If I’ve ever had a holiday nemesis, it would have to be sweet potatoes. Like most kids — even those who aren’t particularly finicky eaters — I had a major issue with the tuber’s slimy texture. My family’s favorite preparation turned sweet potatoes into a cloyingly sweet casserole topped with more sugar and chopped nuts. [...]
There are instances when, for lack of any other idea, giving homemade baked goods is a holiday punt. But when the recipient recognizes the time and effort in each cookie and confection, homemade treats can far surpass the season’s other gifts. A gift from my aunt, Jill, revealed this special type of generosity the Christmas [...]
Complaining about the price of spices just seems to come with the territory of cooking. But there are several ways to save money, particularly during this spice-heavy season. One newspaper reader was passionate enough on the topic to phone my desk last week, imploring that I inform others about spices typically sold for much less [...]
Thanksgiving has been the one festive meal sacred to tradition for as long as I can remember. As in many families, I imagine, the same predictable parade of side dishes accompanies the turkey year in and year out. Suggest swapping a new recipe for a familiar one, and you invite pandemonium as each member of [...]
Nearly every family has a dish that typifies the holidays. Whether it’s green-bean casserole mixed up from several cans, Grandma’s special squash or mincemeat pie, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without this concoction. In my family, the holiday table would have a glaring void if we ever left off the Twenty-four Hour Salad. [...]
Almost a year of planning an entirely edible model of St. Basil’s Cathedral paid off for Hedrick Middle School student Luke Wilder, who took “best of show” today in the fifth-annual GingerBread Jubilee. The cathedral’s distinctive onion domes came together stunningly after the Mail Tribune photographed the structure a week and a half ago. Luke [...]
Blame his previous lack of exposure to Medford’s annual GingerBread Jubilee. Poor Mail Tribune photographer Jamie Lusch thought a visit to Luke Wilder, this year’s featured gingerbread baker, would yield a sweet snack. I had to chuckle a little while explaining this isn’t exactly the type of gingerbread you want to eat. Not only has [...]
Simply by virtue of their phonetics, certain food words evoke deliciousness, even when the food’s actual flavor is obscure. “Quince” is one of these words. I’ve always loved how the single syllable is uttered, crisp but with a lingering softness on the palate. My expectations were just as high for the actual fruit. I had [...]
It’s for good reason chocolatier Jeff Shepherd is all fired up. The owner and chef of Lillie Belle Farms has captured another honor for his innovative artisinal sweets. This time in a field of fiery foods. Likely best known for winning Martha Stewart’s heart two seasons ago with lavender-infused, sea salt-topped caramels, Shepherd called me [...]
A detractor of licorice and all things flavored as such, I long dismissed fennel as an ingredient in my kitchen. I knew the dried seeds were a common seasoning in Italian sausage but didn’t see any necessity for them in my spice cabinet. Fresh fennel seemed even more obscure until I saw it listed as [...]
