Among my culinary crushes, Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor stands tall. She stood tall in real life, too. She was as statuesque and extroverted as I am short and nervous. We met in the pages of her 1970 cookbook/memoir, Vibration Cooking or The Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl. I’d never heard of Geechee before, and like the…
Maque Choux — the Big Easy
It’s Labor Day, so take it easy with maque choux. Easy yet elemental, maque choux features the Creole holy trinity of onion, pepper and celery, and three summer besties — tomato, basil and corn. It honors the big-hearted spirit of Louisiana, offers the pleasure and bright flavors of summer, nourishment when we need it, and…
Calabacitas | Cinco de Mayo During Coronavirus
Calabacitas–roughly translated as “zucchini” is a hearty, vegetarian Mexican dish that is intensely satisfying. Serve it alone as a side or add rice and tortillas to make it a meal. We see — or want to see — glimmerings of hope, of life after Covid-19, of a return to normal life. But honey, I think…
