Mac ‘n’ Cheese season

With the first fall-like weather, I wanted to make macaroni and cheese.  I had miscellaneous cheeses that needed to used up, plus some leftover cooked bacon and even some pork carnitas from Trader Joe’s which sells it already cooked, ready for folding into tortillas – or mac ‘n’ cheese. So I made a white sauce … Continue reading →

R.I.P. Gourmet

The announcement today that Gourmet magazine would cease publication with the November issue came as a shock to many, although there’d been speculation for months.  No Gourmet? How can that be? This is indeed a sad development, but a cautionary tale about keeping up with the times.  I’m no publishing expert, but I think they … Continue reading →

Beijing-Style Noodles (Zhajiang Mian)

I really enjoyed reading Jen Lin-Liu’s “Serve the People, a stir-fried journey through China.” Of the recipes in the book, I’ve so far made the Beijing-style noodle dish you see at left, which the author made for her cooking school friend, Chairman Wang, when the woman injured her foot and was housebound.  It is noodles, … Continue reading →

Autumn Culinaire

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County is holding its annual Autumn Culinairefood, wine and beer tasting event October 15, 6:00-9:30pm, at the Greenacres Country Club in Lawrenceville. Over twenty of the area’s finest restaurants will be on hand to serve up tempting samplings from their menus and an eclectic collection of over 150 fine wine and … Continue reading →

Mousse-alicious!

I’m in love.  This is reduced fat chocolate mousse from Whole Foods. It’s made from tofu, chocolate, and brown rice syrup (a low glycemic sweetener).  Until I added that dairy whipped cream, it was vegan, too. It is rich and smooth, with a little bit of crunchy chocolate here and there.  It is just delicious, and … Continue reading →

CoolVines birthday benefits D&R Greenway

CoolVines specialty wine (and more) store in Princeton is celebrating their first birthday on October 4 with a fundraising event for and at the D&R Greenway Land Trust on Rosedale Road.  From 3 to 6pm, you’ll enjoy wine and craft beer tastings, appetizers and desserts, along with music, all for a mere $25, all of which goes to … Continue reading →

Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival

The Chinese Mid Autumn Festival, also called the Moon Festival, takes place on October 3 this year. It celebrates the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its brightest for the year. There are several legends surrounding this holiday, and one of them explains the Lady in the Moon … Continue reading →

Pies for Schools

This is the time of year that parents start planning school fundraisers, and sometimes that means pies and cheesecakes.  But instead of so-so products, how about something really good for a change, something local and wholesome, and something that people will purchase because they want to, not just out of obligation? Your school, I recently learned … Continue reading →

Jackpot at Trader Joe’s!

What you see here is the tip of the iceberg, after my inaugural visit to Trader Joe’s Princeton.  I missed the early day mahem but checked Twitter and it seemed a huge crowd was there.  By the time I arrived around 3:30pm, you could actually snag a cart and move around a little in the store. … Continue reading →