie:Orgasmic.

Seriously. It's the only word to accurately describe the flavor of salmon cooked less than 24 hours out of icy Alaskan waters.

That's a pleasure I've been fortunate to experience more than once. Don't misinterpret—fresh salmon is delicious—but really fresh salmon is unparalleled.

My first arrived on ice in the mail (one of the benefits of being a food editor), the salmon having been blithely swimming the day before without a clue it would end up on my plate before the sun set the next day.

I decided to grill five pounds of the salmon almost naked, that is with just a sprinkling...

Bryan: Salmon is a food I can ramble on about for pages; I love it in many different forms. It may be the most versatile fish I know, able to stand up to almost any cooking method you can devise and delicious with breakfast or dinner. Truly fresh salmon, like the Alaskan ...

Eric: I can recall the day that my mother arrived back from her trip to Alaska, a smile adorning her face from ear to ear, with the tall-tale of her 16-pound King Salmon, and the battle she had fought in order to catch it...

Now that I've worked in restaurants, and have had to deal with

By |2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00September 12th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|11 Comments
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21C Museum Hotel

Bonnie: Brrrring.

I overheard a voice leaving a message, asking “Is there anything I can do to help you during your stay…”

For a moment I was puzzled, but I needed to wonder no further as the caller continued… “I’m the concierge at 21C…”

Nice touch to call ahead, I thought. 21C was the hotel I would be staying at in Louisville, Kentucky for an upcoming Culinary Trust board meeting.

I had read accolades about the new boutique museum hotel, and was already a bit biased as I knew the owners—Laura Lee Brown and her husband Steve Wilson—from partying during Derby and other Louisville festivities.

I knew them to be patrons of the arts, having seen their personal collection of works from emerging artists to Picasso adorning every wall, nook and cranny throughout their home. From what I had read, 21C would be similar (although sans the Picasso as all the art in the hotel...

Bryan: The innovation of boutique hotels always amazes me; and the originality and avant-garde nature of 21C seems to be in a class all its own. Add to this a Drew Nieporant restaurant and you have an experience fit for an emperor (penguin that is).

Eric: I am currently finishing an education at a hotel school located in The Hague, Netherlands. I haven’t visited and hadn’t even heard about 21C until my mother mentioned it in one of our discussions, but from what she has written about the boutique...

By |2017-09-04T21:00:28-04:00September 5th, 2007|Just For Fun|4 Comments
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The Fort Buffalo (Bison) Rib Roast

Bonnie: I thought of waiting until the holiday season to write about this, but with Marion Burros’ article in last Wednesday’s Times on buffalo’s comeback, I thought I’d share this now. Just be sure to remember it come special holiday dinners!

Marion wrote, “Today buffalo meat…has achieved an enviable position: simultaneous praise from chefs, nutritionists and environmentalists. At last, steak without guilt.”

Oh, so true. It’s delicious, lower in total fat than beef, higher in (the better for you) unsaturated fats and rich in iron. Buffalo is not only for the adventurous or those with sophisticated palates; it’s for anyone who enjoys a juicy tender steak.

Think the most tender beef you’ve ever eaten.

Bryan: Buffalo is an up-and-coming entrée staple in America that has already begun its creep into mainstream (Ted Turner's steakhouse chain, Ted's Montana Grill, is a good example of this).

Eric: I would never say my brother and I were raised with a silver spoon in each of our mouths; however, I would easily say that we were raised with a fork and knife in each hand.

By |2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00August 22nd, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|4 Comments
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Santa Cruz Dark Roasted Peanut Butter

Bonnie: Who would have thunk that peanut butter could be exciting? The peanuts for this new PB—which is organic to boot—are dark roasted, giving it an intense peanutty flavor like no other. Well slap-my-head why didn’t anyone else think of that?

(While I’m discussing PB, I must add that Sherry C. e-mailed, recommending the sunflower butter ...

Bryan: I am getting older now, but have not yet eclipsed the PBJ sandwich. I always keep peanut butter and jelly around the house, it’s a great snack in a pinch and a very good...

Eric: I am a peanut butter addict, and have been ridiculed by every European friend when I screw off the top, grab a spoon, and eat out of the peanut butter jar as if it were ice cream. My favorite...

By |2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00August 15th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|6 Comments
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Vermont Butter & Cheese Bijou

Bonnie: I'm not sure when I first tried goat cheese, but I remember clearly when I met Allison Hooper, co-owner of Vermont Butter & Cheese company. We connected at the media-relations seminar I conducted for a group of Vermont businessmen and women at the Inn at Essex in the late '90s. The session's goal was to teach each of them how to get the media to hear their messages in our oh, so noisy world.

When we went around the room, with each participant revealing an I-can't-believe-I-did-that media interaction story, Allison hesitantly began to share her "exploding cheese" story.

At the suggestion of her husband, Don, they had decided to try to get some publicity. So they packed some of their cheeses and sent them off to Marion Burros at the New York ...

Bryan: Cheese is more than an acquired taste—it is one of the few foods that can stop you in your tracks all on its own. Add a bit of ...

Eric: ...I never quite appreciated a good, stinky, gooey cheese until I moved to Europe a few years ago.

By |2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00August 8th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Microplane® Classic Zester

Bonnie: After completing one of my media-relations seminars in Vermont in the late-90s, my friend Jane Kirby picked me up from the Inn at Essex for a visit to her farm in nearby Charlotte. Our friendship dates back to the ‘80s when I was the food editor of the New Haven Register, she was the food editor of Glamour and we both were (and still are) registered dietitians. As I got into her car, we began yakking and didn’t stop until she dropped me off at the airport the next day for my flight home. We covered life, work, divorce, food, nutrition, our kids, her farm, my seminars, her cooking school…

By |2017-09-04T17:58:40-04:00July 25th, 2007|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, xyz misc|6 Comments
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Eagle Mills All-Purpose Flour Made with Ultragrain®

Bonnie: When the kids were young, I baked much more often. At that time, our home was filled with extra hungry boys who happily devoured all the fresh baked goodies.

What really caused my slow down was co-authoring 365 Great Cookies & Brownies with Joanne Hayes. Creating, testing and retesting 365 recipes was a lot of baking in a short time! (We had less than a year to complete it.) After we turned in the manuscript, I wanted to go back to the stove, away from the mixing bowl for a while. Luckily, Eric—at age 9—took over the baking reins.
By |2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00July 18th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|87 Comments
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Contrex Natural Mineral Water

Bonnie: When invited on a European Great Springs Safari many years ago, I couldn’t resist. Not only would I get to sample waters at the source of four different springs, but I’d learn how each source affects the water’s taste and character, about the latest research in hydration, the “gastronomy of water” and hydrogeology itself. (The latter, a branch of geology concerned with movement of water underground through rocks or on the surface of the earth.)

By |2017-08-31T16:18:15-04:00July 11th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|16 Comments
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Near East Original Plain Whole Grain Couscous

Bonnie: My first couscous memory is of Mediterranean cookbook author Paula Wolfert standing in front of a class of hungry cooking-school students, lifting her hands full of the cooked grains high—almost above her head—to aerate them and break up the lumps. She had steamed the couscous in the top part of a couscoussière (a special two-part cooking vessel just for that purpose) with the meats and vegetables simmering in the bottom part. That was more than 25 years ago when I was covering her cooking class for the New Haven Register. I described the then tedious—yet authentic—process in detail, so my readers could reproduce the dish at home. I made [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:18:15-04:00July 4th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|7 Comments
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