Nina Callaway

    These Are the Best Kinds of Cutting Boards for Your Kitchen
    Tools
    Wood versus bamboo versus plastic? We're finally setting the record straight.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 6, 2023
    Here's How to Make Hamantaschen, the Jam-Filled Cookies of Purim
    Purim, the merriest of Jewish holidays, begins at sundown today — and there's a treat to celebrate.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 9, 2020
    Party Appetizer Recipe: Cheddar Olives
    When planning a cocktail party, I always make sure to have one “straight-from-freezer-to-oven” recipe, and I make extra. You can keep refilling the tray as long as you need to, and any leftovers stay in the freezer for the next party. There’s only one problem. With these cheddar olives, my favorite straight-from-freezer-to-oven recipe, there are never any leftovers. Ever. No matter how many I make.
    Nina Callaway
    May 3, 2019
    Recipe: Strawberry Yogurt Lassi
    It’s not officially summer quite yet, but the recent temperatures here in New York say otherwise. I decided to take advantage of the early days of strawberry season and cool off with an icy strawberry lassi. A lassi is a traditional Punjabi drink made with yogurt. The most traditional forms are salty, rather than sweet, and are believed to aid digestion. Sweet lassis often feature mango, sometimes with rosewater.
    Nina Callaway
    Jun 2, 2015
    Recipe: Pecan-Crusted Salmon with Sautéed Greens & Potatoes
    Last weekend I took a walk through the spring farmers market. I wanted to make something special, and was looking for inspiration. At first my focus fell on the new arrivals of seasonal vegetables, especially ramps and leafy greens. I really wanted a fresh side that would hold up in a fancier dish. Then, walking past the local fishmongers, an idea was born. Bright sautéed greens with salmon, a fish that is nicely complemented but not overpowered by strong flavors.
    Nina Callaway
    May 1, 2015
    Recipe: Classic Pimento Cheese
    There aren’t many foods that you’ll see in the lunchbox of a kindergartner and on the fanciest hors d’oeuvre platter. But the simple pleasure of pimento cheese is a way of life for many Southerners, appearing everywhere from funeral spreads, to tea party menus, to picnic blankets. Here’s my own family recipe for pimento cheese — the classic recipe we Southerners love.
    Nina Callaway
    Jan 14, 2015
    Chocolate Caramel Matzo Brittle
    While Passover gives us a reason to make this candy-like dessert, really there’s no need to wait. Matzo (or matzoh or matzah), the Jewish unleavened cracker-like bread, is the perfect crunchy, flaky base for a thin coating of buttery caramel and melted chocolate, along with whatever toppings your heart desires. Crispy, flaky matzo covered with brown sugar caramel and bittersweet chocolate — this stuff is so addictive you won’t want to wait for Passover.
    Nina Callaway
    Apr 8, 2014
    Good Quotes: On Truly Great Meals
    What makes a great meal? The food world likes to wax rhapsodic about huge masterpiece feasts and scientific discoveries in the kitchen. A great meal somehow entails new flavors dancing across palates and luxury ingredients from far away places.But the truth is, some of the greatest meals we’ve known have been much simpler. Friends gathered around in chaotic jumbles, happily gobbling up our homespun fare and laughing from somewhere deep within their bellies.
    Nina Callaway
    Jun 10, 2008
    Weekend Sandwich: Comte, Olive, and Arugula Grilled Cheese
    Even if you have a garden full of arugula and other healthy greens, summer eating doesn’t have to be only about virtuous salads. You’ve got to balance those greens with a decadent grilled cheese sandwich.We made this sandwich the other day to rave reviews all around. On a foundation of whole wheat bread we piled slices of comte cheese (similar to gruyere), garden-fresh peppery arugula, and a quick kalamata mayo spread.
