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Here are the tastingspoons players. I’m in the middle (Carolyn). Daughter Sara on the right, and daughter-in-law Karen on the left. I started the blog in 2007, as a way to share recipes with my family. I’m still doing 99% of the blogging and holding out hope that these two lovely and excellent cooks will participate. They both lead very busy lives, so we’ll see.

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BOOK READING (from Carolyn):

Music of Bees, Eileen Garvin. Absolutely charming book about a woman in midlife, lonely, who raises bees, also makes unlikely friends. Heart-warming and very interesting about beekeeping.

A Postcard from Paris, Alex Brown. Really cute story. Dual time line, 1940s and present day about renovating an old apartment in Paris, things discovered.

Time of the Child, Niall Williams. Oh such a good book. Very small village in Ireland, 1960s. A baby is left on the doorstep. The town all whispers and helps. I listened to an interview of the author, which made me like him and his books even more.

Sipsworth, Simon Van Booy. If you like animals you’ll swoon. An old woman who really wants to die finds a tiny mouse in her house and befriends it and finds a reason to live. Utterly charming book.

The Forger’s Spell, Edward Dolnick. True story. For seven years a no-account painter named Han van Meegeren managed to pass off his paintings as those of Johannes Vermeer.

If You Lived Here, You’d be Home by Now, Christopher Ingraham. Could hardly put it down – about a journalist who takes on a challenge to move to small town in Minnesota and write about it. He expects to hate it and the people and place, but he doesn’t. Absolutely wonderful true story.

The River We Remember, William Kent Kreuger. 1950s, Minnesota. A murder and the aftermath. Could hardly put it down. Kreuger has such a vivid imagination and writing style.

How the Lights Gets In, Joyce Maynard. An older woman returns to New Hampshire to help care for her brain-injured son. Siblings and family, lots of angst and resentments.

The Filling Station, Vanessa Miller. Every American should read this book. A novelized retelling of the Tulsa massacre in 1921. Absolutely riveting.

The Story She Left Behind, Patti Callahan Henry. Love this author. Based on a true story. A famous author simply vanishes, leaving her husband and daughter behind. She had invented a mystical language no one could translate. Present day, someone thinks he’s solved the riddle, contacts the family. Really interesting read.

The Girl from Berlin, Ronald Balson. Love anything about Tuscany. An elderly woman is being evicted from a villa there, with odd deed provenance. Two young folks go there to help unravel the mystery. Loved it.

The Island of the Colorblind, Oliver Sacks, M.D. Nonfiction. The dr is intrigued by a remote Pacific island where most of the inhabitants are colorblind. He also unravels a mystery on Guam of people born with a strange neurological problem. Medical mysteries unveiled. Very interesting.

The Bookbinder, Pip Williams. Post 1914 London. Two sisters work at a bookbindery. They’re told to not read the books. One does and one doesn’t. One has visions beyond her narrow world; the other does not. Eventually the one gets into Oxford. Lovely story.

The Paris Express, Emma Donoghue. 1895 on a train to Paris, a disaster happens. You’ll delve into the lives of many people who survived and died in the crash.

A Race to the Bottom of Crazy, Richard Grant. This is about Arizona. Author, wife and child move back to Arizona where they once lived. Part memoir, research, and reporting in a quest to understand what makes Arizona such a confounding and irresistible place.

The Scarlet Thread, Francine Rivers. A woman’s life turned upside down when she discovers the handcrafted quilt and journal of her ancestor Mary Kathryn McMurray, a young woman who was uprooted from her home only to endure harsh frontier conditions on the Oregon Trail.

A Place to Hide, Ronald Balson. 1939 Amsterdam, an ambassador has the ability to save the lives of many Jewish children. Heartwarming.

Homeseeking, Karissa Chen. Two young Chinese teens are deeply in love, but in China. Then their families are separated. Jump to current day and the two meet again in Los Angeles.

North River, Pete Hammill. He always writes such a good story. A doctor works diligently healing people from all walks of life. His wife and daughter left him years before. One day his 3-yr old grandson arrives on his doorstep.

A Very Typical Family, Sierra Godfrey. A very messed-up family. Three adult children are given a home in Santa Cruz, Calif, but only if the siblings meet up and live in the house together. A very untypical scenario but makes for lots of messes.

Three Days in June, Anne Tyler. The usual Anne Tyler grit. Family angst. This wasn’t one of my favorites, but it was entertaining and very short.

Saved, Benjamin Hall. Author is a veteran war reporter. Ukraine, 2022, he nearly loses his life to a Russian strike. Riveting story – he survives, barely.

Grey Wolf, Louise Penny. Another Inspector Gamache mystery in Quebec. She is such an incredible mystery writer.

All the Colors of the Dark, Chris Whitaker. A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each. Could hardly put it down.

Orbital, Samantha Harvey. Winner of 2024 Booker Prize. I don’t usually like those, but I heard the author interviewed and she hooked me. This is not a normal book with a beginning, a story and an end. It’s several chapters of the day in the life of various astronauts at the ISS (Int’l Space Station). All fictional. She’s been praised by several real astronauts for “getting it” about space station everyday life.

The Blue Hour, Paula Hawkins. An island off Scotland. Inaccessible except when the tide is out. Weird goings on. An artist. A present day mystery too.

