meat

  • Boiled ham (or, a foray into Eastern Europe)

    Sometimes I think way too hard about how to use up leftovers. The potential for waste bothers me. If we have half a head of red cabbage sitting in the crisper because Josh realized he really, really hates cabbage after… Continue reading

  • The Ancient Table: Roast boar

    Obelix with dinner I have this habit of getting totally immersed in whatever topic I’m teaching in history. The Declaration of Independence? Let’s watch 1776! Ancient Greece? Let’s check out The Odyssey from the library! The Gupta empire? Let’s eat Indian food… Continue reading

  • The "First" Thanksgiving (II)

    This week and next, I’m exploring some of the myths about the First Thanksgiving. We’ve discussed how the Pilgrims were not, in fact, Pilgrims (they had much fancier terms for themselves back in 1621). We’ve looked at a bizarre recipe… Continue reading

  • This meal brought to you by Christopher Columbus

    Ah, Columbus Day. I’m not sure there’s any other secular holiday more filled with angst and mixed feelings than this one. When I was little, we learned the basics of Columbus Day. We sang that catchy song, the one that… Continue reading

  • Williamsburg veal partridges

    Some days are just full of questions. Like, why aren’t there more movies like Back to the Future? Why do my students all wear feather extensions in their hair? If I walk around a lot while I teach, does that count as… Continue reading

  • new year, new disaster (or, steak and kidney pie)

    I’ll confess: I kind of have a thing for Britain. Pubs, pints, high tea, scones, royals, BBC period dramas (anyone watching Downton Abbey this Sunday?), Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, the British Invasion, Tea & Sympathy…the list goes on. My sister and… Continue reading

  • Roast Turkey

    Happy post-Thanksgiving, all! I hope your homes were full of the people you love and your tables laden with delicious food. We had a relatively simple Thanksgiving out in Ohio, where my family lives. After the requisite morning of cleaning… Continue reading

  • Stewed Jack Rabbit and Dumplings

    Up to this point, I’ve been playing it safe. The recipes I’ve chosen have at least mildly resembled something I’ve eaten in the past. But that all changes today. That’s right. I cooked a bunny. I understand that this post… Continue reading

  • Stuffed Roasted Hen

    For my birthday yesterday, I tricked Josh into eating a Laura Ingalls Wilder roasted chicken. It was a good day. While he slaved away on grade reports, I got to work in his kitchen. First I made the stuffing: a… Continue reading

  • Fried Salt Pork with Gravy; Drippings

    Our inaugural recipe is a real winner. A slab of salt pork, sliced and fried into the crispiest, unhealthiest morsels. It’s doused with a gravy made from milk and the pork fat left over in the pan. Oh, my–I could… Continue reading