Cullen Skink, a traditional Scottish smoked fish soup—creamy, buttery, hearty

Butter, whole milk, potatoes and leeks add richness and stewlike heartiness to this Scottish favorite. Recipe below.

SCOTLAND KNOWS ITS WAY AROUND COLD WEATHER, pretty much year ’round. I’ve written here about a wintry summer visit there years ago with my brother. So it’s easy to understand how the fishing village of Cullen, on Scotland’s windswept northeast coast, would create such a hearty, warming, almost stewlike soup. And how Cullen skink has become something of a national treasure. Continue reading “Cullen Skink, a traditional Scottish smoked fish soup—creamy, buttery, hearty” →

Jocón de Pollo: Guatemalan Chicken and Tomatillo Stew

A lively, comforting traditional Guatemalan stew with Mayan roots. Recipe below.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING. When Marion recently came across a mention of jocón, a Guatemalan chicken and tomatillo stew, the yo-yo that is winter weather this year had just taken another chilly dive. We were ready for something warm, stew-y and comforting. Something just like this. Continue reading “Jocón de Pollo: Guatemalan Chicken and Tomatillo Stew” →

A comforting, rustic soup born in the South West of France: Garbure

Hearty, meaty and stuffed with vegetables, including white beans and cabbage, garbure is a soul-satisfying French tradition. Recipe below.

WINTER WEATHER BRINGS OUT THE SOUP LOVER IN EVERYONE. And for us, that means a world of soups to explore. Marion recently discovered garbure, a hearty traditional favorite in the South West region of France—think Toulouse, Bordeaux, Gascony, the Pyrénées along France’s border with Spain. It generally features white beans and savoy cabbage, but it’s not a bean soup or cabbage soup. Continue reading “A comforting, rustic soup born in the South West of France: Garbure” →

Three Thanksgivings, three favorite dishes

THANKSGIVING IS OUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY, because it’s honestly just about delicious food. So when our Milwaukee daughter and her boyfriend couldn’t make it to our Thanksgiving dinner in Chicago, we all decided to do another one in Milwaukee. Continue reading “Three Thanksgivings, three favorite dishes” →

Two continents, one deliciously warming dish: Portuguese-style Beef Stew

Beef stew meat, Portuguese chouriço, bell peppers, paprika and potatoes drive the comforting flavor of this hearty stew.

IT SNOWED HALLOWEEN MORNING. The water in the back porch birdbath froze. Okay, so the snow didn’t stick around, and plugging in the birdbath—it’s heated—got it ready for the birds’ drinking and bathing needs again. But still, snow in October. That got us thinking about warm, hearty, meaty stews. Continue reading “Two continents, one deliciously warming dish: Portuguese-style Beef Stew” →

So cool, so delicious: Balaban’s Chilled Cucumber Bisque

WE BOUGHT CUCUMBERS RECENTLY FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE and that had me thinking about this exquisite chilled bisque. It is cool and fresh and surprisingly luxurious—for that, credit goes to cream, egg yolks and lots of butter. The soup was created at a storied St. Louis restaurant, Balaban. You’ll find the recipe for this wonderful summer-perfect soup—and the delicious, improbable back story for the restaurant—right here. And you’ll find me at the grocery store. I’ve gone to get cucumbers.

A springy, summery soup for a soupy day: Delicate Pea and Lettuce Soup

Lettuce, peas, leeks, garlic, tarragon, butter and cream make a fresh, creamy soup that can be served warm or cold. Recipe below.

AFTER MONTHS OF GETTING LITTLE OR NO RAIN, we are suddenly getting all the rain. Our garden is loving it, of course, and so are we, begrudgingly. The cool, rainy weather has us thinking about soup, but the calendar has us craving something not so stick-to-your-ribs hearty. And that made us think of this lovely, light soup that can be served warm or chilled. Continue reading “A springy, summery soup for a soupy day: Delicate Pea and Lettuce Soup” →

Lively, celebratory comfort food: Nigerian Goat Stew

This flavorful, colorful, spicy goat stew is a traditional meal across West Africa. Recipe below.

GOAT STEW IS EATEN ACROSS WEST AFRICA, often shared as a holiday or celebratory dish. We recently discovered this delightful meal at a Nigerian food truck in Detroit, Fork in Nigeria. Continue reading “Lively, celebratory comfort food: Nigerian Goat Stew” →

Many cultures in a single bowl: Ham Hock and Lentil Soup

Ingredients from around the world create this smoky, big-flavored, slightly spicy lentil soup. Recipe below.

LENTILS ARE A STAPLE AROUND THE WORLD, from India (where 40% of the world’s lentils are consumed) to the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. We’ve shared lentil recipes here from India, France, Turkey, Italy and other spots around the globe. This recipe is a global adventure all its own. Continue reading “Many cultures in a single bowl: Ham Hock and Lentil Soup” →

The art and science of Classic Beef Chili with Beans

Baking soda tenderizes the ground beef in this richly flavored classic chili. Recipe below.

DON’T YOU LOVE IT WHEN COOKING BECOMES A SCIENCE LESSON? We do. In this chili recipe, baking soda (that same thing the fluffs up cakes and cookies) tenderizes the ground beef while making it brown better. Continue reading “The art and science of Classic Beef Chili with Beans” →