eating is living

Every April, the fine folks of Ponchatoula, Louisiana put on a strawberry festival. But it’s not just any strawberry festival, because the strawberry is Louisiana’s state fruit, and Ponchatoula is the Strawberry Capital of the World. There are beauty pageants, baking contests, a talent show, music, and of course lots of strawberries. I went once, [...]

The farmers’ markets are really blooming and this past weekend, strawberries were the highlight of many of them. The market around the corner from my house was red red red with the gorgeous little berries, and fans were scooping them up by the peck. I brought some home myself, and along with eating them plain, [...]

All right, here’s another take on the cold soup with a scoop of sorbet in it. This one combines the subtle silky sweetness of fennel with the sharp tanginess of a roasted pepper. Yellow or orange peppers are best for this, but any color will work. The Pernod is optional because it really boosts the [...]

When you’re a having a nice piece of meat for dinner, mashed potatoes are a perfect accompaniment, especially with a hot splash of dreamy gravy. But what about when you’re grilling, and don’t have the drippings to make a gravy? Faced with just such a dilemma one night, I decided to dress up the mashed [...]

Another gift from the noble pig, the loin is an imposing piece of meat that does very well on the grill if you put the loin on the side with the burner(s) off (or the side with no charcoal) and put a smoke source on the hot side. With top down on your grill, it [...]

Pralines are a delectable piece of New Orleans culinary history, and there are about as many recipes for them as there are ways for a New Orleans native to smile. And smile you will, when you get a bite of one of these. I’ve tried to emphasize the pecans in this recipe, and to darken [...]

This may be a little different from some pasta salads you’ve had in the past, but give it a try, and I’m sure you’ll be happy with the result. It’s really a cross between a hot pasta dish and a pasta salad. It’s best at just above room temperature, but it’s also good cold. It’s [...]

The mercury climbed into the 80s today, and I found myself craving a light but nutritious salad. Tabbouleh, an Arabic dish that is perfect for a hot day, is a sort-of salad that uses bulghur as a base. Bulghur is a processed version of wheat, usually durum wheat, that is parboiled or steamed, then dried [...]