Stone Fruit Every Which Way

The text was brief: “Warning: She made you a cake.” I was packing a weekend bag to spend a couple of nights in the tristate suburbs, and the “she” in question was Susan, my friend’s mother, whose house I’d be staying at. Susan had made a peach, bourbon and pecan cake from Claire Saffitz’s cookbook…

3 Easy Summer Recipes for a Dinner Party

A few thoughts about summer cooking: It should be bold, flavorful, refreshing. It should take full advantage of the season’s fresh produce. And, if possible, it should be consumed outdoors. It should also be casual, easy to pull off without much exertion. Much depends on your constitution and strength, of course, so perhaps summer cooking…

A Summer Without Peaches in Georgia

A darkness has fallen across the cobbler belt. You can barely find a peach. A winter that was a touch warm, followed by a series of hard freezes in March, has devastated the Georgia peach crop. Some hopeful state officials estimate that only 10 percent of the crop survived. But out in the field, the…

This Melon Salad Is Pure Pleasure

When I cook for myself, the only real guideline I follow is the pursuit of flavor — everything else is a suggestion. And sometimes, particularly with a cuisine I’m not too familiar with, this means following a recipe to the letter. But more often than not, pleasure is the goal, which means steamed cabbage and…

Restaurant Review: Raf’s in NYC

Atmosphere It’s a combination of an Old World cafe, an Old New York bakery and a 21st-century FOMO generator. Somehow it all works out. Servers are close at hand, observant, accommodating. Noise Level Loud. Recommended Dishes All breads; escargots; steak tartare; leeks vinaigrette; mafaldine with rabbit; half chicken; pork collar; chocolate torte; caramelized white chocolate…

Maggie Harrison’s War on Wine

I visited Harrison again last year, at the house she shares with her husband, Michael, and their two teenage children in the hills of Southwest Portland. Michael is a soft-spoken graphic designer who works mainly on labels for wine bottles (including Harrison’s). The house is inviting and lived in, with plenty of plants, a record…