My wife asked me if it had been worth it. If all the time and effort were worth it.

Of course it was, I said. A good meal is always worth it.

The saga of the Big Meal That Was Totally Worth It, Maybe, began with a single bunch of broccoli in the refrigerator. It was just beginning to turn a little bit yellow at the very tips, meaning it did ...Read more

"Cooking to the President's Taste" (White House Historical Association, $45) was inspired by a fortuitous discovery.

Author Adrian Miller was researching another book, his James Beard Award-winning "The President's Kitchen Cabinet," when he came upon an "as told to" autobiography of chef Lee Ping Quan, who served under Presidents Warren Harding...Read more

Philadelphia is famous for its cheesesteak sandwiches.

Yet, if you've ever been to the city's Reading Terminal Market on Arch Street in Center City (a favorite haunt when I was in paralegal school), you've probably also seen the long lines in front of Tommy DiNic's. (If you know, you know.)

The star of this iconic sandwich counter, which has ...Read more

Spring is a season of surprises. Suddenly the asparagus appear, next it’s delicate peas, tender lettuces and fistfuls of fresh herbs.

Week after week, the farmers markets offer increasing bounty to tempt and delight. I’ll bring these market staples home to round out a meal: farmstead beef, chicken, pork, lamb and an array of locally grown ...Read more

Tortellini is a winner when it comes to easy weeknight meals because it's quick to prepare and lends itself to so many different dishes.

You can toss it with red sauce or pesto, or use the tiny dumplings to bulk up a savory broth. For heartier appetites, you can bake the pasta in a casserole dish in a creamy cheese sauce topped with breadcrumbs...Read more

Atlanta-based New Realm Brewing Co. has always been quick to adapt to the shifting tastes of its customers. In 2021, the just four-year-old company opened a distillery and released a series of ready-to-drink canned cocktails. The brewery debuted AlphaWater to cater to the hard seltzer craze that same year. They followed that with a nonalcoholic ...Read more

Dry whole-wheat couscous has been partially cooked, making it a quick-cooking (5 minutes!) whole-grain weeknight dinner champ. And when you buy peeled shrimp, plus a bag of prechopped kale and bottled barbecue sauce, the savings in prep time helps to get this healthy dinner done in a jiff.

BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous ...Read more

Eggplant dips are ubiquitous across the Mediterranean. Sicily has its caponata with tomato, onions, and capers that has a pronounced sweet-and-sour taste; Israel has its baba ghanoush with savory tahini; and Greece has its red onion and lemony melitzanosalata. My California caponata embraces eggplant’s creamy, neutral flavor along with some ...Read more

Rich in vitamins, fiber, and health-protective compounds, kohlrabi is a worthy addition to your vegetable lineup.

The folklore

Originally from northern Europe, kohlrabi — a unique bulb with leafy stems growing out the sides — was unknown in the U.S. until the early 1800s, though it was a popular vegetable in ancient Rome ...Read more

It was recently pointed out to me that I’m a bowl person. It’s exactly what it sounds like: I almost always prefer a big mishmash bowl of stuff over your classic “meat and two” plate. Add to that I am a self-identified salad person, and you find yourself in the middle of a Venn diagram holding this crispy rice salad.

You, like me, may ...Read more

Cherry season comes and goes quickly, but our love for cherry pie lingers all year long. The good news? This ruby-hued pie can be made with fresh cherries or ...Read more

Every morning, I sip my coffee from a mug acquired on a vacation. Sometimes I’m in a buoyant mood. The porcelain cup displaying Jeff Koons’ “Puppy” at Guggenheim Museum Bilbao does the trick. The tall black mug from Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame definitely sets a tone for the day. Souvenir mugs from Hawaii recall sunshine and ...Read more

Rhubarb isn’t just for pie. It also makes a classic fruit and mustard sauce for pork (it works nicely on chicken and lamb, too) that helps keep the meat moist once it’s cooked so it can be prepared ahead and held until folks are ready to eat.

Pork chops are cut out of the same basic part of the pig: the loin, which runs along the pig’s ...Read more

One of the best ways to introduce yourself to a new place or culture is through food. Whether you’re traveling the state, globe or just across the metro, the restaurants, markets and little corner shops at your destination can be a window into another world.

You can have that same view in the comfort of your kitchen, too. Exploring recipes ...Read more

I was making my favorite type of spiced nuts for a party, and I realized I needed maple syrup.

Maple syrup is the key ingredient in these nuts, along with brown sugar, orange juice, chipotle powder, fresh rosemary, orange juice, brown sugar and an assortment of increasingly expensive nuts.

These spiced nuts are spectacular, but they ain’t ...Read more

For meat lovers, there's nothing better on a spring day than firing up the grill and making yourself a really great steak.

But what if the weather doesn't cooperate, or worse, your budget doesn't allow for those fat New York strips or marbled rib-eyes you just know would fill your family's savory hankerings with their rich, buttery flavor?

How...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- Looking out the car window, the scenery rolls from wetland grasses into soft hills of freshly turned black soil, the cropland framed by trees sporting tiny green buds. The road narrows as the humming of the freeway gives way to the thumping of weathered asphalt.

It’s a scene Karyn Tomlinson could re-create from memory with a ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- California chef Aldo Lanzillotta, co-founder of Juicy Lucy Inc., knew he was on hallowed ground.

“I do not ever want to take away from the fact that this is the birthplace of the Juicy Lucy,” he said when in Minneapolis recently. “I am very respectful of that.”

But he does hope Minnesotans’ love for the cheese-stuffed ...Read more

Asparagus tends to get the spotlight in early to late spring because it's one of the first fresh vegetables to make an appearance after the doldrums of winter.

But now that it's May, another long green stalk is ready for its closeup. This one, however, isn't as tender as asparagus, and you probably don't want to eat it out of hand raw unless ...Read more

Weekends are different. Weekends are for food that is a little special.

Which means that if you are me, weekends are for disappointment.

I like to go out for dinner on Fridays, or at least get takeout and eat it at home. It is a delineation between the work week and the non-work weekend, an edible demarcation that marks the end of five days (...Read more