Iron Lake, William Kent Krueger. A judge is murdered and a boy is missing. Riveting mystery.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home, Carol Ricks Brunt. 1980s. A 14-yr old girl loses her beloved uncle. Yet a new friendship arises, someone she never knew about.

Four Treasures of the Sky, Jenny Zhang. 1880s, a young girl is kidnapped in China and brought to the United States. She survives with many hurdles in the path.

The Boy Who Fell out of the Sky, Ken Dornstein. Memoir, 1988. The author’s brother died in the PanAm flight that went down in Lockerbie, Scotland. A decade later he tries to solve “the riddle of his older brother’s life.”

Worse Care Scenario, T.J. Newman. Oh my. Interesting analysis of what could/might happen if a jet crashed into a nuclear plant. Un-put-downable.

Song of the Lark, Willa Cather. Complicated weave of a story about a young woman in about 1900, who has a gifted voice (singing) and about her journey to success, not without its ups and downs.

Crow Talk, Eileen Garvin. Charming story which takes place at a remote lake in Washington State, about a few people who inhabit it, the friendships made, but also revolving around the rescue of a baby crow.

The Story Collector, Evie Woods. Sweet story about some dark secrets from an area in Ireland, a bit magical, faerie life, but solving a mystery too.

A Sea of Unspoken Things, Adrienne Young. A woman investigates her twin brother’s mysterious death. She goes to a small town in California to figure it out, to figure HIM out.

The King’s Messenger, Susanna Kearsley. 1600s England, King James. About one of his trusted “messengers,” and his relationship with a young woman also of “the court.” Lots of intrigue.

In the Shadow of the Greenbrier, Emily Matchar. Interesting mystery in/around the area of the famous resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Isola, Allegra Goodman. Hard to describe, survival story on an island in the 1600s.

Save the Date, Allison Raskin. Rom-com, witty, LOL funny. Clever.

The Sirens, Emilia Hart. Numerous time-lines, Australia. Mysteries abound, nightmares, abandoned baby, weird allergies.

Red Clay, Charles Fancher. LOVED this book. Mostly post-Civil War story about the lives of slaves in Alabama during Reconstruction.

Stars in an Italian Sky, Jill Santopolo. Dual time line, 1946 and recent time. Love stories and a mystery.

Battle Mountain, C.J. Box. Another one of Box’s riveting mysteries. Love his descriptions of the land.

Something Beautiful Happened, Yvette Corporon. A memoir of sorts in Greece, tiny island of Erikousa, where the locals hid Jews during WWII. All elusive stories told by the author’s grandmother.

The Jackal’s Mistress, Chris Bohjalian. 1860s Virginia, about a woman who saves the life of a Union soldier. Really good story.

Song of the Magpie, Louise Mayberry. Really interesting story about Australia back in the days when it was mostly a penal colony. Gritty strength of a woman trying to thrive with her farm.

The Boomerang, Robert Bailey. A thriller that will have you gripping the book. About a lot of secrets surrounding the president (fictional novel, remember) and his chief of staff and about cancer. A cure. Such a good story.

Care and Feeding, Laurie Woolever. Really interesting memoir of a woman driven to succeed in the restaurant business. She worked for Mario Batali and then Anthony Bourdain. Gritty stories.

Everything is Tuberculosis, John Green. Maybe not a book for everyone. A real deep dive into the deadly tuberculosis infection, its history. I heard the author interviewed and found the book very interesting.

The Book Lovers Library, Madeline Martin. Fascinating read about Boots’ drug stores’ lending library. And the people who worked in them.

The Arrivals, Meg Mitchell Moore. LOL funny, about a middle-aged couple whose children (and their various family members) return to the family home and the chaos that ensues.

My Life as a Silent Movie, Jesse Lee Kercheval. About grief. A big move to Paris, finding herself a new life with a new set of real blood family.

Escape, Carolyn Jessop. Another memoir about a woman really in bondage in Utah, Mormon plural marriage.

 

Tasting Spoons

My blog's namesake - small, old and some very dented engraved silver plated tea spoons that belonged to my mother-in-law, and I use them to taste my food as I'm cooking.

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Slow-Roasted Salmon with Herb Salsa with Green Beans

Posted in Fish, on January 23rd, 2026.

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Easy preparation, high on flavor, even worthy of dinner guests.

Although this recipe comes from a very renowned chef, Samin Nosrat, I had to adapt it a little bit to my own taste, and it’s amazing. The beauty of it is that it can be made ahead (I didn’t, I cooked it and ate it right then) and served at room temp. The original had you fork apart the salmon into rough chunks when serving, but I was in a hurry, so didn’t do that part.

I’d made this a few years ago and don’t know why I didn’t post it – but I have an idea. When you roast food at 225 or 230°F, it’s not exactly “hot” when served. I won’t say lukewarm, but it’s definitely not sizzling. Part of the joy of slow roasting salmon is that it stays beautifully intact and doesn’t firm up (I think the term is “seize”). And in this case, you cook the salmon until it reaches 120-122°F. (The added broiling part will bring the temp up to 125°F in just that few minutes.) That wasn’t the accepted temp back some years ago – you always cooked fish to about 140-150°F. And it could very well have become too firm, overcooked. What I changed was adding one more step, after the slow-roasting time, I turned the oven on to broil and cooked the salmon about another 4 minutes until the top had barely begun to color. What that did was heat up the interior of the salmon but not “cook” it any further.

