Author: graphinex

You’ve got to do a mess of fresh cranberries in November. They’re so much better than canned. But to make them come out balanced — we have strong ingredients here — reserve at Step 3 some of the diced jalapeno, some chopped cilantro, and a fourth of the lime juice. In Step 4, taste what …

Inherited from the Royal Navy, curry has been a wardroom favorite in our navy for a century, and at my table for half that time. It is a hot, spicy, gravy-based dish of East Indian origin. Served with pass-around condiments, it’s a fun dish. With its palette of many spices, making it from scratch is …

For the record: We had eight knife sharpening events during the past year. All well attended, as it was an offer that couldn’t be refused. I didn’t keep count, but I think we sharpened about 250 knives. Residents favor paring knives and utility knives over the larger chef’s knives. Those that often prepared meals at …

Be it chicken salad, ham salad, or tuna salad, sandwich spreads all have a common base theme. And here it is (for two modest sandwiches, using two hard-boiled eggs or equivalent chicken or one can of tuna): 3 level tablespoons of mayo (Trader Joe’s has a good mayo with nice lemon notes). If too dry …

It fell upon instructor Chef Samchet Chumpepo, at the French cooking school I trained at for a year, to gather up the after-class leftovers. It was an efficient kitchen with little left over after 24 hungry student-cooks ate their mistakes. Salads, chicken, fish, and bits of beef she’d trash. But every grain of rice was …

Tired of sharp cheddar on a toothpick or peanut butter on a Triscuit? Awful then and awful now. Instead, look for Stacey’s Naked Pita Chips and/or Stacey’s Naked Bagel Chips. On them, try soft cheese plus shaved celery plus hot sauce, or sharp cheddar plus a pear slice plus honey, or goat cheese plus Spanish …

While cruising the aisles of the Giant Food Market, I’ve noticed quite a few shoppers holding their phones in one hand while pushing their carts with the other. Those with phones use a to-do application. For grocery listing, the best app for Android, iPhone, and on the Web is AnyList.com. AnyList is loaded with features …

We sharpened residents’ knives, building by building and for the outliers in June and July, and again on the Monday before Thanksgiving. A total of about 160 knives. Brands represented included Henckel, Wusthof, Cutco, Global, and one very old Sabatier black iron knife that took a fine edge. There were other old no-name black iron …

Lots of steps are involved in preparing dinner, lots of decisions — like how much of this and how little of that. Some easy to pull off, some hard. So here we have a few essentials: It’s easy: To burn butter or burn onions in a too-hot pan. To overcook bacon in a too-hot pan …

Taco Night in the main dining room should not be missed. The chefs present proper beef and fish tacos with sour cream, red salsa, and guacamole condiments, as well as beans and rice sides. But I like taco salad — maybe even better — as it is arguably a simpler and more complete all-in-one dish. …