Tartare is one of the oldest ways to serve meat and one of the most striking starters you can make. It also needs respect. Here is the history, the safety, and a recipe with a worry-free option. Great food has a history, and tartare is among the oldest chapters. Raw, seasoned … [Read more...] about Venison Tartare, Done Safely: An Elegant Starter With Care
Dining Upstairs or Down
Lobster Newburg: The Gilded Age Dish Named by a Grudge
One of the most famous dishes in American history was named backwards, out of spite, after a falling-out between a chef and a sea captain. This is the story of Lobster Newburg and the original 1894 recipe you can still make today. Most great dishes are named after a place or … [Read more...] about Lobster Newburg: The Gilded Age Dish Named by a Grudge
Pickled Strawberries: An Old Larder Trick Worth Reviving
Long before strawberries meant cream and sugar, cooks treated fruit with vinegar to make it last and to wake up a heavy plate. Pickled strawberries are that old idea, made fresh. Here is the history, and an easy way to make them at home. Great food has a history, and the … [Read more...] about Pickled Strawberries: An Old Larder Trick Worth Reviving
Dover Sole: The Fish That Ruled the Edwardian Table
Long before salmon and sea bass took over the menu, one fish sat at the top of British dining. Dover sole was the mark of a serious kitchen. Here is its story, and a simple way to cook it at home. Great food has a history, and few dishes carry as much of it as Dover sole. For … [Read more...] about Dover Sole: The Fish That Ruled the Edwardian Table
Garlic Scape Compound Butter — Ready in 10 Minutes, Keeps All Summer
Garlic scapes are the curling green stems that grow from hardneck garlic in late June, a few weeks before the bulbs are ready to harvest. They need to come off -- leaving them on means smaller bulbs -- but that doesn’t mean they belong in the compost. They have a fresh, mild … [Read more...] about Garlic Scape Compound Butter — Ready in 10 Minutes, Keeps All Summer