So, to explain, first the salmon is slow-roasted at that low-slow temp (I put it in a foil crimped-up pan, see photo). The salmon is oiled and seasoned with salt. Be a bit generous with the salt. I used an instant-read thermometer, and it was cooked through in 30 minutes. Then I turned the temp to broil and it was hot and bubbling within a few minutes.

Meanwhile, make the salsa. The original recipe called this French, but I didn’t have chervil (definitely a French herb – and I’ve not seen chervil in my grocery stores for decades, nor do I grow it), so I substituted my own fresh herb combo (sage, basil, Italian parsley and cilantro). The herbs are chopped up fine and set aside. Shallots are minced and left to sit briefly in the vinegar (which cuts the sharpness of the shallot). I chose to use the seasoned rice wine vinegar (not a French ingredient, for sure) but I didn’t want the higher acidity of apple cider vinegar. I’d made a note previously on the recipe that it was pretty puckery. There’s a fine line of enough vinegar and too much vinegar. At the last minute you combine the shallots (carefully removing them with a slotted spoon) with the herbs and oil, but holding out some of the vinegar to add in if needed. I did.

I also made some green beans – using some of the leftover shallot, sauteing it in butter, then adding the green beans to the pot and stirring while they flash-fried just a few minutes. Then add water, a lid and let them steam until they’re cooked to your liking. Season with salt and pepper. You don’t have to use green beans – it would probably be great with broccoli or asparagus or even Brussels sprouts (they’d take longer to cook).

When I ate the first bite I tasted the herbs and the salt, and it was the salt that made my mouth sing. I try to cook with very little salt, but in this case I’m glad I was generous with it.

What’s GOOD: this salmon is just delicious. Succulent because of the slow-roasting, and loved the herb salsa which includes the rice wine vinegar and EVOO. Liked the combo with green beans. This recipe is a keeper.

What’s NOT: only that the roasting time will add to your kitchen time, but use the time making the herb salsa and your veggie of choice.

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Slow-Roasted Salmon with Herb Salsa and Green Beans

Recipe: Adapted from Samin Nosrat’s recipe
Servings: 4

SALMON:
1 1/3 pounds salmon steaks — pin bones and skin removed
2/3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
HERB SALSA:
2 tablespoons shallot — finely diced
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 1/3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley — minced
1 tablespoon sage — minced
1 tablespoon fresh chives — minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil — minced
1 tablespoon cilantro — minced
3 tablespoons EVOO
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper
GREEN BEANS:
1 pound green beans — fresh, trimmed
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons shallot — minced
1/4 cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 230°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
2. Use a baking sheet with sides and prepare a “pan” of foil and center in the pan. Place the salmon on the foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt generously and evenly over top.
3. Roast the salmon for 25 to 40 minutes (it will depend upon the thickness of the salmon), until an instant read thermometer registers 120-122°F. The salmon may look uncooked because of this method of slow roasting – it will appear translucent.
4. Turn the oven to broil and watch it carefully for 3-4 minutes until the top of the salmon has just begun to bubble. This will heat the salmon through, but not cook it any further. Remove from oven and use a small spoon to scrape off any white coagulated proteins that may have formed on the salmon. The salmon should reach 125°F in the thickest portion.
5.GREEN BEANS: Sauté shallot in some butter until they are translucent, then add the green beans and using tongs toss them for 2-3 minutes at medium heat until they’ve begun to cook. Then add water, top with a lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the beans for about 10 minutes or until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. To serve, break the salmon into large, rough pieces and spoon the herb salsa over top. Serve the green beans on the side. This salmon can be served hot, cold, or room temperature.
7. SALSA: In a small bowl, combine the shallot and rice wine vinegar and let sit for 15 minutes to macerate. In a separate small bowl, combine the herbs, olive oil, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Just before serving, use a slotted spoon to add the shallot (but not the vinegar, yet) to the herb oil. Stir, taste, and add the vinegar as needed. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.

Sardine Spread – don’t make a face!

Posted in Appetizers, on January 16th, 2026.

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I know, I know, you may not think sardines are worth considering for an appetizer. 

You may come from the camp that says there are no good sardines, period. But there are, if you’re willing to try them and to seek them out. More and more markets are carrying a wider selection of canned fish. I never buy the cheapest little tin of anchovies, or sardines. If you buy a more expensive one you’ll have a much better tasting dish. Usually the fish are larger, easier to handle, easier to remove bones and just better tasting. And did you know that sardines are super-healthy for us to eat – good protein and Omega-3’s. Some of the better sardines come in jars – that’s what I usually buy for both sardines and anchovies.

Now I’ll counter that with the fact that if you make this spread you won’t be eating all that many sardines since they’re mixed in with cream cheese and butter. But still. Think of this as a way to get some Omega-3’s.

