Recipes and Essays

Vichyssoise Recipe

Vichyssoise Recipe

Stewart Hoover asked me about this when he and Karen treated me to dinner at Frasca.  This cold  soup is not common here in Texas but I recommend it as a starter for your dinner party.   Elegant, rich and refreshing. The name is French, 

At a subtle meal, how words and sound are important.

At a subtle meal, how words and sound are important.

Last night Stewart and Karen Hoover took me (as in treated me) to dinner at Frasca one of the region’s highly acclaimed restaurants. The Northern-Italian-inspired food is fresh, direct, but subtle and I found the subtlety hugely enjoyable. The trend in many fine dining restaurants 

Sweetheart Meal: Tofu and Black Olive Paella

Sweetheart Meal: Tofu and Black Olive Paella

I’m travelling on business tomorrow so I made this Valentine’s dinner one day early. Champagne is served with the first course, in-season white asparagus. Cautious about cholestorel and fat but not at all willing to foregoe luscious pleasure, asparagus are served with quartered egg whites 

Latin American Cuisine meets European Cuisine

Latin American Cuisine meets European Cuisine

With André Amaral, Raul Gonzalez and Edú Portillo I’m presenting these three Mexican candies today, 2-5, at ARC Gallery, Winter Street Studios, Houston, “The Candy Shop.” These 3 Mexican Candies exemplify aspects of the 500-year-encounter between European and Latin American cuisines. Starting at the left 

The Smiley Face Gets its Comeuppance — Finally!

The Smiley Face Gets its Comeuppance — Finally!

Tonight’s performance of “An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein” at the Obsidian Art Space was satire renewed and refreshed. In one of the ten short acts (they are so short that you are left wanting more) titlted “Smile,” Bender and his henchmen drag Gibby into 

Winter Soup features Baby Bok Choy and Corn

Winter Soup features Baby Bok Choy and Corn

Last night I made this soup and also some corn bread. It warmed us into the whole evening. The recipe for the soup: In 3 quarts of cold water place 3/4 cup Shitake mushrooms, sliced 3/4 cup large dice white onion 3/4 cup celery cut 

Moral Accountability

Moral Accountability

Philip Lee sent me this blog entry from quintessential ruminations that details the work that is being done to bring to accountability those in Britain and the US who led the invasion of Iraq. According to IBC, Iraq Body Count, the invasion has killed 155,000 

Egypt social media and Philippines Community Radio Stations

Egypt social media and Philippines Community Radio Stations

It was hugely important yesterday that Secretary of State Clinton told the Mubarak government not to “block communications, including on social media.” Non-government-non-corporate-controlled Internet is simiilar to the protections for community radio stations, a fight that is ongoing here in the US. I’m reminded of 

Walt Whitman and Opera

Walt Whitman and Opera

I had no dinner last night but did drink Chilean wine and learned a lot about opera from two friends, opera music makers. Jenni Stephenson of Spacetaker and Viswa Subbaraman of Opera Vista Recalling their conversation this morning I’m actually gleeful. I ended up reading 

Caldo & Pan de Maíz: Vegetarian, Low-Fat and Texas Mexican

Caldo & Pan de Maíz: Vegetarian, Low-Fat and Texas Mexican

Caldo, a vegetable soup made with no fat and hardly any salt due to the aromatics in the broth (oregano, rosemary, black pepper, bay leaf), garlic and a sliver of Serrano chile. Finish with a squeeze of fresh Mexican lime. The pan de maíz is