blackbird – Page 8 – The Rookery

Mushroom Camp

It all started with the Mushroom Fairy. I was hiking Three Lakes Trail up at Donner Summit with my dogs, maybe 10 years ago, and suddenly out of the woods stepped this beautiful girl—wearing a full peasant skirt, long dark hair braided back, carrying a basket full of mushrooms. At least that’s how I remember her.Continue reading “Mushroom Camp”

Letter of Recommendation: Plain Greek Yoghurt

In the interest of historical accuracy, my tombstone should read, right under the dates: “This is how long you can make it basically on Greek yoghurt.” I was a picky eater as a kid, had a touchy stomach in my 20s, and have been a lousy planner ever since–which means a spoonful of plain GreekContinue reading “Letter of Recommendation: Plain Greek Yoghurt”

Best Waffles from 101 Cookbooks

From Heidi Swanson’s venerable blog. A little rose water in the whipped cream goes a long way. I like that you don’t have to rest these overnight in the fridge or separate the egg yolks and whites. They’re really savory and satisfying–and not bad for you either with all the whole grain action.

Korean breakfast hand rolls

Kinda a cross between a breakfast taco and gimbap, a beautifully composed, portable snack roll with seaweed bark, an outer ring of rice, and a heart of anything delicious from kimchi to pickled radish to egg to tuna mayo. My version, you hand-fold and eat on the spot because you want the gyeran jim (KoreanContinue reading “Korean breakfast hand rolls”

Letter of Recommendation: Cabbage

I’ve realized this winter what a MVP cabbage is. Sweet, meaty, low-calorie, and satisfying, it holds up well to a whole range of preparations and thus keeps our relationship fresh. Here are some of my favorite ways to use cabbage: Rick Bayless’s Hickory House slaw (sour): A stalwart of his grandparents’ BBQ restaurant in Oklahoma,Continue reading “Letter of Recommendation: Cabbage”

Pairing Tea and Chocolate

This is an essay I pitched to a food blog I used to follow, but they didn’t take it, so I’m posting it here! People who love tea often love chocolate, but pairing those indulgences isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. Grown in similar climates on different continents, tea leaves and cacao beans have complex flavor profiles that don’tContinue reading “Pairing Tea and Chocolate”

Japanese Whole Wheat Milk Bread: Attempt #2

I’ve made this recipe a couple of times now and find the texture superior to the first recipe: light and chewy with that nice cinnamon-y flavor from the whole wheat. It makes a killer kimchi grilled cheese. I’m going to try one more involving sourdough just to see how it compares, but this recipe fromContinue reading “Japanese Whole Wheat Milk Bread: Attempt #2”

Christmas Atole

Famous local author Rudolfo Anaya prefaced his recipe for atole (pronounced ah-toe-lay; it’s a Nahuatl word) in More of the Best from New Mexico Kitchens with his grandfather’s saying about it: “Un día sin atole es como un día sin el Sol.” (A day without atole is like a day without sun.) If I recall,Continue reading “Christmas Atole”

Kake Soba (Soba Noodle Soup with Tempura Garnish)

This dish is a pretty recent but intense addition to my comfort-food repertoire. After my husband walked out on me in spring of 2019, the first meal I felt motivated enough to cook for myself and eat a couple weeks later was tempura. It was the first inkling I had that might be OK atContinue reading “Kake Soba (Soba Noodle Soup with Tempura Garnish)”

Half-hour Bolognese

I realize 3 Italian grandmas just rolled over in their graves at that title. But sometimes I’m in the mood for bolognese and have neither an Italian grandma nor 8-12 hours to poke solicitously at a pot simmering away on the back burner. This sauce came together on a Friday night in the time itContinue reading “Half-hour Bolognese”