Need for Speed

After last week’s newsletter about soup, which generally takes longer to cook, I thought this week I’d focus exclusively on dishes that you can make in less than 30 minutes — and, in one case, less than 15. These are the recipes I need most right now, in the craziness of high fall and its…

Why Is Chamomile Suddenly Everywhere?

In ancient Egypt, chamomile was considered a gift from the divine. Offerings of the flower were made to the powerful sun god Ra as a form of worship; King Tut’s sandals were decorated with the bloom’s likeness; and the plant’s oil was used to anoint the dead, including the body of Ramses II. The ancient…

We Are All Fish

I just found out that there’s no such thing as fish. I mean, for cooks there is — we still have salmon, anchovies, swordfish, trout and the like, all waiting to be tossed in a pan with garlic and oil, or threaded on skewers and grilled, or pan-fried with capers and herbs. But as a…

Does Korean Cuisine Belong to Korea?

At first, the revival of Korean royal cuisine was largely confined to the academic sphere. In the 1980s, only a few restaurants ventured to serve it, a number of them run by members of Hwang’s family. Then, in 2003, half the country tuned in to the historical TV drama “Jewel in the Palace,” about a…