Many years ago, I gave up preparing creamed onions for Thanksgiving. In part because our Thanksgiving dinner began to grow and peeling pearl onions for 30 people just seemed like it would be too many tears to shed. I have always missed those creamed onions  though and this year, with just 3 people  to feed on Thanksgiving Eve, (we are heading to the wine cellar at Michael’s on East on Thursday for our “adopted family” holiday feast) I am going back to the Gourmet side of a Turkey dinner. A Harvest salad with roasted beets and candied fennel, followed by Turkey,  gingered-cranberry sauce with...

The Flavors Newsletter – From the Kitchen of Judi Gallagher Somehow, I feel as though Thanksgiving has already come and gone. Preparing for the holidays on television and magazines can mean taking out the butternut squash recipes and searching for fresh cranberries in August- thus the makings of a creative culinary scavenger hunt. So far, I have prepared five different turkeys with various stuffing, too many hams with glaze to ever fill a year’s worth of omelets and opened enough cans pumpkin pie filling to create a masterpiece metal sculpture at the Bay front. Yet I find creative inspirations...

Dear Fellow Foodies, Can you believe the change in temperature? Just in time for the fall flavors of tart McIntosh apples and pumpkin ravioli. I dream of turning off the air-conditioner, opening the doors and windows and planting my autumn herbs. I also dream of warm apple cider and short ribs braising in a rich hearty red wine. It is the optimum time for comfort food and in these challenging financial times, staying in your own home and cooking with fresh garden vegetables from the local farmers market seems like a warm blanket around our soul. I decided to toast the season with a simple recipe for...

Last Saturday my husband and I drove up to Jacksonville, Fl- a 5 hour drive to catch a Springsteen concert- our 5th of the summer. It is my religion in a sense, going to a Springsteen concert and at my age, I would venture to say that I have been to my “house of worship”, on E street more times than someone my age can actually recall.  We have some rituals- tailgating with what we like to call Bruce juice and a buffet of sausage and pepper sandwiches as our homage to Jersey. Well, since we had just arrived home from a 2 concert tour at Giants Stadium and Gillette stadium, and were feeling some...

Sodium free zone For some sick, distorted kick in the pants, God has decided to elevate my blood pressure. Call it menopause or call it the food writers curse, I have been placed on a low sodium diet. Easier said than done I am afraid though. Hey, I love fresh salads and can often be seen nibbling fresh broccoli and raw green beans while driving on the expressway. I have a distain for fast food and very seldom use extra salt on our food at home, even though I boast a salt collection from 10 different countries. The problem is that I was born Jewish, thus the eternal craving for Asian food. I eat at a...

So, check this out- I recently heard of a local restaurant in the town  that I live in decided to only serve bottled water. Now, this is not exactly a fine dining joint- although the veal parm and lasagna is pretty great. It seems the owners decided they were sick of the diners that drank water with lemon. Apparently no one told them that being an H2o drinker at a high end pizzeria does not make someone a cheapskate or a shyster. I myself am prone to drink ice water with lemon on the odd days that I am not reviewing a restaurant or entertaining as a fine food and wine consultant. Besides, with the...