On a warm and humid afternoon in May 1991, I sat with Chef Sin and my sister Heather at an outdoor cafe in the shadow of the magnificent Cathedral of… [Continue Reading]
Ready for a twist? This one’s a Dandy
I’ve consumed so many Gin and Tonics in recent years, my breath alone would probably cure malaria. Twasn’t always thus. I actually despised G&Ts throughout the first half of my… [Continue Reading]
An after-dinner eye-opener
At the end of a great meal, I invariably face a dilemma: dessert or digestif? I don’t often crave sweets, but I’m always primed for a dense chocolate torte or… [Continue Reading]
Bruschetta in a glass (hold the toast)
Late summer in our family will always be about the garden tomatoes and the fresh basil. Is there any better combo? It’s no secret that home-grown tomatoes taste better than… [Continue Reading]
A song of ice and Sire
My introduction to my favorite spirit, gin, came almost 35 years ago at The Sire, a smoky red-leather dive bar in Riverside, Calif., where my soon-to-be father-in-law took Chef Sin… [Continue Reading]
The spice is right
As food fads go, sumac might already be passé. After all, it was more than two years ago that Cooking Light magazine declared that “sumac is having a moment.” It’s been… [Continue Reading]
And don’t call me Shirley
Midway through a mostly forgettable 1989 episode of the TV series Columbo, the disheveled but shrewd police detective interviews a bartender who the previous night had served a man who… [Continue Reading]
A shrub for what ails ya
A friend once told me he’d cured his lifelong sinus problems forever simply by drinking a tall glass of straight vinegar. I was skeptical, and my friend wasn’t able to… [Continue Reading]
Another sour note: the Sidecar
Looking back on the first 15 weeks of Sunday Specials reveals something about my taste in cocktails: I like them sour. Citrus (lemon, lime, grapefruit) or some other tart fruit… [Continue Reading]
Rhubarb resisted. And reconsidered.
As a child, I was traumatized by a rhizome. I don’t remember when, but at some point during my delicate formative years, I was subjected to that thing called rhubarb…. [Continue Reading]