We already feel a sense of melancholy for a summer gone by. Time to celebrate with friends instead. This Labor Day, we’ll fire up the charcoal grill and skewer beef tenderloin in the backyard. With beef prices at a premium, skewers offer elevated casual entertaining along with portion control.

Beef tenderloin may be the most ...Read more

Every year, as summer winds down, I like to improvise on my late summer salad. Sometimes I use baby gems — a cross between butter and romaine lettuce — along with radicchio and arugula; other times, I return to the classic recipe that follows.

It features a mix of flavorful greens, including arugula, spinach and sweet romaine, tossed with ...Read more

Deep, vibrant green broccoli, its large flowering heads arranged tree-like atop thick stalks, stand tall as one of the healthiest and widely consumed vegetables.

The folklore

This native to the Mediterranean was derived from cabbage by the Etruscans, an ancient Italian civilization. Its name comes from the Italian word “...Read more

I’ll be completely honest; I didn’t grow up with boat dip. In fact, I had never heard of boat dip until recently. Like most new obsessions of mine, I came across it while perusing my TikTok feed. At first, I was confused. Was it a fishy seafood dip? An ancient Viking recipe? Was it supposed to be eaten out of a gravy boat? I ...Read more

Do you ever gravitate toward the Japanese stand in a mall food court because they’re giving out tasting samples of teriyaki chicken like I do? I always marvel at their cooktops loaded up with juicy chicken that they serve up with a pile of white rice ...Read more

If you’re skeptical about cabbage, this is the recipe that will turn you into a believer. And if, like me, you already adore cabbage (and are always looking for cabbage recipe ideas ), this simple side will deepen your love. Simply put, Southern-style fried ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Rose Wilde's West Adams garden is a living, growing hub for L.A.'s vanguard of cake making and decorating. It's teeming with tomato plants, passion fruit vines, roses, lavender, cosmos, herbs and chickens for eggs.

On a recent July morning under a gazebo in her backyard, the master gardener, preserver and pastry chef behind ...Read more

Gino Gambarota is the man, the myth, the mustache at Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen in Chicago.

Gambarota has been the longest-serving employee at the Jewish deli-inspired restaurant in the South Loop, founded in 1942. He’s honed his fast and sharp banter as a meat slicer making mile-high corned beef sandwiches for more than 43 years ...Read more

The most important person at a birthday party is arguably the designated cake cutter. No one's getting any cake before it's properly sliced.

But once "Happy Birthday to You" is sung, the candles are all blown out and the clapping is over, everyone looks furtively around the table at each other.

"Who wants to cut the cake?"

"You cut the cake."...Read more

Sulfites are chemicals that are often added to food and drinks to help keep them fresh. They act as preservatives, which means they stop food from spoiling too quickly. Sulfites also help prevent foods from turning brown or changing color and can slow the growth of bacteria and mold.

You’ll find sulfites in many common foods. They are often ...Read more

You got this! Author Diane Morrisey has penned a book chock-full of vibrant and accessible recipes I can’t wait to cook. A few of my favorites include breakfast calzones and crispy cod sticks. I recently tried this marinated grilled flank steak served with a bright, zesty salsa.

The salsa takes a bit of time, so make it up earlier in the day....Read more

School rhythms dictate our August plans. Days at the beach with the grandchildren get squeezed in between back-to-school shopping. The new backpacks hold brightly colored folders and unicorn-decorated pencils. Pink and purple lunch boxes await creative meals and snacks. The anticipation of a new school year makes the whole family look forward to...Read more

When I was growing up, “crunchy taco night” was a frequently requested dinner in my family — and with good reason. Between the satisfying crunch of the taco shell and ...Read more

I would love to be relaxing on a tropical island with my feet in the sand, enjoying the crashing waves and a cool ocean breeze. Unfortunately, that vacation isn’t in the cards for me this summer, which is why I’m making this new whipped lemonade on ...Read more

I promise you will never regret making or having garlic butter around. When combined, the two simple ingredients turn into a culinary powerhouse called a compound butter, coating everything it touches with delicious flavor as it melts. A ...Read more

MIAMI -- Marc Ellenby has grown just about every tropical fruit imaginable on his family’s Redland farm since 1980. Avocados. Sapodillas. Longans. Mameys. But there was one tropical fruit he didn’t think could survive here: Breadfruit.

Century-old reports from South Florida’s founding botanists say that these large, starchy fruits would ...Read more

On one of the hottest days of the year, I stand beneath the 7-foot trellis that bridges our two raised garden beds, talking to my massive cucumber plant.

I’m clipping off curlicue tendrils and winding vines, apologizing because it is doing such a good job growing, but it’s gotta leave some room for the tomatoes.

A fuzzy bumblebee happily ...Read more

A former colleague — terribly self-important because of winning a number of journalism prizes — once took a protege out to a fancy lunch spot in New York City. When the table talk reached a lull, however, the mentor flipped open a book and started to read. When his dining companion asked why he was being so rude, my colleague responded: “I...Read more

Farmers markets are often associated with freshness, community and high-quality produce — but not always with affordability. While it’s easy to assume that buying directly from local growers will save money, many shoppers find themselves spending more than expected. Fortunately, with a few simple strategies, it’s entirely possible to enjoy...Read more

While the heat continues to pound us from coast to coast, I cook as simply as possible. No long simmering stews or soups for me. I am moving toward no-cook chilled soups, chilled precooked salmon or shrimp, tomato and fruit salads, crisp vegetable salads or barbecued anything.

One of my favorite ways to beat the heat and serve up something ...Read more