Category Archives: Great Finds

Andrea Nguyen’s Char Siu Roasted Cauliflower

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All the sweet, smoky, familiar taste of Chinese char siu -- but done with cauliflower instead.
The sweet, smoky, familiar taste of Chinese char siu — but done with cauliflower instead.

Admittedly, I’d grown a little weary of cauliflower.

Not that I don’t love this brassica’s crunch and subtle nutty sweetness. But after so many recipes for ricing, pizza crust-making, and roasting whole and every which way, I kinda had my fill.

Then, along comes the spectacular and unbelievably easy “Char Siu Roasted Cauliflower” to make me appreciate it all over again.

This clever vegetarian riff on the classic Chinese barbecue pork comes from my friend and colleague, Santa Cruz’s Andrea Nguyen, of course. It’s one of 125 recipes in her wonderful new “Ever-Green Vietnamese” (Ten Speed Press), of which I received a review copy.

As she writes in the book’s forward, she — or rather her body — “hit a wall” as she was turning 50 in 2019. No surprise, the older we get, the more we begin to experience real changes in our bodies. In our 20s, we are lucky to get away with devouring most anything without a second thought. But in our 40s, 50s, and beyond, the digestive system starts to rebel more and the calories make themselves way too much at home.

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French Macarons From A Kit? Ooh, La La!

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Ta-da -- the finished macarons I made with the Food La La kit.
Ta-da — the finished macarons I made with the Food La La kit.

Imagine learning to bake fanciful French macarons in the comfort of your own kitchen with guidance from an expert who happens to bear more than a passing resemblance to none other than Anna Kendrick.

You can — with the French Macaron Kit by Food La La. The San Francisco culinary business was founded by Lindsay Kinder, whose disarming charm, self-deprecation, and pony-tailed, petite presence will indeed remind you of that Hollywood star.

After toiling for five years in a corporate job selling insurance, she chucked it all to go live in France. There, she spent months studying cooking and baking, and of course, eating a lot of macarons.

It inspired her to launch her first product, the macaron kit. At $97, it’s as festive as a party in a box, with shiny black and rose-gold colored bags that hold nearly everything you need to make about two dozen macarons. You just have to add your own butter, eggs and splash of milk or cream.

The kit comes in great packaging.
The kit comes in great packaging.

The kit is complete with pre-measured dry mixes to make the macaron and buttercream filling, along with piping bags, gel food coloring, dazzling sprinkles, edible metallic paint plus a paint brush, a handy macaron template to guide your piping onto the baking sheet, and even a couple of snazzy gift boxes if you can part with your macarons after you’ve decorated them.

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Lyon-Style Chicken with Rosé Vinegar Sauce

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A whole cup of vinegar stars in this Lyon classic dish.
A whole cup of vinegar stars in this classic Lyon dish.

If you were to peek inside my pantry, you’d spy upwards of 10 different vinegars at all times.

That may seem excessive, but each has its purpose and distinct flavor profile. And there’s nothing like vinegar to perk up and round out a dressing, soup, stew, marinade, sauce, and even cocktails.

So, when I was asked if I wanted to be one of the first to sample the new Ponti Rosé Wine Vinegar, I jumped at the chance.

This ninth-generation, family-owned Italian company selects local rose wine that meets its standards, then turns it into vinegar.

Ponti's new Rose’ Wine Vinegar.
Ponti’s new Rosé Wine Vinegar.

The result is a luminous pink vinegar that’s quite sharp yet wonderfully floral, and with a pointed strawberry note.

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Move Over, Grilled Cheese; Make Room for Chili Cheese Toast

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Cheese, chili, scallions, and garlic meet bread for impeccable results.
Cheese, chili, scallions, and garlic meet bread for impeccable results.

This might very well be the best thing to happen to sliced bread.

Think of “Chili Cheese Toast” as the marriage between pungent garlic bread and gooey grilled cheese with the familial addition of lively fresh chili peppers.

Now, that’s what I call harmonious company.

You will, too, in this recipe from “Indian Flavor Every Day” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by New York’s Maya Kaimal, an award-winning cookbook author and founder of Maya Kaimal Foods, a line of premium Indian foods sold nationwide.

The book’s 80 recipes are especially enticing for anyone who loves the bold flavors of Indian cuisine but has felt too intimidated to cook them at home.

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The Convenience of Roasted Artichokes with Fennel and Tarragon

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Canned artichoke hearts get revived in a glorious way in this simple recipe.
Canned artichoke hearts get revived in a glorious way in this simple recipe.

We interrupt this program for a nifty little side dish recipe.

It’s one that’s highly worthy of your attention because it utterly transforms frozen or canned artichoke hearts into an easy side dish sure to impress.

What I especially love is that the slightly off-putting tinny and acidic taste of plain canned artichoke hearts is vanquished in this method, leaving them as vibrant as fresh ones in season but without all the prepping usually involved.

“Roasted Artichokes with Fennel and Tarragon” is from “Vegan Cooking for Two,” of which I received a review copy.

The cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen includes more than 200 recipes handily scaled for plant-based households of two. They feature hearty grains, proteins such as tofu and tempeh, beans galore, plant-based ground meat, and plant-based cheeses.

There’s everything from “Garlic and Herb Burgers with Beet Tzatziki” (made with plant-based ground meat), “Charred Cabbage Salad with Torn Tofu and Plaintain Chips,” and “Creamy Cashew Mac and Cheese” to “Meaty Zoodles with Mango and Garam Masala” (made with plant-based ground meat, plant-based yogurt, and zucchini noodles), and “Individual Lemon-Poppy Seed Cakes” (made with plant-based butter and plant-based egg).

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