Do let the cream cheese and butter come to room temp before trying to mash them together – it’ll be so easy if you do. Prep the sardines a little by removing the bones, then mash up with green onions, capers, lime juice, pepper and maybe some salt. Chill a few hours to meld the flavors, then bring the spread to room temp (about an hour) before serving with your choice of crackers, baguette slices (my favorite) or toast or toasted pita bread triangles. At the cookbook club dinner I attended at my granddaughter’s home, her friend Alex brought this. It’s also from David Lebovitz’s book, My Paris Kitchen. I think everyone liked it – I sure did. Yes, it tastes fishy, but in a good way. Nothing like tuna, in case you wondered. I’ve made tuna into a spread also – this isn’t like that.

What’s GOOD: providing you like sardines, it’s that flavor that prevails  here. So good. I kept going back for just one more.

What’s NOT: only that it helps to let this chill in the frig for a few hours to let the flavors meld. Make it the day before, which would be even better.

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Sardine Spread

From My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz
Serves: 8

1/4 cup cream cheese at room temp
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp
7 ounces canned sardines drained, deboned if possible
2 whole green onions trimmed and minced
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and blotted dry with paper towels
1 tablespoon lime juice, or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For serving: pita, bread or crackers

1. Mash together the cream cheese and butter with a fork until smooth. Drain sardines. Run your thumb lengthwise down the bottom of each (there is usually an open seam there) and pluck out the bones. Add the filleted sardines to the cream cheese mixture, mashing them to combine.
2. Add green onions to the sardine mixture along with the capers, lime juice, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir in the cayenne. Taste and add more salt or citrus juice, if desired.
3. Allow it to come to room temp before serving with crackers, sliced baguette, crackers, or thinly sliced toasted country bread.
Notes: Storage: Pâté can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days, or frozen for up to one month.

Sorry, reader comments had been disabled

Posted in Uncategorized, on January 13th, 2026.

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My apologies to any of you readers if you tried to leave a comment and it said nope, no can do! Some switch somewhere was in the on position (not by me, of course). I’ve wondered why I haven’t received a single comment from anyone in months and months. Now you can. Thanks to all of you for being my readers.

Carolyn T/tastingspoons.com

Lemon-Pistachio Israeli Couscous Salad

Posted in Salads, Uncategorized, Veggies/sides, on January 9th, 2026.

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If you’re a lemon lover, as I am, you’ll love this couscous salad. If you’ve never used Israeli couscous (it’s larger than what we normally buy in our supermarkets) it makes for a nice side salad.

I’m still sorting through the recipes everyone made at the cookbook club event at my granddaughter’s home, when I was invited to attend. Taylor’s friend Laura made this salad. What’s unique here is preserved lemon and pistachios. You can use any kind of dried fruit (dried cranberries are called for but Laura used raisins), or use dried apricots or prunes. Notice the 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. An unusual addition, and you couldn’t really taste it, but the flavors in this just blended beautifully. The other interesting element is butter. It’s added to the hot couscous (so it will melt) and it rounds out the flavors too. Since the preserved lemon is salty, you may not need additional salt, but definitely add pepper.

What’s GOOD: lovely, piquant flavors, from the preserved lemon (and its juice), the crunchy pistachios, the sweetness of the dried fruit. Really delicious. Would go well with a plain grilled meat, chicken steak, even a burger.

What’s NOT: nothing, really. Easy to make, a bit of chopping.

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Lemon-Pistachio Israeli Couscous Salad

David Lebovitz, My Paris Kitchen
Serves: 5

1 whole preserved lemon
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup dried cranberries, apricots, prunes, or raisins
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups Israeli couscous. or other pasta
freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Start by trimming the stem end from the preserved lemon and cut into quarters. Scoop out pulp and then press through a strainer into a medium-sized bowl to extract the juices, then dice the preserved lemon rind and add to bowl along with the parsley, butter, dried fruit, pistachios, salt and cinnamon.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the couscous and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and add it to the bowl of fruits and nuts, stirring until the butter is melted and all the ingredients are well mixed. Season with black pepper and serve.

French Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Posted in Salads, Veggies/sides, on January 2nd, 2026.

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Delicious lentil salad (served at room temp) that could easily be a main dish. The walnuts and goat cheese add texture and plenty of flavor. 

Lentils are such a versatile legume (actually I think it’s called a pulse). It can be hot in a soup, cold as a salad, or a main, or a side dish, either hot or cold.  My dad’s lentil soup is still one of my favorite things to make during the winter months. And many years ago I fell in love with dal, the Indian version of lentils as a side dish. I can even remember where I had it that way, in Christchurch, New Zealand, of all places. We were on a wonderful tour, had a day to ourselves, and we gathered a group of us and I found an Indian restaurant on the main street of Christchurch. None of the others had ever had Indian food, so they allowed me to order for everyone. Amongst all the other things I ordered, I asked for vegetables – the waiter gave me a little tilt of his head – no, they didn’t have any vegetables to order. Really? Odd. But okay, I ordered dal. It was the most flavorful lentils or dal I’d ever had. And I have no idea what they did to it – maybe it had some meat broth (if anything it would have been lamb because New Zealand is a lamb-raising country) that enhanced it. It was memorable, that’s all I’ll say.