    Nina Callaway
    Jun 6, 2008
    Almost as Good as the Real Thing: Low-Fat Pesto
    So we’ve been challenging ourselves lately to make a low-fat pesto that we love as much as the real thing.The problem with most low-fat pesto recipes is that they just don’t have that punch of basil flavor, or they aren’t very creamy. Most of them replace the oil with something less caloric, but yogurt is too tangy, and chicken stock doesn’t have the rich mouth feel that we love so much.Using Calorie-count.
    Nina Callaway
    Jun 5, 2008
    Recipe: Raw Artichoke, Mushroom, and Parmesan Salad
    When artichoke season begins in cold and damp March, we’re eager to warm up with comforting braises and bakes. But now, at the tail end of the season, we’re looking for light dishes that celebrate the artichoke while still being perfect for warm weather.So last weekend, we pulled out the mandoline and riffed on the classic Italian white salad.
    Nina Callaway
    Jun 4, 2008
    In the New York Times: Saul Zabar Turns 80
    For any food lover living in New York, Zabar’s is one of those institutions we naively believe has always been around and will always be around. Its crowded aisles and barking counterpeople seem like the very fabric of the city, destined to live on like Methuselah. And yet, any food lover who’s lived in the city long enough has watched many beloved institutions close, the victims of rising rents, big box competition, and aging proprietors.
    Nina Callaway
    Jun 2, 2008
    Recipe: Summer Main Course Salad with Beans and Basil
    It might seem strange to start a salad recipe by talking about a sausage. But when a friend gave us some beautiful homemade links, we immediately thought of the classic Tuscan sausage and cannellini bean soup. Since the warm weather wasn’t so conducive to soup, it became a light and flavorful composed salad.
    Nina Callaway
    May 28, 2008
    Best Burger Toppings
    Sometimes the best parties are the do-it-yourself ones. This weekend for Memorial Day, we’ll be flipping those burgers we showed you earlier this week, and setting out a huge tray of condiments and toppings so guests can customize. Here are some of our favorite burger toppings for a crowd.Burger Topping BasicsLettuceTomatoes (not in season yet here in the northeast US, but many seem to prefer bad tomatoes to no tomatoes at all.
    Nina Callaway
    May 23, 2008
    Summer Cocktail Recipe: Michelada
    For our relaxed Memorial Day party. this weekend, we know that beer will be the drink of choice. But to make it a little more fun and fancy, we’ll be offering guests the option of making a michelada with their beer.This traditional Mexican beer cocktail is sometimes known as a cerveza preparada. It’s a little spicy, a little tart, and just perfect on a hot summer day.
    Nina Callaway
    May 22, 2008
    How to Start a Green Roof Garden
    Garden-lovers without backyards, go vertical!Such is the cry of a Park Slope resident who recently showed a crowd of New Yorkers (including yours truly) how to start a green roof garden. Since starting a roof garden is a bit more complicated than planting on the ground, he took us step by step through the process, including how to set it up, what to grow, and how to maintain it.
    Nina Callaway
    May 21, 2008
    Recipe: Spring Lemon Risotto with Asparagus and Fiddlehead Ferns
    After two weeks away from our kitchen, we returned last week to find the market positively brimming with spring vegetables. When we’d left there were only the first signs of ramps, but now there was an abundance of asparagus, rhubarb, peas in the shell, and even fiddlehead ferns.After filling our basket, we quickly started dreaming of recipes that would show off our bounty to its best, especially those rare fiddleheads.
    Nina Callaway
    May 14, 2008
    Recipe: Borscht
    We might lose our foodie card for telling you this, but we don’t really like beets very much. There’s something about their earthy flavor that’s a bit off-putting.BUT, we love borscht. That earthiness is perfect when combined with dill and vinegar in a sweet & sour soup. And you can fine-tune the amounts of ingredients until it’s as beet-y or non-beet-y as you wanna be.
    Nina Callaway
    Apr 16, 2008
    Passover Cooking: Huevos Haminados
    These might look like Easter eggs, but actually they’re a traditional treat for Passover. We asked NYC caterer and culinary consultant Sierra Spingarn to share the family recipe for Huevos Haminados.Since observant Jews refrain from doing work on the Sabbath, they employ techniques for slow-cooked foods that can be started Friday afternoon, and still be hot on their table. This year, as Passover begins on Saturday night, these techniques will come in especially handy.
