A few weeks ago, our house was selected for a Calphalon photo shoot. As part of their digital media campaign, they were photographing their Calphalon Elite Nonstick Cookware. Roughly 15 people, including an Ad agency executive, a Calphalon executive, a food photographer, a food stylist, a prop stylist, and a hand model, took over our kitchen for a four-day shoot. As a food blogger, I was … [Read more...]
Biscuits with Grandma
Grandma's house was very familiar. Perhaps it was because I spent so much time there as a youngster. My grandparents built the family home at 703 South Meridian Street in the 1920s. The quaint bungalow had a large front and side porch, both outfitted with swings and rocking chairs, where the family spent countless hours visiting and watching traffic pass. During the summer, I often took respite … [Read more...]
Banana Cream Pie
Monsoon season has descended on Atlanta, and for the last couple of weeks an endless barrage of rain storms has moved through the area. The sun seems to have forsaken us. I'm a spring kind of guy, and this time of year I crave those 70-degree days filled with sunshine, daffodils, and azaleas. So far this year my weather cravings are somewhat unfulfilled. This week's forecast tells me sun in on … [Read more...]
Spring Pasta with Peas, Asparagus, and Sugar Snaps
Fresh green peas scream spring to me. Also known as English or garden peas, these emerald legumes require nothing more than just a little butter and salt to make a delightful side dish. They need very little cooking to bring out their sweet and subtle flavor. Of course you can get frozen peas throughout the year, and they serve many recipes well, but there's nothing like the fresh version right … [Read more...]
Roasted Roma Tomatoes
We had a pizza dinner party last week for our friends, Bruce and Felix, and Felix's daughter, Sierra. When I'm making pizza, I go a little crazy with toppings. It's an obsession. I admit it. My ultimate fear in life is that there won't be enough food. I suspect it's a southern thing that I inherited from my grandmother. In my mind, if you don't have at least twice as much food as you need, there's … [Read more...]
Tomato Aspic with Crème Fraîche and Chives
How many of you remember Tomato Aspic? It was the "fancy" congealed tomato salad that all the ladies in town made for their garden club years ago. I'm sure it made regular appearances at church potluck dinners as well. It was certainly popular in my hometown of Aberdeen Mississippi. My parents gave me a copy of Prime Meridian cookbook for Christmas which features the recipes of Meridian, … [Read more...]
Spinach Salad with Candied Walnuts and Golden Beets
I vividly remember sitting in my freshman comp class many years ago on a cool October day. Professor Kemp began the class by assigning a 300-word essay on any topic to be completed by the end of class. Never being a quick thinker, I wasted the first fifteen minutes of class trying to think of an interesting topic for my essay. Desperately watching the time and realizing that a good idea just … [Read more...]
Red Lentil Soup with Collards
I admit that I'm a carnivore from way back. I've been a serious meat eater for most of my life, and I've always justified my meat-loving ways by thinking that my body requires animal protein. However, I'm turning over a new leaf in 2015, and rethinking the types of protein that I consume. Now I'm not saying that I'm giving up meat (I don't think that'll ever happen), but there are so many other … [Read more...]
Peanut Blossom Cookies
It's just not Christmas without some Peanut Blossom Cookies. I'll say right off the bat that I have no claim to this recipe other than the fact that I've eaten my weight in them over the years. Any combination of chocolate and peanut butter in the form of a cookie makes this southern boy very happy, and these cookies are at the top of the list. I decided to post this ubiquitous recipe after … [Read more...]
Banana, Walnut, and Chocolate Focaccia
We recently traveled to New York to attend the wedding of some good friends. Just around the corner from their loft in the Flatiron District, we discovered Eataly, my new favorite spot in the city. The New York Times described it as a "megastore" that "combines elements of a bustling European open market, a Whole-Foods-style supermarket, a high-end food court and a New Age learning center." An … [Read more...]
Stuffed Artichokes
It's hard to believe that two years have passed since Jim's Mom passed away. We still miss her, and I know we always will. Some of my fondest memories of her were of us sitting in her apartment watching her make Eggplant Parmesan. She always made it for me each time we visited and as I would help myself to a third serving, she would look at me and say, "God bless." I don't think she could believe … [Read more...]
Kiki’s Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
I consider myself somewhat of a chocolate chip cookie aficionado. I’ve cooked and devoured my weight in these cookies over a lifetime, and I'm always on the hunt for the next best recipe. Up until now, no recipe has ever beat the chocolate chip pecan cookies at Alon's Bakery just a few blocks from our house. With these cookies, Alon may have met his match. We spent last weekend at with our … [Read more...]