Sam Sianis inherited a family legacy of legendary billy goats, but he immortalized the mythological Chicago incantation: cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger.

Sianis, who will celebrate his 93rd birthday this December, is not only a Chicago food icon, he’s also a curse breaker.

The following interview (conducted in Greek with assistance ...Read more

In the north of Yucca Valley, along a parched desert road, a white shoebox of a building appears on the horizon, mirage-like. Most days you'll spot it by its full parking lot, because La Copine isn't just a destination for desert dwellers. Tourists and celebrities travel from other cities, states and even countries for a taste of California ...Read more

Are you normal or weird?

I've always identified as weird. I would couch it in terms like "charmingly weird" or "delightfully eccentric," but I came down firmly on the weird side of the spectrum.

At least, I did in public. Secretly, I thought of myself as perfectly normal, and it was the people who weren't like me who were genuinely strange.

...Read more

Frittatas are a versatile dish that can be served at breakfast, lunch or dinner. This easy frittata, featuring green spring vegetables accented by chopped tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, can be on your plate in just 25 minutes.

Spring Green Frittata

Serves 2

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 egg whites

...Read more

I used to think homemade pizza wasn’t any good and that making it at home required a specialty oven, a specific type of flour, and even a stand mixer — I couldn’t have been more wrong. It turns out, all you need is an unfussy pizza dough, homeandleisure/recipes/varietymenu/s-4063186">Read more

I can’t imagine a fancier-feeling brunch dish than eggs Benedict! English muffins delicately layered with homeandleisure/recipes/varietymenu/s-4063185">Read more

Farro is an ancient grain that’s been cultivated for thousands of years. Delicious and nutritious (rich in protein, fiber, and nutrients like iron and magnesium), farro is enjoying a resurgence among gourmets and the health conscious alike.

The folklore

Legend has it that Julius Caesar himself brought it to Italy after ...Read more

This is a delicious variation on the usual chicken liver, onions and bacon. Here the flavors are combined to create an outstanding main course.

Chicken livers should be browned yet slightly pink inside, so they retain their silky quality. If overcooked, the chicken livers will have a grainy texture. Pancetta, Italian cured bacon, will give the ...Read more

Gardeners itch for spring weather to get outside and plant. Cooks like myself prefer to stay inside and whip foods loaded with classic spring ingredients and flavors. Vegetables such as new potatoes, peas and asparagus. Tender chive stalks and mint sprigs as soon as they appear in the garden, followed by cilantro, on everything!

Tie all those ...Read more

There’s nothing like a fried chicken sandwich to put a giant smile on a sandwich lover’s face.

Whether it’s tucked between two pieces of white bread or stuffed into a toasted and buttered bun, the combination of crispy, craggy coating and juicy, tender breast or thigh meat is a pinnacle of handheld eating — at once both incredibly ...Read more

What do America’s national parks taste like?

In Northern California, perhaps it’s the earthiness of forest mushrooms and sweetness of crab meat. Along the Southern border, maybe the basso of pine nuts and tang of cactus paddles. And in the East, how about … a whole lot of country ham?

That delicious thought came up while Nina Elder and ...Read more

It happened a few years ago, but I still remember it clearly. I was seated at a white-tablecloth fine-dining restaurant in Brooklyn, the now-shuttered Clover Hill. In need of a break from booze, I ordered a nonalcoholic cocktail. After the server recited the drink’s composition — beet, oolong tea, tonka bean and a few other carefully ...Read more

This crispy orange cauliflower is a plant-based twist on the classic Chinese American dish, orange chicken. It features cauliflower florets coated in a light, crispy batter, fried until crispy and then tossed in a sweet and tangy orange sauce. Enjoy it as an appetizer or serve it over steamed brown rice with stir-fried tofu and veggies for a ...Read more

The town of Castroville, located in California’s central Salinas Valley, produces and ships more artichokes than any other place in the United States. Known as “the artichoke capital of the world,” the town features a giant steel artichoke statue and hosts an annual festival dedicated to artichokes. The peak season for both large and baby ...Read more

MCT is a type of fat called medium chain triglycerides found naturally in coconut oil and palm kernel oil and offered as supplements. MCTs were developed in the 1950s from coconut and palm kernel oil, and were first used medically for mal- absorption disorders, and more recently they have been promoted for weight loss and enhanced athletic ...Read more

Leave it to Dr. Seuss to inspire a breakfast as whimsical and cheery as green eggs and ham. It’s probably safe to say since the book “Green Eggs and Ham” was published in 1960, parents have been trying to find a way to create the titular dish for eager children.

The challenge with green eggs and ham is making a version that you actually ...Read more

I always have tortillas tucked away in my fridge. They keep for weeks and are helpful when it comes to making something quick for dinner. I mean, hello cheese quesadilla! You can even turn them into chips when you get a hankering for some homeandleisure/recipes/varietymenu/s-4056568">Read more

To ward off weekday-dinner panic, I cook rice in the cooker on Sunday and simmer a potful of lentils or dried beans until tender. If ambitious, I make a skillet of caramelized onions.

After a day at the office, I reach for the rice, lentils and beans, toss in whatever greens I have — usually arugula or spinach — and meat or fish for protein...Read more

In journalism, we call it a man-bites-dog story. It's something unexpected. Something unusual.

I just saw a man-bites-dog video on the internet. Not a video, obviously, of a man biting a dog — although knowing the internet, there are probably lots of those available, too.

This was a man-bites-dog video because it showed a woman sharing ...Read more