ArcaMax

The dark and stormy is one of the very first cocktails I ever learned to make — and also one of the easiest. Made by layering dark rum and refreshing ginger beer together in a glass, it got its name because the dark rum floating on top gives it a cloudy appearance that mimics the appearance of storm clouds.

With only two ingredients (plus a ...Read more

When it comes to comforting soups, I can easily say I have a hands-down favorite: Italian wedding soup. My experience of it is neither particularly Italian, nor is it matrimonial, rather it was one of the first real meals my mother fed me when I was a baby. The legend ...Read more

Hints for Eating Mashed Potatoes on Holidays

When my husband and I are invited to Thanksgiving dinner he insists I bring mashed potatoes. He has to make sure there will be at least one bowl of mashed potatoes on the buffet. Borderline rude. I know, but he insists.

I want to give you low carb hints for eating mashed potatoes...

...Read more

There's something about fall that just calls out for a great, big, steaming bowl of chili.

And it's not just because it's beginning to get cold outside, though it's true we start to crave warm, comforting dishes when the weather forecast calls for pulling on a jacket instead of shorts.

Rather, I think it's because we have a natural tendency to...Read more

Is there anything that hits the spot better on a busy school night or over-scheduled weekend than takeout Chinese food?

It's fun to eat, and usually it's quick from counter to table, with minimal cleanup because it comes with the requisite rice. And who doesn't love learning their fortune — good or bad — after breaking open the crisp and ...Read more

There’s something about this time of year that sends us in search of cookbooks to find fresh inspiration.

Whether you like to follow recipes exactly or tweak them as you go, a new cookbook can turn your dinnertime into an opportunity for creative thinking and sensory stimulation instead of a dose of daily drudgery.

So we went looking and ...Read more

Horseradish mixed with mayonnaise makes a zippy and creamy topping for snapper fillets. The fillets take about 5 minutes to cook on a sheet pan under the broiler.

I was delighted to find prewashed arugula at the market. It gives a bite to the pasta dish, for which I used corkscrew shaped pasta.

HELPFUL HINTS:

Any type of fish fillet such as ...Read more

As much as I love apples for their straightforward, tart-sweet flavors and crisp, snappy texture, they are no match for pears.

Pears are lush, fragrant and elegant. Take the tree-ripened local variety, Luscious. With their rough, tawny skin, they may not look like much, but they live up to the name. A cold, hardy variety, Luscious pears are ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Crust Fund Pizza is not a pizzeria.

“It’s like a pizzeria, but it’s kind of mythical, and mostly exists in my head, except for when it exists in an alley a couple nights a month,” said John Carruthers, who calls himself proprietor, “because it sounds funny and old-timey.”

Carruthers is the founder and serious amateur ...Read more

ST. LOUIS -- A colleague is holding a small dinner party for our department to honor one of our number who is retiring.

We are sorry to be losing our irreplaceable co-worker and friend, of course, but we are also excited by the prospect of the party. The hostess is known to be an excellent cook, and I have it on good authority that dessert will...Read more

An order of McDonald’s McNuggets will only cost you $1, but not for long.

Once per week, customers can get a 10-piece chicken McNuggets for $1 now through Dec. 2, when they order on the mobile app, the fast-food giant said in a news release.

A menu favorite, the nuggets are made with white meat chicken and “no artificial colors, flavors, ...Read more

Tomato started showing up in mac and cheese on menus around the turn of the 20th century and continued to appear regularly in cookbooks throughout the 1950s. Recently the combination has fallen off the radar, but we hoped to revive this once-popular recipe.

To pack in bright tomato flavor, we tried every type of tomato product we could think of...Read more

Napa Valley wineries are facing a problem they can’t drink away — overzealous regulators.

For decades, tourists have come to Napa Valley to tour and drink at its world-famous wineries. This has been a lucrative business. There are a large number of people who enjoy wine, but few places on Earth have the right combination of sun and rain to ...Read more