A Saucy Affair...

By Herb Gardener. The French Enlightenment philosopher and playwright Voltaire observed: “England has 42 religions and only two sauces.” Cooks from Cornwall to Carnoustie, then, may find relief in George Geary’s 500 Best Sauces, Salad Dressings, Marinades & More (500 Sauces). One imagines that successful restaurants refer to similar dog-eared and oil-splattered compendia for creative nightly specials. But, does...

Jingle Bell Brunch...

By Chef Judi Gallagher. So many of us feel as though we turn the oven on in mid November and keep both the oven and ourselves running until the New Year. We maintain a feverish pace of setting, resetting, roasting, basting, stirring, frying and baking. We can stand the heat in the kitchen, but occasionally it’s wise to take a step back, cool down and consider a different kind of meal, one that honors multi-religious...

Raising The Buffet Table to New Heights...

By Marsha Fottler. Ask any top caterer for a best tip for presenting your holiday buffet foods and that professional will tell you to vary the heights of food platters on the table. It not only adds visual interest to the display but maximizes space. Now is the time to gather up all your pedestal cake plates, tiered dishes, and other odds and ends from your house that can become elevated presentation pieces. One effective...

Holiday Gifts for Gourmets...

By Doc Lawrence. Perhaps this season’s most intriguing gift possibility comes from Samuel Adams’ founder Jim Koch with his new beer, Utopias. Strong, rich, dark, uncarbonated and served room temperature in a snifter glass, it weighs in at 27 percent alcohol and runs $150 dollars per bottle. The jug is a work of art. www.samueladams.com. Beyond the Shaker, www.beyondtheshaker.com, specializes in unrefined sea salts...

The Meditative Pleasures of Cold Weather Cooking...

By Marsha Fottler. Even if I didn’t love to cook and to savor new recipes, I’d still buy Diana Henry’s book Roast Figs Sugar Snow just for the sheer romance of the title. It’s completely poetic and evocative of “winter food to warm the soul,” which is her subtitle and the intent of the recipes she chose for this book. There’s a private meditative calm about preparing ingredients and cooking winter recipes...