pork

This hearty one-dish-supper soup is in my regular fall-winter rotation, and has been a family favorite for quite a long time. That means three things: it tastes great, it’s not complicated, and I usually have on hand everything needed to make it. Once it’s served, people dig in and suddenly, the table’s quiet for a minute or two. Serve it with a hearty whole grain bread and follow it with fruit and cheese for a lovely, easy dinner at home. You'll see that the primary herb is marjoram. That's not an herb that you see often in recipes, but to my mind, it's what makes this soup so tasty

My grandmother (yes, I'm mentioning my grandmother again) used to cook her ever-present, giant ham by sticking it in the oven and pouring ginger ale over it every once in a while, as if it had won the Super Bowl. I decided to use a bottle of Matilda beer, a lovely fruity malty ale made here in Chicago, by Goose Island, with maple syrup for some extra sweetness. You'll probably have to special order the rind-on cut; I had a hard time getting one in Chicago, a.k.a Meatland. Strange. The ponderously long cooking time was inspired by The River Cottage Meat Book

I get more requests for my Devils on Horseback than any other snack time party food that I make; and mine, I'm sure, are just like everyone elses: dates stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, baked til they are crispy as a critter. This is my variation on that classic bite. I use roasted Hatch Green Chiles ('round these parts, Hatch Chiles are gold)

Pork shoulder? It's my absolute favorite cut of meat. It's a hardworking bundle of muscles and that means it's packed with flavor. And because it's a bundle, it's layered with both fat and collagen, which provides even more flavor and a wonderfully unctuous mouth-feel. It pairs with flavors ranging from the chiles of the Southwest and Mexico; to the herbs, garlic,

Okay. Fruit pizzas are yummy, but my friends from the South insist on something more substantial.

As I continue foraging through recipes, I've been focusing on meats. Honey and mustard combos specifically

The other day, after speaking with my mother, I was thinking about the best sandwich she packed for my lunch when I was in school.

I almost hate to submit this recipe, but after years of trying to do way too much with ham, I finally figured out that simpler is better.

These Vietnamese sandwiches are the perfect fusion of French and Asian cuisines. Bánh mì are usually very inexpensive and come with many different types of fillings.

This was my favorite food growing up. My mom learned to make these in Taiwan where they were called shu mai.