I love sandwiches, and my love for them is unabashed. The Earl of Sandwich and I are of one mind, because there’s nothing easier or yummier than tasty toppings between two pieces of bakery-fresh bread. But paninis—oh, paninis take my sandwich-love to the next level. Individually, these sandwiches are called paninos (how cute is that?), and they originated in Italy, although they’re now part of our international foodie vocabulary. Panini are traditionally made on ciabatta or rosetta bread, and Italians like them with a few salty slices of prosciutto and some cheese, but you should absolutely feel...

Most of us probably feel like we are good diners—and most of us are. We say please and thank you, those of us who have children pick up bits of Cheerios from the floor and table, we stop our conversation and listen to the server when he or she is reciting the nightly specials (hopefully with the prices included), and we leave an appropriate gratuity. However, there are a few guidelines that we all need to remind ourselves of every once and awhile. Tip on the total amount, prior to coupons or gift certificates. Hopefully your server didn’t give you discounted services, so you should...

By Chef Judi Gallagher. Coconut desserts have always been a popular spring treat, and with its distinctive smell and taste, coconut—at least for me—always evokes thoughts of warm weather and fun outdoor gatherings with friends. I like coconut in many forms, both sweet and savory, but I have to admit that, in spring, my favorite way to enjoy coconut is in cake form, whether that be a dainty cupcake or (even better) a huge slice of coconut cream-filled layer cake with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut on top with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut on top. Yum. Here’s a fun fact for...

By Judi Gallagher. Let’s be honest. When I think of comfort foods, I don’t think of whole-grain pasta. I think of lobster, macaroni and cheese, puffed-up doughnuts, matzoh ball soup, noodle pudding. But with a plethora of healthy restaurants popping up all over town (see: Veg in Sarasota), the resurgence of farmers’ markets all across the country, and the popularity of healthy cooking blogs like Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks, comfort food is taking on a new meaning. The down economy has, I think, forced people to turn their eyes inward—to their own kitchens. And while a heaping dish of Ina...

Here’s a holiday cooking scenario that I just know you’ve experienced before: You open your favorite cookbook and flip through your favorite dog-eared, food-stained recipes—the ones that your mom and grandmother cooked before you; recipes so familiar you can practically smell the flavors emanating from the pages. So you plan out your Thanksgiving menu to the very last detail, buy all the ingredients and, the night before, start prepping your feast—that is, until the phone rings, and it’s your 14-year-old niece telling you that she’s become a vegan and will not be eating meat or dairy. Can...