Good flavor in food is achieved by balancing sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It is these combinations in a variety of percentages that make foods turn into feasts. So many cooks are afraid to experiment, to play with their food that they resign themselves to a lifetime of predictable eating, of foods that are filling and nutritious to the body without sparking life in the soul. The trick for all of us is to create something at each meal that  satisfies our deep need to create excellence.

Pork is a delicate and sweet meat that has a robust texture. It can …read more

I love date nut anything.  My mom did not cook a lot but every Holiday Season she would make fruitcake and date nut bread.  It was, I think, the time when I felt our family was the most “normal”.
There is something about coming in on a dim winter afternoon, cheeks frozen from sledding, and smelling the aroma of date nut bread wafting out of the oven.  Not that I have experienced many snowy afternoons here in Texas, but growing up in Bucks County, Pa..well I had my share of Currier and Ives moments!

Making a sweet bread for breakfast means thinking …read more