Jude's Culinary Journey

A smattering of tips, hints and truths

Over the years, I have picked up and adhere to some worthwhile cooking tips. I’ve already admonished those who refrigerate tomatoes, which strips them of flavor and makes the texture mealy, so …

Dining with Cindy

I met Cindy at a bar in the Village. We soon discovered we had more in common than enjoying a cocktail or two in the evenings. We both lived in small, cluttered apartments a few blocks from …

Thanks, after all

When my mother was about to embark on an experience that made her nervous, she’d say, “I’m going with my friends, Fear and Trepidation.” Along with another pal, …

Contrasting kitchens

In 1976, when I was liberating myself from my parent’s home and hunting for an apartment in Greenwich Village, I found the choices dismal. Some buildings, particularly those on MacDougal …

Begging for burgers at Begg’s

My earliest recollection of accompanying my mother while she shopped is of going to a woman’s clothing store on the south shore of Long Island. It was called Begg’s. I must’ve been …

The nectar of the gods

A jar of Golden Blossom honey, with its green and gold label, was always in a cupboard in the kitchen of my childhood. We didn’t reach for it often. In winter, I would drizzle it over a bowl of …