Originally published in the November 2016 issue of Dispatch Magazine Like many of the other foods in this column, I had never really given boxed macaroni and cheese all that much thought. I consider Kraft Blue Box to be the gold standard, a blank canvas that is perfect when fixed with Greek yogurt, sour cream, really good butter, chorizo,…
Originally published in the November 2016 issue of Dispatch Magazine Not long ago, after a particularly nasty bout with depression and relapse into very heavy alcohol use, I woke up one morning and decided to stop punishing myself. I needed restoration, a kind of satiation beyond hunger. I wanted to reconnect with reality and to awaken my senses from their…
Originally published in the December 2016 issue of Dispatch Magazine To the many disciples of Chef Raj Mandekar’s finesse-driven Indian cookery, the proposed expansion of his beloved Kittery restaurant, Tulsi, to a brave new outpost, meant that Portland was finally going to be home to a sorely needed eatery of this caliber. Much to our chagrin, the expedition only made…
Originally published in the October 2016 issue of Dispatch Magazine Sriracha’s origins can be traced to the village of Sri Racha in Thailand, the brainchild of Ms. Thanom Chakkapak and bottled under the label Sriraja Panich. But most fervent hot sauce addicts insist that the only one that matters is still the “rooster” or “cock” sauce invented by David Tran of…
Originally published in the October 2016 issue of Dispatch Magazine August, 1996 Picture me, young, standing outside of Maria’s Ristorante on Cumberland Avenue, wearing a navy pinstripe suit, white Egyptian cotton shirt, and white silk tie I had just picked up at Joseph’s (where I worked) earlier that day. It’s Friday night, and though we have a reservation, my date and I…
Originally published in the August Issue of Dispatch Magazine Historical evidence would suggest that the kilt, a rugged garment that originated in the Scottish Highlands and Isles, symbolizes many things to many people. For some, it conjures images of wrapping oneself in a warm, woolly tartan blanket near a peat fire on a cold winter’s day — while others are…
Originally published in the July 2016 issue of Dispatch Magazine Photo by Lauryn Hottinger If you want the best chicken stock, hands-down one of the most important elements in cooking great food, you’re going to have to make it yourself. Unfortunately, most people either don’t have the time, are too lazy, or just think the process is more complicated than…
