One evening in late December, my husband Craig and I were watching a news program in which various scientists touted the health advantages of a plant-based diet. Of particular interest was the assertion that various digestive problems (from which…

Who doesn’t love cake? There might be a few outliers, but cake is the quintessential American dessert, more so than pie. (I’ve never understood the expression “As American as apple pie.” Do we ask for apple pie on our birthdays? No. We expect a…

If you’re a cookbook addict like me, this is your time of the year: Just in time for the holidays, publishers are rolling out the year’s best. These are the heavy-hitters, written by celebrity chefs, bloggers, and tried-and-true cooking authorities.…

My husband and I first took our kids to Paris when Derek was 10 and Kathleen, 7. Prior to the trip, I had been concerned about what Derek, the pickiest eater known to science in those days, would find to eat. To my relief, he became an instant fan of…

It takes an especially brave farmer to plant fruit trees. Any crop is dependent upon favorable weather, but these trees are especially vulnerable to the vagaries of Mother Nature. They need cold, but not too cold, winters. Most varieties bloom in…

Tracking food trends is always fun, particularly trying to figure out how they started and spread, where they are heading and when they will die. Unless it’s the kale trend, which refuses to die, ditto the avocado toast trend (this one deserves to…

Like many young girls, I was horse-mad growing up. I found all things equine immensely fascinating, including the Kentucky Derby. Horse racing in general didn’t attract my attention; it was this one race, with its many traditions that drew me.…

Ricotta Cheese 8 cups whole milk 2 cups buttermilk Have ready a colander, lined with 4 layers of cheesecloth, placed in a large bowl, and a slotted spoon. Attach a candy thermometer to a large pot and place over medium-high heat. Add the milk and…

Vegetable Jambalaya 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1/2 small green chili, finely chopped 2 large tomatoes, chopped 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1…

Sheet Pan Suppers 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes 2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves, plus a small bunch of thyme sprigs ¼ cup whole grain mustard 4 garlic cloves 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 3 pounds bone-in chicken…

Deep-Dark-Chocolate Pudding Cakes 280 grams (10 ounces) bittersweet chocolate 115 grams (1/2) cup unsalted butter 2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks 120 grams (1/2) cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Unsweetened heavy…

Lentil and Smoked Salmon Salad 1 cup Puy lentils 1 shallot, minced 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 eggs 2 tablespoons chopped dill, plus fronds for garnish 12 slices smoked…

I always read Jane Brody’s column in the New York Times, and her most recent was a real attention-grabber. In it, she describes several studies that looked at nut consumption as it related to health and disease. The results are pretty amazing. When…

The findings of a large study on this subject, published on the New England Journal of Medicine’s website should be of interest to anyone interested in remaining healthy. Unlike many studies of various diets, this one was rigorous, and used lab tests…

During my childhood, the produce section of most supermarkets was a pretty sorry place: iceberg lettuce, rock-hard tomatoes, lemons, bananas, maybe green beans and corn. and cucumbers. Of the lot, only the cucumbers were consistently good. The skins…

The French term “panade” has two possible culinary meanings. In one instance, it refers to a hunk of bread soaked in liquid and then wrung out, which is then added to ground meat to keep it tender and juicy. If you routinely produce tough and/or dry…

From time to time, our fair city receives well-deserved publicity, mostly in the form of inclusion on various “Best Cities to.” lists. Bloomington has been touted as a great place to retire, go to school and enjoy the arts and outdoors. The city is…

Lynn Schwartzberg, fellow Food Fare columnist, and I recently had an email exchange in which we discussed how difficult it can be, after nearly seven years writing Food Fare, to come up with topics to write about. (I sometimes decide to write about…

Cabbage and Rye Panade 4 cups flavorful vegetable or chicken broth, warmed 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 1/2 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 2 pounds cabbage, quartered, cored and sliced into…

Golly, it’s hot. Humid. Oppressive. Such weather calls for something cool for dinner, something with little or no cooking. In my house, that “something” is usually salad. Lettuce-based salads have been around since ancient times, while salads…