Snowy days drive people back to their kitchens all over the country - here's a look at national papers' food sections.
In cold Washington, D.C., there's a quick meal of salmon fillets with pistachio lemon butter, and Mollie Katzen has some lovely recipes that showcase pomegranates. They also cozy up to a bowl of all-American chili, and dream of warmer times and creamy gelato.
In snowy Indiana the Indy Star looks at the Year of the Pig with potstickers stuffed with pork and dried fruit. They also have five fast meals, including spicy penne and crustless spinach pie.
Again, I jumped the gun, commenting yesterday in the New York Times food section round-up. Maybe I'll learn by next week, but don't count on it. Here's what I said:
The food section of the Chicago tribune has a cover story on Thai food from the little known northern region of the country. To which I say bring it on--am I the only person who finds Thai cuisine as now widely practiced in our country a lot less interesting and varied than decent Chinese?
Speaking of Chinese, they also celebrate the Chinese new year with a raft of cookbooks and a recipe for simplified pot stickers from Wolfgang Puck.
And finally, there's an elegant steak dinner recipe for procrastinators who still want to pull off an impressive romantic Valentine's Day dinner.
Terry B,
I think it's difficult to compare the variety of Thai and Chinese cuisines out there. It'll take time for the market to accept regional Thai dishes, much as it took time for the market to grow out of Americanized Chinese dishes. Thai cuisine is still relatively new to us.
You also have to look at who's doing the cooking. Many of the "Thai" restaurants I know are run by Chinese people who are doing their "impression" of Thai food. You need experts...people from those outlying regions who are willing to take the risk and market their home-style cooking.