Archive: Gifts
Weekend Project: Taking Care of Gift-maskah
As you make those year-end lists of whom to thank for a job well done, please don't forget the cooks in your life. All year long, from the asparagus spears of spring to the stews and gratins of winter, the cooks excite your palate, fill your belly and warm your spirit. They are as vital to your daily life as the postal carrier, the newspaper delivery, the school crossing guard. If you haven't done so lately, give them an enormous round of applause or a bear hug. Then, follow up with a positive reinforcement - yes, a gift. Little things go a long way to make a cook happy and his/her arsenal well-greased and humming. Big-ticket items are not necessary to make an impression. As lovely as it may seem, forego the idea of pots and pans, which are a highly personal item, almost like underwear. One exception: Le Creuset....
By kimodo | December 9, 2005; 10:36 AM ET | Comments: (2)
Eating Books
It is a fact (and not just promotional copy) that I often have my nose in a cookbook. There are piles on both sides of the bed with titles both new and old and I truly love to put my physical person into the pages. It's a life-long quirk, beginning at the age of two when I requested my own newspaper and shouted out headlines in toddler speak. I would cover myself in the newsprint and almost eat my books with glee. This time of year brings out the year-end reviewer in all of us, which is particularly helpful in the world of cookbooks since there are skedaddles to choose from. To get the book party started, check out this week's Food section, which offers a comprehensive cookbook roundup, organized in five handy categories, plus a sampler of recipes, so you can try before you buy. Great minds think alike,...
By kimodo | December 8, 2005; 12:43 PM ET | Email a Comment
Chat Doggie Bag
There were lots of leftovers from yesterday's installment of What's Cooking; here are a few assorted questions I pulled from the chat platter to add to the holiday conversation: Saratoga Springs, N.Y.: I need to plan an appetizer-only buffet for Christmas Eve. How does one put together a selection of appealing appetizers? Dear Saratoga Springs, without knowing the size of your party or any possible dietary issues, I will offer general rather than specific thoughts. A couple of considerations:...
By kimodo | December 7, 2005; 11:25 AM ET | Comments: (5)
