Umami Grain Bowl with Anthology and First Spring Foods (!!!) with New York Times

This month's column at Anthology focuses on abundant flavor through the savoriness that is umami. 

I make a lot of food. I love a meal containing numerous elements. Bright colors, a fantastic array of textures, and depth of flavor is one version of a meal that often appears at my table. The starring roles change, but this is the overarching theme.

Weird and wonderful additions like anchovies, bottarga, and roasted seaweed (all together! …it's totally  great, and very much about proportions) bring what is otherwise a simple meal to a whole new level….

making the anchovy-roasted garlic dressing

beautiful radicchio fresh from its char...

Please let me know if you decide to make this delicious dish. It definitely was satisfying to produce it. :) Here is the full story.

In equally delicious news, more of my work debuted on Page One in this week's New York Times Food section. This colorful Ode to Spring is another Mark Bittman story - I always love when I'm tasked with articulating his recipes, for their no-nonsense, tasty tendencies. If you recall another I produced last year, he wins my heart….

Here are some of my favorite outtakes - 

Each of the recipes is lovely. The indulgence of the deep-fried spring onions is an obvious winner, but my personal favorite is the delicate peas over still-crunchy grilled little lettuces, dressed in garlicky, minty goodness. Here is the full article and recipes, if you're seized enough to want to make them.

In other recent news, I produced a vivid and totally delightful "Shapes and Colors of Spring" story for the Fifth Anniversary Sweet Paul Magazine, now available for purchase or download. Here are two recipes (one, two) from the story, currently online. That is worth sharing in a story all on its own. Also, look for another gorgeous front page feature from  yours truly, in next week's NYTimes Food. And more. Always more, cuz what is a freelancer to do if not producing new, drool-worthy content?

I hope you all have delicious food lined up for this weekend. I'll be eating my way out of leftovers, maybe even without putting them onto plates… xo 

Happy spring!