    Nina Callaway
    Apr 16, 2008
    The Passover Seder Plate and New Traditions
    We’ve already shown you some pretty Seder plates, but we’ve haven’t yet talked about what goes on them. Those who grew up celebrating Passover can probably recite the traditional items in their sleep. But you may not be aware that some Jews are adding and substituting new items to bring additional meaning to their Passover rituals. And, if you’ve never been to a Seder before, you might be lost entirely.
    Nina Callaway
    Apr 15, 2008
    Recipe Review: Spring Spinach and Herb Soup
    We’ve been searching for recipes that feel light and springlike without relying on out of season vegetables. This vegetarian soup seemed easy and simple; the perfect first course for a spring supper.The recipe from Epicurious combines onion, garlic, a potato, spinach and broth- simple and straightforward enough. But where it gets interesting is the addition of fresh mint and cilantro, and the drizzle of a homemade paprika oil on top.
    Nina Callaway
    Apr 11, 2008
    Baking: Which Chocolate Works Best?
    While working on a chocolate recipe for this afternoon, we realized that we generally keep on hand two to four different brands of semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate.Why so many? Rather than sticking loyally to one brand, we use several different ones, depending on what we’re baking. (Please note – this is entirely different from our favorite chocolate for eating. We keep a separate stash box, ready for late night chocolate cravings. Don’t worry.
    Nina Callaway
    Apr 9, 2008
    Preserving Memories: Kitchen Notebooks and Family Cookbooks
    When you give a beloved recipe to a friend, do you ever think about how you will preserve your recipes for the next generation? Or perhaps how you’ll remember to hold onto great recipes, in spite of aging and declining memory?We were lucky enough to inherit these three cookbooks, created by our great-grandmother, and filled with five generations of family recipes and 1960s newspaper clippings.
    Nina Callaway
    Apr 8, 2008
    Look! Name that Pasta
    Think you know your fusilli from your gemelli? Can you tell the difference between stellete and pastina? Looking for a ten-minute brain diversion, we stumbled upon this fun little quiz.AOL’s pasta shape identification quiz is harder than it looks. We were quite pleased to even get 19 out of 24, and that was with one or two lucky guesses. But even if you don’t do very well, it’s awesome to be reminded of all these shapes and textures of pasta.
    Nina Callaway
    Apr 3, 2008
    April Fools Day Recipe: Is This Really a Bowl of Cereal?
    Our favorite April Fools Day food tricks are more nice than naughty – the classic idea of serving foods that look like other foods. You’ve probably seen the meatloaf “iced” with mashed potatoes to look like a cake. Maybe you’ve even seen mashed potatoes and gravy in a parfait glass, mounded up to look like a butterscotch sundae.This year, we were looking for a new trick to truly fool our favorite people. Did we fool you?
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 28, 2008
    Store Review: Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks
    We admit it. We have a cookbook addiction. Our bookshelves are overflowing, and yet we keep buying them. In New York, our favorite place to feed that delicious addiction is Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks. This tiny Greenwich Village shop is a must-see destination for cookbook lovers and anyone interested in culinary history.Crammed floor to ceiling with historic, vintage, and contemporary cookbooks, Bonnie Slotnick’s is a dangerous place for the cookbook addict to browse.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 27, 2008
    Tips and Tricks: How to Avoid Wasting Food
    If you’re participating in the Kitchn Cure, you probably tossed a fair amount of outdated, spoiled, and just not useful food this week. Every time we clean out the fridge, we’re filled with agita at all the food we waste. Cooking for two people with busy schedules means that plans change unexpectedly, and that head of lettuce you bought two weeks ago is just not going to wait.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 27, 2008
    Measuring: Dip and Sweep
    Ever wondered why a cake recipe doesn’t come out the same every time? It could be how you’re measuring.Pastry chefs and recipe developers typically weigh ingredients to get an accurate measurement. But since most American cookbooks aren’t written by weight, and not all home cooks own scales, it’s not fair to just tell you to weigh everything. So how do you get it right?