So, here, we have a lovely salad that can be made ahead of time. At my granddaughter Taylor’s cookbook club that I attended, her friend Ashley made this salad. It also comes from David Lebovitz’s cookbook, My Paris Kitchen. Everyone loved it. Of course, you do have to cook the lentils first, but they generally take 20-25 minutes. Or use an Instant Pot and cook them for just a few minutes – I don’t remember how long. Don’t overcook them – you want them to remain whole, not falling apart. While they’re cooking, make the salad dressing (vinegar, salt, Dijon, olive oil and shallots). The dressing is added to the still-warm, drained lentils and allowed to rest. Then add in the pepper, parsley, walnuts and goat cheese. Done. If you have leftovers, add a few more walnuts and goat cheese to the top, along with some newly chopped parsley – it’ll make it look like you’ve just made it.

What’s GOOD: easy, make-ahead salad. It’s filling (could be a lunch entree for sure) and will keep for several days.

What’s NOT: only that you do need to cook the lentils ahead of time. And allow them to cool to room temp before serving, so at least an hour or so before.

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French Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese

David Lebovitz, My Paris Kitchen. This might serve more than 6 people as a side dish.
Serves: 6

1 1/2 cups (405g) French green lentils, Le Puy (or brown)
1 bay leaf
6 sprigs of thyme
1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 small red onion, peeled and finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
DRESSING:
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup good quality olive oil
1 small shallot, peeled and minced

1. Rinse the lentils and place them in a saucepan with plenty of lightly salted water, the bay leaves, and the thyme. Bring to a boil, then decrease heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the finely diced vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Do not overcook the lentils: They should be tender, but not at all falling apart.
2. While the lentils are cooking, mix the vinegar, salt, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and shallots to make the dressing.
3. When the lentils are done, drain them and discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. In a large bowl, mix the still-warm lentils with the dressing. Taste for seasoning.
4. Let the lentils cool to room temperature. Then mix in a few grinds of pepper plus the parsley, nuts, and cheese. This salad keeps for at least 2 days. If serving more than once, hold some of the nuts and cheese and add on top each time it’s served. Taste for seasonings again before serving – it might need more salt.

Scalloped Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Roasted Garlic

Posted in Vegetarian, Veggies/sides, on December 26th, 2025.

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Just take my word for it, this scalloped potato dish is so delicious. What’s not to love about creamy, garlicky and a little blue-cheesy potatoes layered with cream or half and half. 

At the cookbook club event I attended a while back, Taylor’s friend Jasmin made these scalloped potatoes. Also from David Lebovitz’s cookbook, My Paris Kitchen. What makes them unique is some blue cheese added into the layering. There’s no other cheese in it, just the blue. Not a very common ingredient to add to potatoes, and trust me, it isn’t overpowering at all. The blue cheese was just a hint, which was just lovely in this dish. Then you add in the soft confit’d garlic (roasted then added to the cream to meld there to add a subtle flavoring), and the flavors just blend so well.

There’s nothing unusual about the preparation of this dish – do use a mandoline here, because you want the potatoes to be a uniform thickness. If you’re off-put by using so much heavy cream, split it between cream and half-and-half, or use all half-and-half. Give yourself ample time for the potatoes to cook through – every oven is different – and seems like every time I make scalloped potatoes they take just a tad longer than the recipe indicates. They’ll stay very hot for at least 30 minutes if they do happen to get done early. Ideally, allow the casserole to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving, or you’ll have some guests who will burn their mouths on that bubbling cheese!

What’s GOOD: the flavors in this are just spot-on. The blue cheese and garlic are both subtle. Unless a guest was allergic to blue cheese, you’ll not find it overpowering at all. And the garlic is also subtle – delicious. Worth making.

What’s NOT: only that the prep takes about 30-45 minutes and the baking is about an hour+.

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Scalloped Potatoes
with Blue Cheese & Roasted Garlic

From My Paris Kitchen, David Lebovitz
Serves: 8

10 large cloves garlic
olive oil
3 cups (750ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt plus more to season the potatoes
2 1/2 pounds (1.2kg) potatoes Yukon Gold or Russets
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (15g) minced fresh chives
1 1/2 cups (195g) coarsely crumbled blue cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (180C).
2. Trim the hard stem ends off the garlic cloves and put them, unpeeled, onto a piece of aluminum foil that’s large enough to envelop them. Drizzle in a small amount of olive oil, close it securely, and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, until the cloves are lightly caramelized. You can do this a few days ahead when you are using the oven for something else, which is what I usually do. Leave the oven on and adjust the oven rack to the top third of the oven.
3. Remove the garlic from the skins and mash the cloves in a saucepan with a few spoonsful of the cream to make a paste. Put the saucepan over low heat and add the remaining cream; heat until warmed through and then set aside.
4. Peel and slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick (.75cm) slices. Generously butter a 2-1/2-quart (2.5l) baking dish with sides at least 2 inches (5cm) high. Put one-third of the potato slices in the baking dish; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one-third of the chives over the potatoes followed by one-third of the blue cheese. Add another one-third of the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with one-third of the chives and blue cheese. Add the final layer of potatoes, then pour the cream mixture over them and press down gently to flatten the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle on the remaining chives and blue cheese.
5. Put the gratin dish on an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, until it’s bubbling and well browned on top. The acidic cheese may cause the cream to separate a little bit, which is normal.

Butternut Squash Bread Soup

Posted in Soups, on December 19th, 2025.

