When fall arrives, I inevitably think Zucchini Stew. This is a recipe from my childhood, tied to the harvest season as far back as my memory reaches. My mother made this every autumn, when the zucchini had reached mammoth proportions and were falling off the vine. The seasonings are classic Italian – basil, oregano, bay…
I think autumn in Michigan is really divided into two seasons: “early fall” and “deep fall.” Early fall consists of sunny days with bright blue skies, crisp breezes, and the beginning of Michigan’s stunning autumn scenery: reds, golds, bright oranges. The leaves hang onto the trees with all their color (as long as the wind…
Nothing says summer like good barbecue, and my favorite is Southern-style, slow-cooked on a Sunday afternoon until the meat is falling off the bone. Piled on a plate or served on a hearty roll, it goes perfectly with all my summer favorites: corn on the cob, potato salad, cole slaw, and of course, a sweet,…
I love leeks. I know, I know, they look like giant green onions, and how can you love something like that? Well, they’re not true onions, although they’re related, and they have the mildest bit of onion-y flavor. I bought them on a whim at the farmers’ market in Chicago a few years ago thinking…
I ate my first frittata just a few years ago at Cafe Lula in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, where I was living at the time. It was full of tomatoes, spinach, and cheese, and arrived in a 6-inch white china ramekin. It was delicious, but since it was available at such a close venue, I didn’t…
My lovely friend and former roommate Katy makes this fabulous “salsa,” which isn’t a salsa in the truest sense of the word, because it doesn’t contain tomatoes. It’s really more like a bean salad, and I have no problem eating it with a spoon right out of the bowl, but it’s intended to be scooped…