Hyperbolic ruminations on food and film
This revamped classic, flecked with fresh herbs, hides a delicious addition My dentist said, “soft foods only for a couple of days.” Who was I to argue? For me that meant making both the best macaroni and cheese ever, and soup. But which soup? In fall and winter my mom often made a terrific and comforting potato-leek soup. Bingo: […]
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While this is an amalgam of previous Thanksgiving posts, I hone every year. I know you have your favorites! We all do. But trust me… add a few of these (the cocktail and the turkey in particular.. and the dips… and, well, you know… ) and you will have the best dinner ever. Hell, just […]
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A Texas staple that will become a regular part of your repertoire It was called The Lazy Daisy: a 24 hour restaurant on ‘the drag’ in Austin, a locally owned Denny’s like place that was so much better than Denny’s. When I was in college at The University of Texas at Austin, The Lazy Daisy […]
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Some terrific scary movies you might not have seen… Halloween week! You gotta watch at least one scary movie, right? Let me give you a few choices you may not know, movies you can easily find right now. Note: It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find classic movies online… some favorites I wanted to list here… Ils (Them), Session […]
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Why are people so afraid of Joker? In the September 25th issue of The New Yorker, Pauline Kael asked “Are people becoming afraid of American movies?” This was, of course, 1978, not 2019. Yet it seems likely the great film critic would have asked the same question forty-one years later, given the critical hysteria over Todd […]
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A delicious Autumn meal I eat year round. I love fall. Hands down my favorite season. It’s not because I look my best in fall clothes… although, to be honest, that is part of it. I love everything about fall: cool crisp sweater weather, football games at twilight, County Fairs, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Fall Back from […]
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A perfect way to slide from summer to fall… with an additional secret recipe. I realize the subject of tomatoes is late given some of you are probably past tomato season. Summer in Southern California, however, starts and ends late (mid-July thru sometimes mid-October) and we remain in the midst of a glorious tomato bounty. […]
Read MoreA different kind of steak, but just as wonderful. Last week, we had steak and pasta. This week, a different kind of steak… Cauliflower Steak! Before you run screaming, these are terrific. Even the staunchest carnivore alive might be surprised to find out how much they like these steaks. And yes I’m calling them steaks […]
Read MoreBack from Summer Hiatus with a quick easy dinner I love, steak and pasta. If I’ve learned anything over the years from favorite chefs like Patricia Wells, Suzanne Goin, Nigel Slater and more, often times when cooking simplicity is best. I may love to make cassoulet over seven days, but I love just as much […]
Read More(Your next favorite killer comfort breakfast is good for you and has various tweaks for various diets…) After a few years of On Food and Film (time sure flies!), it must now be obvious how much I love breakfast. Savory breakfast at least. Sure, I’ll eat a pancake or french toast if you shove it in […]
Read More(how to make homemade crème fraîche you will eat with a spoon, plus suggested uses and recipes) I can’t believe I’ve been cooking for years and didn’t know I could make crème fraîche at home with 90 seconds of prep. Well. Now I’m making it at least once a week, if not more, using this […]
Read More(including recipes for a killer hot sauce, a mini tutorial on delicious pan sauces, pickled chilis, and more…) Fresno chilis, which look like a red Jalapeño, have become my favorite chili by far. Milder than a Jalapeño, they still have a nice bite along with a slight, lovely sweetness that makes them more versatile than […]
Read MoreIn our current Keto/Paleo/Crossfit/Whole 30 obsessed world, with bread and grains and potatoes thrown into the dustbin, cauliflower has become a favorite food. Makes sense to me! I’ve always been a huge fan. Whether it be roasted simply (my favorite) or covered in cheese sauce or somehow otherwise plated, I love me some cauliflower. Perhaps […]
Read MoreI posted on my favorite films last week… here are my other favorites of the year: THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE Hands down my favorite anything of the year. Anything. By far. Mike Flanagan’s reworking of Shirley Jackson’s famous novel (he also riffs generously on Robert Wise’s wonderful 1963 adaptation, The Haunting) is, pardon my french, […]
Read MoreBelated Happy 2019! It’s been a long while for a post as I had an incredibly busy fall. Apologies for those who follow! I have a number of posts half-finished, including Breakfast Fried Rice and Heaven In A Bowl… let’s see how much I can keep on track this year. First, though, we begin with the […]
Read MoreOh my, I love a good french fry. When all the elements come together — perfect size (thicker than a pencil), perfect texture (crisp outside, tender inside) and salt — there are few things I enjoy more. Particularly with a wonderful homemade aioli on the side. (Yeah, I left ketchup behind a while ago. But […]
Read MoreAND A GLUTEN-FREE VERSION, TOO! If you are anything like me, you love fruit pie but have no patience to make crust. You lost me at rolling pin. You lost me at ‘sift’. You lost me at… So I’m happy to present to you something just as good as a fruit pie but ridiculously easy. You don’t […]
Read MoreExpletives were heard the last time I served this. The phrase ‘your new crack‘ as well. And while it is a breakfast dish, you can have it any time of day. I certainly do. It’s a killer late night dish, for instance, after an extra long day at work or, well, whatever you’ve been doing […]
Read MoreWith Gluten-Free/Paleo/Ketogenic interest remaining at a fever pitch, it seems everyone is looking for terrific recipes with low/no carbs and no gluten. I myself am following the Ketogenic Diet; the older I get the more difficult it has become to lose weight and keep it off, damn it! (That gin has no carbs is a […]
Read MoreEveryone loves lasagna yet I know great cooks who won’t bother to make it at home, myself included for a long while, because it seemed too much work. Not true, not true! I’ve learned over the past few years lasagna can be pretty damn easy to make, particularly when someone reveals to you, as my […]
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