Cooking

Have you ever sat down and planned what meals you were going to cook that week without considering what vegetables were in season?

I know I have. I get this craving for a certain meal that I want to have without even considering if certain foods or veggies are even available at that time of year. When I can’t find what I want, I sometimes end up creating a completely different dish than what I had planned. Sometimes this is a good thing.

 Chilled soups are a great idea for these hot summer days when you just want something light. 

We had some chili a couple days ago, even though I prefer to have it during the cold winter days, which we don’t seem to have very often around here. So I started thinking about making some chilled soups and came up with a few that are relatively easy to make with ingredients most of us have in the pantry or fridge.

 The first time I had Steak Diane was years ago at a fancy restaurant. Popular back in the ’50s and ’60s, when and where it actually came about is unknown.

New York City is probably the best candidate for the source of Steak Diane, but which restaurant was the birthplace would be difficult to identify. 

The top culinary trend of that time was dishes that could be flamboyantly prepared tableside. I remember being really impressed with the theatrical antics arising from the flambéing of the cognac that was used to make the sauce.

 More and more people have been coming up to me and asking, “Can you give us some recipes for desserts using much less sugar and ones with fresh whole fruits instead?” 

I must admit sugarless or at least less-sugar desserts would be a lot healthier for us, but would they taste just as rich and satisfying as the “real” thing?

Sugar-free desserts, as the name would imply, are meant for people with diabetes (high blood sugar) or for those looking to lose weight, since an excess amount of sugar is believed to enhance weight.