Category Archives: Cool Cooking Techniques

Instant Ramen? Instant Yum!

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Transform your favorite instant ramen into a version of mac and cheese with spinach.
Transform your favorite instant ramen into a version of mac and cheese with spinach.

They say that if you have a pack of ramen, you have a meal.

Well, know what else you have?

A pretty nifty version of mac and cheese in the making, too.

That’s just what “Spinach Ramen Gratin” is like.

It’s from the ingenious cookbook, “Instant Ramen Kitchen” (Chronicle Books, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by Peter J. Kim, a food entrepreneur who was the founding director of Brooklyn’s now-shuttered Museum of Food and Drink, the former head of creator partnerships at Pinterest, and the former host of Counterjam, Food52’s food and music podcast. He readily admits to eating several bowls of instant ramen each week.

Ramen has a storied history and a fierce following. It was invented in Japan by Momofuku Ando in 1958 in the aftermath of World War II, when he was inspired to create something fast and cheap to nourish his impoverished countrymen.

How beloved is it? As Kim writes in the book, the Fuji Research Institute conducted a poll in 2000 to ask people to name the greatest Japanese invention of the 20th century. The winner, of course, was instant ramen.

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Revamping the Croissant

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Costco croissants get jazzed up in a big way.
Costco croissants get jazzed up in a big way.

When you’re lucky enough to hold in your hands a perfect specimen of a croissant, made with the finest butter into shatteringly crisp, ethereal layers, say from San Francisco’s Arsicault, do NOT do anything to it. Just enjoy as is. Slowly. Deliberately. Dreamily.

Other times, when the croissant happens to be more mundane, say from Costco, where a package of a dozen can be had for a bargain-basement price of 50 cents per pastry, then by all means, play with your food.

Specifically, by making “Croissant Toasts.”

This fun, summery recipe calls for flattening those croissants, searing them in a pan, then blanketing them with whipped ricotta and juicy, burst cherry tomatoes.

It’s like everyday ricotta toast — but pimped out.

This fanciful recipe is from “Ohana Style” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy.

It’s the newest cookbook from everyone’s “Top Chef Fan Favorite,” Sheldon Simeon. The Hawaii chef is the owner, along with his wife Janice Simeon, of Tiffany’s and Tin Roof, both in Maui.

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Chocolate Stout Rosemary Cake Will Win You Over

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A chocolate cake worth celebrating.
A chocolate cake worth celebrating.

When it comes to Father’s Day, most folks will no doubt fete their dad with prime rib, a massive T-bone or a double-decker cheeseburger.

Not me.

When I think of my late dad, it’s chocolate that comes to mind first and foremost.

I don’t know if my dad thought that life was a box of chocolates a la Forrest Gump. But he surely thought that life was immeasurably better with any kind of chocolate in it.

So, when I spied this recipe for “Chocolate Stout Rosemary Cake,” I thought of him immediately.

No doubt like my husband, he might have turned quizzical over the addition of rosemary in a cake.

But like my husband after one taste, he would have been won over by the addition of this woodsy herb that stars in the thick, cream cheese frosting that lavishly frosts the top of this sour cream- and Guinness-infused chocolate cake.

Trust me, you’ll fall for this cake in a heartbeat, too.

This fabulous recipe is from “Cake From Lucie” (Clarkson Potter).

It was written by Lucie Franc De Ferriere, a French-born, self-taught baker who owns the popular From Lucie in New York City’s East Village. She grew up baking with her mother at the family’s farm and bed-and-breakfast in Southern France.

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Don’t Rush Slow-Roasted Oyster Mushroom Ragu

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So smoky, savory and meaty tasting, this pasta won't make you miss the fact there's no actual meat in it.
So smoky, savory and meaty tasting, this pasta won’t make you miss the fact there’s no actual meat in it.

The key to the most flavorful mushroom pasta?

Skip the quick saute of the mushrooms. Instead, exercise a little patience to roast them in the oven for 45 minutes with soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.

The result are mushrooms that are deeply caramelized, wonderful smoky tasting, and because of the seasonings, boosted with meaty and savory flavors.

This recipe for “Slow-Roasted Oyster Mushroom Ragu” is from “Cooking Fast and Slow” (10 Speed Press, 2025).

The cookbook is by Natalia Rudin, a London-based personal chef, health and nutrition coach, and yoga teacher.

With her busy life, she well understands the need for both quick recipes for harried weekdays and more leisurely ones for days that are more relaxed. As such, her book chapters are handily arranged into recipes that take 15 minutes or less, 30 minutes or less, 1 hour or less, and 1 hour or more.

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Chicago Dining, Part III: Michelin-Starred Next

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Australian Wagyu served big and brash a la "Wall Street 1987" at Next.
Australian Wagyu served big and brash a la “Wall Street 1987” at Next.

Chicago, IL — Any time a restaurant embarks upon a transformation, it’s a daunting process. Even more so when it undertakes one three times a year. For a staggering 15 years straight.

Such is the case with Michelin-starred Next, opened in the historic Fulton Market by storied chef Grant Achatz, founder of legendary Alinea.

By the time one year ends, Achatz and Next’s executive chef, Alan Mileykovsky, have put their heads together with input from other staff members to come up with the themes for the following year, each of which will be presented for about three months.

Previous themes have ranged from “Chinese Modern,” “Ancient Rome,” and “Paris 1906” to “Julia Child” and “Space.”

Each time, not only does the food change to keep with the theme, but so, too, does the plateware, decor, and soundtrack. In just a day or two, the look of the dining room is transformed. And in less than a week, the restaurant fully transitions from one theme to the next and is ready for service. Quite the feat.

Next was probably the first restaurant to use dynamic pricing. Yes, just like your Uber ride, it’ll cost you more for the same destination or same 10- to 12-course menu if you book at the most popular times, say, a Saturday night. When I booked on a Sunday night, it came out to $275 per person, not including a 20 percent service charge.

The sign marks the spot, but you can't see into the restaurant from the street.
The sign marks the spot, but you can’t see into the restaurant from the street.
The dining room gets redecorated for each themed menu.
The dining room gets redecorated for each themed menu.

The current theme is “Wall Street 1987,” which immediately conjured up visions of excess and decadence. As the restaurant billed it: “The bull is running, the Dow is up 44 percent, and a new class is emerging—young, ambitious, and hungry for everything money can buy.”

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