As we were putting our bags in the trunk for our trip to California last month, our neighbor jogged up. He pulled the earbuds from his ears and asked where we were going. We told him, and that we were hoping to find some good food. And thank goodness we did, because all casual-like he…
Eating ABQ: Ajiaco Colombian Bistro
I don’t know who gave me my first recommendation for Ajiaco. My friend Carlos, who is originally from Colombia, was in the crowded church social hall after services when someone slipped a business card for the bistro into his hand. “I don’t even know who it was,” he laughed as I examined the mysterious card…
Soulful Japanese Food at Kokoro Restaurant
Once upon a time, I read in a now-forgotten cookbook that “There is no such thing as al dente in Japanese noodles.” That author had never had a proper bowl of ramen. To be fair, a proper bowl of ramen is a rare thing. As viewers of the classic Japanese film Tampopo and the less classic…
Creamy Smoked Gouda and Ale Soup
Arne and I honeymooned at his parents’ rustic cabin in Woodland Park, up a mountain pass from Colorado Springs. At that time neither of us drank alcohol, so I’m not sure what led us, while we were exploring the Springs, to venture into Phantom Canyon Brewing Company. At any rate, in we did venture. We…
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…
Luxurious Four-Ingredient Browned Cauliflower Soup
I am inordinately proud of this soup. It is perfect Unfussy Epicure fare – extremely simple to make and stunningly delicious. It’s just a variation on roasted cauliflower soup, a cold-weather staple that I’ve made with curry, with potatoes, with garlic. But this variation is so easy, so elegant, and makes such an incredible difference…
Grill-Roasted Summer Tomato Soup
Things continue to go really well in my garden, at least as far as tomatoes go. (Squash is a different matter – my plants were ravaged by squash bugs and had to be torn out.) This is the first year I’ve had enough tomatoes to share with my neighbors. And enough to try recipes that…
French Cabbage Soup with Blue Cheese and Cream
Well, here they are: the January doldrums. It’s cold – at least, it’s been freezing in Albuquerque for the last couple of weeks. I need new gloves. Anyway, it’s cold outside. And while it’s no colder than usual in the refrigerator, winter bleakness has settled in there as well. What’s in the crisper? Cabbage. Carrots….
Curried Winter Vegetable Soup
This recipe wasn’t meant to be delicious. That was an accident. What it was meant to be was simple, speedy, and vegetarian. You see, it was Vegetarian Week. Arne and I had competing meetings that would prevent us from having dinner together, and my first thought was just to grab a bite out or eat…
Three Bean, Three Chile Chili
When you move to New Mexico from the Midwest, things get confusing with the word “chili.” Suddenly a word that’s always had one simple meaning – a comforting, mildly spicy stew of ground beef, tomatoes, and beans – gains another spelling and several new meanings. “Chili” can be the aforementioned stew, or the spicier Texas…