Until the last decade, the classic Sichuan flavor combination ma la (numbing and hot) was hard to come by in the United States. Sichuan peppercorns, the only common source of the numbing, tingly sensation called ma in Chinese, were banned from import to the US because they could transmit a kind of citrus canker. Fortunately,…
Spam Ramen, or Rescuing a Terrible Recipe
Cooking has been my passion since college. For more than twenty years I’ve spent a huge amount of my time reading cookbooks, trying recipes, learning methods, combining ingredients. I’ve gotten good at tasting “in my head,” having a pretty good idea of what a recipe will taste like before I try it. Usually I can…
Singapore Crab Cakes with Sweet and Tangy Red Chile Sauce
I am a sucker for the words “street food.” They call to mind the most exciting and delectable experiences: sizzling fish tacos handed down from the window of a brightly painted truck; smoky grilled meat sticky with spicy lemongrass-chile sauce; colorful drinks in plastic bags, skewered with straws for sipping; steaming bowls of soup slurped…
The “good olive oil”
In yesterday’s post about flatbread, I mentioned “good olive oil,” and I thought I’d talk about that a little. My cooking uses three grades of extra-virgin olive oil, pictured above. The square bottle lives by my stove, affected by heat and light. It contains my everyday, cooking-grade olive oil, the one I use when I…
Inspiration, continued
I can’t believe I forgot to mention Chelsea Market in my last post! We came into Chelsea Market after walking the length of the amazing High Line park. I goggled as I walked through The Lobster Place staring at the cases full of impeccably fresh fish of every kind I’d ever heard of (plus some…