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That probably looks like a casserole of grilled cheese, doesn’t it? I suppose you could liken the flavors to that, but then add in some butternut squash as you do in this recipe and you’ve got a lovely, filling dinner.  In French, this is called a “panade,” meaning a thick bread and stock soup or stew.

Granddaughter Taylor’s friend Robyn made this soup for the cookbook club event I attended. The recipe comes from David Lebovitz’s cookbook, My Paris Kitchen. We had this as part of a very large meal, and it was just delicious. It could easily be a meal unto itself – in fact, I’d recommend it, as it’s very filling.

Basically this is a layered, baked soup. A soup is made with onions, garlic, sage, thyme, chicken broth and wine. Then sourdough bread is toasted, and you begin layering bread, soup, cheese, and 1/8″ thick butternut squash slices. Nice big pieces of sourdough go onto the top (so it’ll look beautiful as you can see in the photo), and into the oven it goes for about an hour, covered, then uncovered. Just make sure every serving has a nice big chunk of that golden brown sourdough.

What’s GOOD: comfort food at its finest. Filling, cheesy, really like eating a toasted cheese sandwich but with soup and butternut squash all around it. Would make a very satisfying meal all on its own. It’s the cheese that makes this dish – use good stuff.

What’s NOT: Nothing really, although you do need to make the soup separately, even though it’s poured into the dish as it’s layered.

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Butternut Squash Bread Soup (a Panade)

Serves: 8

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 onions, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled; 2 thinly sliced, and 2 whole
2 tablespoons chopped sage
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
2 loaves firm-textured sourdough bread, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
2 butternut squash or similar winter squash (such as Kabocha), peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch slices
sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated fontina cheese, or Comte or Gruyere, Jarlsberg, or combination
2 quarts warm chicken stock, plus additional stock for serving
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, the 2 cloves of sliced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the herbs. Cook for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are completely wilted and beginning to brown on the bottom and edges.
2. While the onions are cooking, preheat the oven to 375°F. Place slices of bread on baking sheets in a single layer and toast in the oven, turning the slices over midway, until both sides are dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, rub both sides of the slices with the whole garlic cloves.
3. When the onions are done, pour in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen up any of the flavorful brown bits. Cook for a minute or two, so the wine is absorbed. Add 2 cups of chicken stock to the onions and cook until the stock is mostly absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes, and then add the rest of the stock and heat until the stock is hot. Remove from the heat.
4. To assemble the panade, cover the bottom of a 3- to 4-quart baking dish with a layer of bread, breaking any pieces so they fit in a single later, but keeping them as large as possible. Ladle about half of the onions and some of the stock over the bread, and then cover with half of the squash slices. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and half of the herbs. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Add a second layer of bread and ladle the rest of the onions and more stock over the bread. Cover with the remaining squash slices. Season the squash with salt and pepper, and then add the remaining herbs. Sprinkle another 1/2 cup of grated cheese over the squash layer. Cover the squash with a final layer of bread and then ladle the rest of the stock over the bread and press down on the ingredients to encourage them to meld together. Top with the remaining 1 cup of grated cheese, and the Parmesan.
5. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and tighten it around the edges, but don’t press it down on the surface or some of the cheese may stick to it during baking. Set the baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any spills. Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover the panade, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the panade is very well browned and crisp on top. Let cool for about 15 minutes and then spoon portions of the panade into soup bowls, making sure everyone gets a highly prized layer of the crusty topping. Ladle additional stock around the bowls of panade, if you wish, and serve.

Chicken in Red Wine Sauce (aka: Coq au Vin)

Posted in Chicken, on December 12th, 2025.

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Trust me on this one – it’s a winner. What’s the phrase? Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Chicken thighs braised in red wine and other good aromatics, then a little bit of cocoa powder plus red wine vinegar added in at the end.

This is another recipe from David Lebovitz’s cookbook, My Paris Kitchen. The recipe title – I guess because of his widely known English-speaking fans, he calls it Chicken in Red Wine Sauce rather than the traditional French way, Coq au Vin. I already have a few recipes here on this blog for coq au vin (two, I think), but this is without a doubt, the best one. I made this recently using chicken thighs. The original recipe calls for a whole chicken, but I rarely use one of those, preferring the thighs if I’m going to use chicken parts.

Ideally this recipe calls for marinating the chicken in the red wine (a whole bottle), onion, carrot, ground cloves, bay leaves and thyme, for 2 days. TWO DAYS! I didn’t read the recipe in time – so mine marinated a total of 2 hours. There is a lot of bacon in this, which gives the dish lots of flavor. The thighs (skin on, bone in) were browned on both sides in olive oil and butter, removed, then the bacon was added along with mushrooms, then everything else goes in, chicken on top, then the marinade (wine) is poured in. It’s brought to a simmer and gently cooked for about an hour. Then I added in frozen (but defrosted) pearl onions. And simmered for another 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, we’d had lots of mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner, so we used the remaining as the pillow to put the chicken and sauce on. The original recipe added just 1 T of flour (as a thickener) but mine needed more – probably about 1/4 cup. Then, the flavor from unsweetened cocoa powder and red wine vinegar adds such a delicious punch to the sauce at the last few minutes. You cannot tell there is cocoa in the sauce. Not at all. Three of us tried to detect it – no. You’ve just got to make this. If you don’t want mashed potatoes, try noodles (pappardelle?) instead. Or mashed cauliflower made to resemble mashed potatoes.