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 21, 2008
    Simple Pleasures: Ricotta with Honey and Fruit
    On the morning of Easter Sunday, there won’t be any slaving over a hot stove. There’ll be no worrying about whether the eggs will poach properly, or how to have half-a-dozen omelets hot at once. Instead, there’ll be a room full of happy people, dipping their spoons again and again into rich bowls of creamy, smooth, nourishing ricotta, made slightly sweeter with a drizzle of wildflower honey, and some beautifully plump dried fruit.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 19, 2008
    Dinner Tonight: Last Minute St. Patrick’s Day Ideas
    Some of you probably started brining your homemade corned beef days ago. Other enterprising types made a beef and Guinness stew in the slow cooker this morning. But there’s still hope for the procrastinators among us, daydreaming about an Irish supper this evening. Here’s our St. Patrick’s Day menu, which requires nothing more than a quick trip to an average grocery store, and less than an hour to cook:Tonight, we’re making corned beef hash.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 17, 2008
    Store Review: The Park Slope Food Coop
    When it comes to the Park Slope Food Coop, unbelievers are everywhere. They say that there are too many rules, which are too stridently enforced. They complain about crowded aisles and long lines. They resent having to work 2 1/2 hours once a month. They even go so far as to call the Coop a cult that only crazy people would join.We admit it. There is some truth to these complaints about the members-only Coop.So why is it still our favorite place to buy groceries in Brooklyn?
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 13, 2008
    Recipe: Tart Lemon Tart
    Early summer seems perfect for lemon meringue pie, blowsy with airy meringue and easy to wolf down before a late afternoon nap. But here on the precipice of spring, when it’s still cold outside and summer feels so far away, we’re looking for a jolt of flavor. This lemon tart hits that spot.Like a Shaker Lemon Pie, this recipe uses the entire lemon, peel, pith and all. After macerating, the lemons are combined with eggs for a bittersweet marmalade-like filling.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 7, 2008
    The Hungry Reader: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
    A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was a favorite book long before we moved to this fine city. Thanks to author Betty Smith’s vividly descriptive prose, this coming-of-age story is the kind of book you curl up with and dive in, head first.Young Francie Nolan is growing up in early 20th century Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and her family’s struggles with poverty mean they make do with less, and go without. With a little ingenuity, scarcity can paired with plenty.An excerpt below.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 6, 2008
    Simple Pleasures: Radishes with Butter and Sea Salt
    We’re packing for a flight tomorrow, and of course that packing includes a snack to make the hours in the air more palatable. Inspired by Saveur’s March theme of butter, we washed some radishes, spooned some artisanal butter into a disposable container, and bagged up a bit of sea salt.Tomorrow, just when the flight seems intolerable, we’ll take a bite of peppery radish, slather on some cooling butter and add a little extra crunch with the salt.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 5, 2008
    Five Tips to Cut Onions Without Tears
    You’ve probably heard dozens of old wives’ tales and pseudo-scientific advice for cutting onions without tears. Two of the most ludicrous are holding burning matches in your mouth while you chop, a fire hazard to say the least, and chewing on a raw onion, which merely adds more onion close to your mucus membranes. Most of these homespun ideas just aren’t very effective, but we’ve got five tips which are.
    Nina Callaway
    Mar 4, 2008
    Recipe: Buttery Salsify Puree with Horseradish
    Here’s a recipe to help you beat those winter vegetable blahs. Salsify has the texture of a potato with a haunting flavor reminiscent of artichokes or white asparagus. Some say that this thin root tastes like an oyster, thus it’s also called the oyster plant. Be aware that the white flesh can discolor easily, so after peeling be sure to place it in acidulated water.
    Nina Callaway
    Feb 12, 2008