The Other Woman Cooks

The history of food has always fascinated me amd the wide variety of recipes from countries spread around the globe using basically the same main ingredient. Potato salad is a universal party food and different versions are served at different temperatures. Most potato salads are served at room temperature or chilled, though a popular German recipe is served warm. In the United States we like our potato salad refrigerated in advance and served chilled. Mayonnaise is a favorite ingredient. Brazilian potato salad is called batata calabresa, named after a spicy ingredient, the pimenta-calabresa -- a South American chili pepper.  Bulgarian potato salad is made with potatoes, leeks or onions, oil, salt and black pepper. Slovakian potato salad is part of the traditional Christmas meal as a side dish to fish. It contains potatoes, carrots, green peas, pickled cucumbers, celery, yogurt, eggs and onions.  German potato salad is generally prepared with vinegar and ...

The old expression originated from farmers who tossed the little ones aside as not good enough to please discriminating potato shoppers. Times sure have changed. Fingerlings, baby reds, gold and purples are all the rage. Have you priced small potatoes lately? As a little girl I wanted to be Heidi -- you know, THE Heidi. Living in the mountains with her grandfather and eating porridge every day. What in the world does a childhood fantasy have to do with potatoes, you ask? Well, porridge was actually oatmeal and I wasn't too keen on having oatmeal for supper, so I convinced my mother that Heidi (AKA me) much preferred mashed potatoes. I ate nothing but mashed potatoes with peas every night for weeks. And I still love creamy whipped potatoes. Someday I'll tell you about being six years old with dreams of becoming a flamenco dancer. Suffice it to say, the Heidi phase was far less challenging for my poor mother, who was totally determined not to snuff the creativity from a lively li...

Schools closed, the library shuttered early and the dairy case at the grocery store was wiped out by noon. Finally, at around two in the afternoon, the flakes started falling. So far it's a bust as snow storms go -- a fine coat of barely there white stuff slushed into oblivion by homeward bound evening commuters. Meanwhile, life goes on. Paul brought the snow shovel and the last of our home grown butternut squash up from the basement. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, baked butternut and there's plenty of leftovers for tomorrow. The shovel is at the back door. We're ready for the blizzard ... if it ever shows! BAKED BUTTERNUT 1 large (2-3 pounds) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes 1/4 teaspoon grated cinnamon stick (ground cinnamon works as well) 1/4 teaspoon grated ginger root (ground ginger works here too) 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best) Place squash cubes in a 2 quart casserole or bakin...

Food historians generally agree that popovers were created here in the colonies by English housewives who missed their Yorkshire puddings but needed a shortcut and fewer ingredients for a less fussy version of the original. According to Wikipedia, the first cookbook to print a recipe for popovers was M. N. Henderson, Practical Cooking, in 1876. Roasted beef or pork drippings made the little puffs more savory than the popovers most folks like these days. Today's recipes lend themselves to strawberry jam for breakfast or tea as much as for a bread substitute for holiday dinner. The higher they rise, the better they taste is my motto and this recipe is one I have been using for over thirty years. It has never let me down. EYE POPPING POPOVERS 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups 1% milk dash of salt Preheat over to 425 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl and using a whisk, beat the eggs until slightly frothy. Add the milk and again, using the whisk, beat until mixture is slig...