What’s GOOD: the umami flavors in this are just over the top wonderful. I can’t say enough superlatives to describe the rich, flavorful sauce. I have ample sauce leftover (over and above what I’ll serve with the leftover chicken) and think I’ll make a soup with some of it. The recipe is not difficult, although it does take some chopping and sauteing here and there, but once it simmers, it’s pretty easy.

What’s NOT: only that you’re supposed to start this 1-2 days ahead to marinate the chicken. I didn’t, just 2 hours for me, but marinating does enhance the flavors.

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Chicken in Red Wine Sauce

Serves: 6
Source: Adapted from David Lebovitz’s book, My Paris Kitchen

1 bottle red wine fruity style, Côtes du Rhône if possible
1 white onion peeled, chopped
1 large carrot peeled, diced, or in 1/4” coins
Sea salt or kosher salt to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 wholes bay leaves
10 sprigs fresh thyme or about 1 teaspoon dried
10 skin on, bone in chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons butter unsalted
8 ounces bacon thick cut, diced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms halved
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 pound frozen pearl onions thawed
3/4 cup water or use some of the broth, cooled
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 1/2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley chopped, for garnish

1. In a large bowl (or a large Ziploc plastic bag) mix red wine, white onion, carrots, a teaspoon or so of salt (may add more later), pepper, cloves, bay leaves and thyme. Add the chicken pieces and press down or seal plastic bag well and rotate so all the chicken is bathed in the wine. Marinate under refrigeration for 1-2 days, turning the pieces (or the bag) once or twice during that time.
2. Remove chicken from the marinade, set aside on a large kitchen platter and dry the chicken WELL with paper towels Then, strain the wine marinade through a kitchen sieve over a bowl, saving the wine and the vegetables.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken pieces in a single layer until dark brown on one side, about 5 minutes; turn and cook other side about 5 minutes more. If the chicken pieces don’t fit in a single layer, cook them in batches. As the chicken pieces are browned, remove them to a clean kitchen platter
4. In the same pot fry the bacon with the mushrooms until the bacon is crisp. If browned bits accumulate on the bottom of the pot, add a splash of the red wine marinade and scrape up the flavorful dark bits into the mixture.
5. Add the drained vegetables into the pot with the herbs and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the flour to the pan, stirring to incorporate it and no white patches remain. Add the chicken back into the pot along with the strained wine marinade, which should come up almost to the top of the chicken pieces. If not, add water or more red wine. Bring the pot to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook for about 1 hour.
6. In a small bowl make a slurry with the cocoa powder and flour, using about 1/3 cup water – or remove some of the liquid from the pot, allow it to cool 10 minutes, then use it to mix the slurry. Add to the chicken mixture and cook as the fluid thickens.
7. Add the defrosted pearl onions to the pot and continue cooking for about 10-12 minutes longer. Test the chicken for tenderness. Taste the sauce for seasonings (add more salt if needed). If you used fresh herbs, remove them along with the bay leaves and discard.
8. Using a big spoon, carefully remove some of the fat (between the olive oil, butter, the skin on the chicken and the bacon, this dish generates a good amount of liquid fat). Serve the chicken, skin side up in a wide bowl, along with hot, wide noodles or fluffy mashed potatoes. Spoon some of the vegetables on top and drizzle the pasta or potatoes with some of the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Making Madeleines

Posted in Cookies, on December 5th, 2025.

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How much do I love these tender, sweet cookie moments? Nothing quite like madeleines with a hot cup of coffee. Paris, anyone?

Just recently I drove to Northern California to spend a few days with my family there (daughter Dana, her two adult kids, Taylor [the one who lived with me a couple of years ago while she was in nursing school] and Logan, his wife Mary, their two children, and Dana’s ex, Todd.)

While I was there Taylor hosted a dinner gathering one evening at her home and I was invited to attend. It was her “cookbook club,” Last year soon after they formed the group, they chose to cook recipes from my blog rather than from a cookbook. All of her cookbook club friends know me, sort of. They all hugged me and were happy I was able to join them. Taylor asked me for recommendations of a French cookbook (Ina Garten? Dorie Greenspan?) and she and I chose David Lebovitz’s book, My Paris Kitchen, and she called the event a French-giving. Cute, huh? There were 10 of us there and everyone brought a dish. Taylor made a French apple cake (Gateau Invisible it’s called, recipe to come, but it’s not from that cookbook, but from Cook’s Illustrated) that I just loved. Obviously, I made madeleines. I have a silicone madeleine pan, so took it with me when I drove north.

The cookie batter is pretty darned easy to do – the usual cookie suspects – sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, baking powder and butter. The chemistry of it makes a kind of sponge cake type soft cookie, but in the unique madeleine pan, they come out like little puffy leaves. The batter does need to rest in two different times, so give yourself ample hours from start to finish. Just remember: madeleines are best eaten warm, or at least the same day you bake them.

