on the road.

paris, florence, copenhagen, and stockholm. london, barcelona, rome, and nice.
i travel a lot. and i eat a lot when i travel. and until recently, all my travels have taken me eastward. but on wednesday i hopped on a plane, no passport required, and ventured deep within the borders of my own [...]

collaboration.

“i’m putting 10 bucks on 9 orders for well done.” he put a ten dollar bill on the counter.  tom accepted mario’s wager, but only reluctantly. with a packed dining room it was hard to gauge the mood.
a few feet from the gambling chefs the rest of the kitchen was busily working.  [...]

home cooked meal.

last week marked the start of the month-long marathon of jewish holidays that comes each fall season. family time, synagogue, and lots and lots of food. just because i’m not at the restaurant doesn’t mean i can’t go near a stove, right?
last weekend our house was full of people with empty stomachs eager [...]

shallots and thyme.

If I were an ingredient, I would be _________
Question #13 of the official application for The Next Food Network Star (season 4). Sandwiched between a legal release and waiver and an assurance that you are gainfully employed and not living on the street are a few funny, fluffy, and foolish questions posed by the [...]

zzzz.

i fell asleep last night before the train even left the station.  book in hand, grapes uneaten, i couldn’t keep myself awake for longer than a minute and a half.  i’d doze in and out of consciousness between stops, always with an initial momentary panic that i’d missed mine.
i’m a creature of habit.  i wake [...]

parental guidance suggested.

seeing a great chef walk through the doors of the restaurant sends a jolt of energy through my body. my heart rate picks up; i get nervous. i watch as the chef is seated and i wait patiently for his order comes through. clams, oysters, and a marinated hamachi. i open [...]

memories.

night after night of chocolate souffles and peach pies at the restaurant. peanut butter and jelly cookies, rich chocolate brownies, nutty blondies. but desserts don’t always have chocolate or fruit or tons of butter.
my favorite dessert from six months in paris: spiced greek yogurt, african honey, a dressed herb salad. magnifique.

captive audience.

akira sits down at the raw bar.  it’s a monday night; he worked the morning shift at his restaurant and is here to eat dinner while he waits for his girlfriend to finish up her shift.  sometimes he orders just an appetizer, sometimes just dessert.  and sometimes he springs for both.  but regardless of the [...]

summer reading

the day after labor day. there’s no mistaking it. sharpened pencils, crisp brown paper bags, clean and uncluttered knapsacks. wake up and you’ll haven exactly 11 minutes before the yellow school bus honks its horn outside your window and exactly 11.1 minutes before your mother begins yelling at you. aaah, the [...]