British-American Teatime Adventure

May 22, 2018 by Alyssa D in baking, appetizers, breakfast

“What is the difference between British scones and American buttermilk biscuits?” We must have asked this question at least half a dozen times in the past couple weeks. Eggs? Butter? Amount of flour? Folding? Shape? Rising agents?

Ultimately the answer didn’t matter as we gobbled Guillaume’s high-altitude buttermilk biscuits shaped like mini scones and my assortment of tiny crustless tea sandwiches. Our spread included Marcona almonds, a bowl of fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, and Pim’s orange cookies.

We’d waited long enough. Not just to eat, but to see Meghan and Harry get married. Although the latter was really just an excuse to make all this food.

Spicy Bourbon Cocktail Adventure

May 12, 2018 by Alyssa D in drinks

Gina and I sat at Blue Smoke’s bar on East 27th Street in New York City, studying the drink list, wondering which cocktails to splurge on.

This was about a decade ago, and it wasn’t our first visit to the barbecue restaurant from Danny Meyer’s group. I don’t remember much about the previous meal we’d had — the deviled eggs stood out as being yummy — but it was bourbon time.

Eggplant Pasta ’ncasciata Adventure

May 01, 2018 by Alyssa D in main course

“What will you make for me?” “I mekka l’il pasta ’ncasciata.” He managed to control himself —otherwise he would have hugged her, kissed her, and danced a waltz with her.

Andrea Camilleri’s latest mystery novel “A Nest of Vipers” wasn’t the first time I wondered about pasta ’ncasciata, a dish prepared for my favorite fictitious Sicilian inspector, Salvo Montalbano, by his devoted housekeeper Adelina.

I had to get to the bottom of this hearty baked eggplant pasta dish once and for all.

Yiayia’s Spanakopita Adventure

April 09, 2018 by Alyssa D in baking, sides

Mom sent me on a mission as a kid. I was to watch Yiayia as she made spanakopita and find out how she did it. I’d like to say that I took detailed notes that afternoon and the experience launched my journalism career. That was not the case.

Yiayia worked deftly. The whole thing was a blur.

Springtime Asparagus Soup Adventure

March 22, 2018 by Alyssa D in main course, sides

You know the feeling from traveling of being tired, smelly, and so hungry that you’re not sure what to do about any of it? That was the situation my dear friend Laurel and I found ourselves in after driving across the country from east to west back in the day.

Her Grampa Phil welcomed us in Moraga, California, and helped us decide by offering lunch right away. He fed us bread and homemade asparagus soup that was so creamy and lemony, I couldn’t believe it had so few ingredients when he shared the recipe.

North African Stew with Preserved Lemon Adventure

March 11, 2018 by Alyssa D in main course

In the post-holiday season, we started seeking out more vegetable main dishes. They didn’t have to be low-calorie or anything, we’d just eaten a lot of meat and it was time for a break.

While searching for vegetable stew recipes, I suddenly remembered that my mom used to make a veggie stew with couscous when I was a kid. Dad emailed a scan of the cookbook recipe with a note that said, “North African Stew — a vegetarian dish that looks as if it has meat in it but doesn’t!” Mom warned that it made a lot.

Grown-Up SpaghettiOs Adventure

March 01, 2018 by Alyssa D in main course

Confession time: I love hotdogs. Oh, you mean just the best, right? No, I love all kinds of hotdogs — the ones that win taste tests and the ones few would recognize. The plump franks grilled in the summer, the free hotdogs given out for a customer appreciation day, even tofu dogs.

Hotdogs held a special place in my heart as a kid and they’re still a treat, which is why they’re figuring into this grown-up SpaghettiOs business.

Olympic Scallion Pancake Adventure

February 17, 2018 by Alyssa D in appetizers, sides

The savory scallion pancake rabbit hole online is one I’m so glad to have stumbled down. It has just about everything: big flavors, public park ingredient foraging, derring do, and sparkly hats, all against a backdrop of Olympic glory. Best of all, these pancakes are incredibly forgiving.

Super Fancy Vegetarian Bolognese Adventure

February 09, 2018 by Alyssa D in main course

The first months after moving from NYC to Boulder, I was trying to get my bearings. A friend invited me to an informal local mountaineering group’s potluck. I looked online and stumbled across Giada De Laurentiis’ vegetarian bolognese recipe. So I got to work, hoping my offering would go over well. Maybe they’d let me join.

Homemade Pasta Adventure

February 03, 2018 by Alyssa D in main course

Who prepares homemade pasta one weekend because it sounds like fun? Someone who received a stand mixer pasta roller attachment as a lovely gift and needs success in the kitchen after weeks of meh experimental dishes and bread baking disasters.

Watching the questionable pasta dough hunk crawl up the hook and nearly jump out of the bowl started giving me second thoughts. Freaking dough. Again.