Short essays and notes on food, history, and the kitchen.
Where ideas live before they cool into a book.
- Recipe NoteNovember 20, 2025 · Recipes · 4 min
Sauce Suprême
Velouté reduced with cream — the daughter sauce that shows the difference between a cream-finished sauce and an egg-yolk-finished one, and why both matter.
- Recipe NoteNovember 19, 2025 · Recipes · 3 min
Tzatziki
A creamy blend of yogurt, cucumber, and garlic, essential to Greek cuisine.
- Recipe NoteNovember 18, 2025 · Recipes · 4 min
Shabu Shabu
A quick-cooking Japanese dish featuring thinly sliced meat and vegetables, cooked in boiling broth.
- Recipe NoteNovember 17, 2025 · Recipes · 4 min
Green Beans Amandine
Blanched green beans finished in beurre noisette with toasted almonds — a French vegetable side that teaches butter browning, color retention, and the principle of finishing in fat.
- Recipe NoteNovember 16, 2025 · Recipes · 3 min
Spanakopita
This dish combines flaky layers of phyllo pastry with a savory spinach and feta filling, showcasing the balance of textures and flavors.
- Recipe NoteNovember 15, 2025 · Recipes · 4 min
Tonkatsu
A breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet that emphasizes texture and flavor through precise cooking techniques.
- Recipe NoteNovember 14, 2025 · Recipes · 6 min
Nukazuke-style Pickles
Vegetables fermented in a rice bran bed — a quick fridge version (3–7 days) that captures the lactic acid fermentation of the traditional nukadoko without the year-long cultivation.
- Recipe NoteNovember 13, 2025 · Recipes · 4 min
Moussaka
Layers of eggplant, spiced meat, and béchamel create a harmonious texture and flavor balance.
- Recipe NoteNovember 12, 2025 · Recipes · 4 min
Shrimp Tempura
This recipe combines precise batter ratios and frying techniques to achieve a light, crispy texture.
- Recipe NoteNovember 11, 2025 · Recipes · 5 min
Gomaae
Blanched vegetables dressed in freshly ground sesame paste, soy, mirin, and sugar — a Japanese side dish where the grinding technique matters as much as the ratio.
- Recipe NoteNovember 10, 2025 · Recipes · 3 min
Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad made with finely chopped herbs, soaked bulgur wheat, tomatoes, and a lemon-olive oil dressing.
- Recipe NoteNovember 9, 2025 · Recipes · 3 min
Inarizushi
Inarizushi combines sweet, marinated tofu pouches with seasoned rice, creating a balanced bite.
- Recipe NoteNovember 8, 2025 · Recipes · 5 min
Custard Base
Three egg yolks, 200 g cream, and sugar — the 3:200:60 ratio that underlies crème brûlée, ice cream, and tarts, built on the controlled coagulation of egg yolk proteins.
- Recipe NoteNovember 7, 2025 · Recipes · 4 min
Falafel
This recipe highlights the balance of texture and flavor in fried chickpea balls.
- Recipe NoteNovember 6, 2025 · Recipes · 3 min
Ozoni
A traditional Japanese soup that varies regionally, emphasizing the use of mochi and seasonal ingredients.
- Recipe NoteNovember 5, 2025 · Recipes · 7 min
Coq au Vin
Chicken braised in red wine until the collagen converts to gelatin — a peasant dish formalized by Escoffier that teaches the physics of long, wet heat.
- Recipe NoteNovember 4, 2025 · Recipes · 3 min
Shakshuka
A one-pan dish featuring poached eggs in a spiced tomato sauce, embodying the balance of flavors.
- Recipe NoteNovember 3, 2025 · Recipes · 4 min
Sukiyaki
Sukiyaki combines thinly sliced beef and vegetables in a sweet-savory broth, creating a balanced umami experience.
- Recipe NoteNovember 2, 2025 · Recipes · 5 min
Sauce Mornay
Béchamel enriched with Gruyère and an egg yolk liaison — the daughter sauce that teaches you how cheese and fat interact with a starch-thickened base.
- Recipe NoteNovember 1, 2025 · Recipes · 3 min
Baba Ganoush
A smoky, creamy dip made from roasted eggplant, tahini, and garlic.