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Madeleines – David Lebovitz

These cookies are not as sweet as some. In the French culture, they
prefer less sweet cookies or desserts. Add 1-2 more tablespoons of sugar if preferred.
Source: My Paris Kitchen, David Lebovitz
Serves: 16

2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar or more if you like them sweeter
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
More melted butter to brush on madeleine pan

1. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whip attachment, cream eggs and sugar on high speed until doubled in volume, 3-5 minutes.
2. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla bean paste. Cover bowl and let rest for one hour. While batter is resting, melt butter and honey in small saucepan. Remove from heat and cool to room temp, about 1 hour.
3. Drizzle butter/honey mixture (rewarm slightly if necessary, to liquify it) into the batter, stirring until batter is smooth. Cover and let batter rest for one hour or more.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush madeleine indentations with melted butter.
5. Fill each indentation 3/4 full with batter. Rap the mold on the counter to level the batter. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they spring back when you touch them in the center. Remove from oven, wait 30 seconds, then tip them out onto a cooling rack. Madeleines are best enjoyed warm, or the same day they’re made. If not, freeze them. If you have just one madeleine pan like I do, wash it well and dry it in between each batch of baking.

Sausages with Onion, Fennel, Apples and Cabbage

Posted in Pork, on November 28th, 2025.

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When Fall rolls around I seem to crave different foods. More comfort foods like meatloaf, pumpkin pie, and in this case it was sausages with cabbage, onions and a new addition, apples.

It’s a funny thing about cravings . . . for me they can be for something sweet like a chocolate chip cookie. It can be for a tall glass of iced tea. Maybe a mint julep? For me when October rolls around, and up through Christmas my cravings are for a certain variety of foods. Pumpkin may be top of the list, and I made the pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing. Gave most of it away so I wouldn’t eat it. But it satisfied the craving. At the moment I write this, I’m craving a biscotti. I don’t have any, so would have to make some, and perhaps I will. I try to “talk down” cravings for sweets – and carbs – and sometimes that works. It’s been several days I’ve been craving a cookie or a biscotti and so far I haven’t succumbed to making some. I’ll probably make Bishop’s Bread next month, because I love it so much. And maybe some other Christmas cookies. If I make them, guess who eats them? I’ll try to talk down that craving if I can!

But a few weeks ago my mouth was watering thinking about sausages and onions. One time, decades ago, my DH Dave and I were in Germany or Austria and we had lunch at a very nice country restaurant and we ordered bratwurst with onions served on a pillowy mound of buttery mashed potatoes. I’ve never, ever, forgotten that meal. It was so sublime. I would have licked the plate if I could have!

The recipe I made started out with one from Milk Street. But, before I tell you about that I need to take a detour to mention guanciale.

Guanciale is an Italian salt-cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, meaning ‘cheek’. Its rendered fat gives flavor to and thickens the sauce of pasta dishes. Guanciale is usually rubbed with just salt and ground black pepper by cooks in Rome, but some producers use other spices, herbs, peperoncino or red pepper, and sometimes garlic. It is cured for three weeks or until it loses approximately 30% of its original weight. Its flavor is stronger than that of other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate. When cooked, the fat typically melts away. . . . [from Wikipedia]

For the longest time guanciale wasn’t available in the U.S. (banned by the FDA, probably because it’s an uncooked/uncured meat). But now you can. What I bought was already chopped up finely. Guanciale looks kind of like bacon, but because it’s from the cheek, it has a different shape than bacon, shorter and usually wider. Most I’ve seen is more fat-laden than bacon, but not always, as you can see from the photo. The flavor is different too – it’s not smoked as so many of our pork belly products are.

Even though Guanciale is an Italian product, I used it in this recipe anyway. You could substitute pancetta, or a small amount of bacon too. In any case I rendered the guanciale with the onion and fennel, then added the garlic, apples, seasonings and lastly the cabbage. The sausages are nestled into this mixture, then some water is added and the sausages will simmer (steam, really), once covered for about 10-15 minutes. Lastly, after removing the sausages, cider vinegar is added. It’s amazing to me how flavorful that little dash of vinegar is to the finished dish. Do serve the dish with some Dijon mustard. You could use cured sausages in this (like Kielbasa) if you prefer, just chop them up and let them warm through. Add them in the last few minutes before serving.

If I weren’t watching carbs I’d definitely serve this with mashed potatoes. I made this dish a week or two later and DID make the mashed potatoes.

What’s GOOD: every morsel of this was delicious. Unctuous really. You can adapt the various veggies, more or less, as it’s quite forgiving.

What’s NOT: nothing at all.

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Sausages with Apples, Fennel, Onion and Cabbage

Serves: 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons guanciale, or pancetta or bacon
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, sliced thinly
2 medium apples, quartered, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick (use one Granny Smith and one sweet red)
2 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, lightly crushed
1 pound cabbage, cored and roughly sliced (about 6-8 cups)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pound sausage, mild Italian, French, garlic
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Garnish: Dijon mustard

1. In a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the guanciale (or pancetta or bacon), onion, fennel, half of the apple slices and the garlic. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to soften without browning, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the sausages and nestle them into the vegetables. Add the cabbage, salt and pepper and the water. Cover and cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is just tender and the sausages are cooked through, about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning the sausages over once during the simmering time. Add more water if the mixture begins to brown.
3. Add the remaining apple slices and the vinegar. Cover and cook without stirring until the apples are warmed through, another 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat, garnish with parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with Dijon mustard on the side.

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