Category Archives: cookme

dishes of comfort: kashe varnishkes

This is my post for the Dishes of Comfort blogging event, hosted by Cream Puffs in Venice and Viaggi & Sapori. One of my favorite foods growing up was kashe varnishkes, an Eastern European Jewish side dish full of carbs … Continue reading

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home canning: cranberry sauce

My first batch of home canned cranberry sauce is processing as I type. Cranberry sauce is remarkably easy to prepare, and almost as easy to can. I used these recipes as guidelines, just to get an idea of how much … Continue reading

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green beans and strawberries

I tried, I really did. I just couldn’t get a good photo of this evening’s side dish. So for your amusement, I’ve created a stylized (*ahem*) rendition of a green bean with a strawberry. They look rather happy together, don’t … Continue reading

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sabikh!

Falafel’s lesser known little sister is sabikh. Sabikh is a pita sandwich with fried eggplant, a sliced boiled egg, chunks of steamed potatoes, salad, hummus, tahini sauce, and amba, a sort of sour mango pickle sauce. Traditionally, sabikh was eaten … Continue reading

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the best butter and groovy grapes plus a recipe

beurre d’isigny sainte-mère I recently bought a tub of fancy French butter from the local high-falutin’ shop. It was on sale for three dollars, so I picked it up (kind of a bargain for fancy butter, and I couldn’t resist … Continue reading

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not quite like a s’more

Here’s a little snack I put together the other day: 1 ginger biscuit or ginger snap a shmear of almond butter 2 little squares of dark chocolate with ginger bits Shmear almond butter on cookie, top with chocolate. Eat with … Continue reading

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cranberry bean stew

Autumn has arrived, sort of. One day it’s rainy, the next sunny. It’s too cold for t-shirts, but not cold enough for sweaters. Such is the schizophrenic nature of the weather in California. If it were honestly cold in these … Continue reading

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lazy mezze meal

When I’m feeling lazy and the weather is warm, a light dinner of assorted mezze is very satisfying. Here are some ideas for small dishes, followed by a couple of recipes. Combine a few of these dishes with toasted country … Continue reading

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spinach not pesto with pasta

Here’s a recipe for a light summer supper. spinach, ricotta, and gorgonzola not pesto with pasta 1 lb pasta, cooked and drained, 1-2 cups reserved cooking water butter 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed, trimmed, and coarsely chopped 1/3 lb fresh … Continue reading

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nagaimo: the legend of the slimey tuber

Remember that weird looking vegetable I bought at Berkeley Bowl? It’s up there on the right, looking potato-like in an anemic sort of way, and somewhat hairy. Nagaimo is its Japanese name, and the Japanese turn it into a pancake … Continue reading

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