July 21, 2023 I stopped in the bookstore earlier in the week and found Chef Vishwesh Baht's James Beard Award-winning cookbook I Am From Here on sale, so of course I bought it. He's the head chef at Snackbar up in Oxford, Mississippi, and his menu takes beloved local ingredients and often uses some of the flavors and techniques from his Indian heritage to give them a new twist. He has several recipes for grilled okra, a cooking method for okra that I've never tried, and I'm looking forward to giving it a go. We ha ...Continue Reading

July 14, 2023 Last night I went to Port of Call here in New Orleans for burgers with some girlfriends; I'd never been before, and was skeptical that the burgers were as delicious as billed, but they really were. I'd recommend it for any casual meal you're looking to have in the city. Jim, on his own for the evening, took himself out to dinner at Gianna's and he's not stopped raving about his meal. He had a bolognese verde and finished off with a lemon mousse cake; I'd bet we'll be back there before the month is ov ...Continue Reading

July 7, 2023 I'm planning a birthday celebration for Jim tomorrow with a few friends. My brother is coming over to help me cook and we have pork carnitas, chipotle shrimp, and either carne asada or grilled chicken on the menu for tacos. He usually wants a yellow cake with chocolate frosting for his cake, but this year he's requested a lemon bundt cake that I made earlier this year. I'll have the recipe in the next issue of the magazine; it's moist and delicious.  For the recipes this week, I have two that ar ...Continue Reading

June 30, 2023 It's hot, y'all. And it has been for a while, with "feels like" temperatures approaching 115F. Needless to say, we've not been doing much, including cooking. Sandwiches for dinner twice this week, but then, it *is* BLT season, so nothing to complain about there. The heatwave is supposed to break mid-week next week, so maybe Jim's birthday weekend will be nice.  For the recipes this week, I had hot weather in mind, for at least part of the list. First up is a delightfully chilled ...Continue Reading

June 23, 2023 We have been grilling several times a week this spring--last night it was juicy rib-eye steaks and corn on the cob, with a panzanella salad on the side. My basil is thriving, we had a heel of good bread left over, and I picked up a good burrata cheese; of course there are plenty of ripe Creole tomatoes in my kitchen! For the recipes this week, I had hot weather and shrimp in mind. First up is a garlicky Mexican shrimp dish, seasoned with lime, cilantro, and jalapeños for a south-of-the-b ...Continue Reading

June 16, 2023 We were on vacation last week, a much-needed break. My brother is coming to visit this weekend; next week I'll get back to my set challenge of cooking down the freezer and the pantry. It's never too hot for red beans and rice, right?? Plus, I have most of the ingredients on hand for the seafood gumbo I grew up eating along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Yes, it has tomatoes in it! For the recipes this week, I had hot weather and Father's Day in mind. First up is a seafood stew loaded with the flavors o ...Continue Reading

June 2, 2023 Last week I inventoried the pantry and freezer and am making a concerted effort to cook it all down before hurricane season gears up.  So far I'm doing really well-- just 2 days have most of the ingredients been purchased for a meal. Last night I made pesto with basil from the garden, sunflower seeds from the pantry, and good parmesan, which I consider to be a pantry staple. I seasoned chicken thighs from the freezer and stuffed pesto under the skin. The salad was sliced Creole tomatoes and cucum ...Continue Reading

May 26, 2023 Ahh, a long weekend! We got it off to an early start with a girlfriend's lunch and a stop at Vaucresson's to stock up on some excellent sausage-- some of the spicy Creole, and I've not tried the Italian yet. I've got friends coming over Monday afternoon for a barbecue, and we'll put some on the grill. For the recipes this week, I Memorial Day gatherings in mind. First up is a Southern take on the Maine lobster roll; perfectly poached shrimp are folded into a spicy deviled egg salad then stuffed ...Continue Reading

May 19, 2023 It's BLT season here-- I bought some good Wright's smoked bacon, a freshly baked chiabatta loaf, and some burratta, I have some riped Creole tomatoes and crisp romaine lettuce; will probably add a few basil leaves to the mix. I got the makings for my favorite wedge salad with Point Reyes blue cheese and we had a feast last night. For the recipes this week, I chose a baked stuffed flounder that's reminiscent of the stuffed flounder I used to eat at seafood joints along the Mississippi gulf coast. Next ...Continue Reading

May 12, 2023 I am working on tarts for the summer issue right now; mainly savory, although I may throw in a couple of sweet ones before I'm done. Simplicity seems to be what I'm craving right now, clean, fresh, and not too fussy. So, if you have any requests, now is the time! For the recipes this week, along those lines, I selected a pickled shrimp recipe; I'll make several versions over the course of the summer, because I like to have it on hand in the refrigerator. Good for a quick snack, a salad topping, and you'll ...Continue Reading