Hot Dogs and Tomato Soup
No one is really sure where Gma picked up this recipe – whether it was one of those soup can recipes or a common sense combination, but I was reminded of this dish when I was watching “This Is Us” where Jack makes a version for his kids as heContinue Reading
Tuna or Salmon Wiggle
It felt so elegant to see this dish show up on our lunch table: toast points covered with a thick, creamy mushroom sauce with sliced hard-boiled eggs, flaked tuna (salmon if we were lucky) and garnished with green peas. I thought this was a very special lunch dish that GmaContinue Reading
Corn Pudding
I think for most Americans, this is considered a side dish that shows up on a big buffet or Thanksgiving table and it is not really considered a dessert – just one of those casserole-type dishes that have either marshmallows or streusel toppings. However, in Gma’s house, this was definitelyContinue Reading
Jell-O 123
This was one of my favorite desserts growing up and had almost let it be forgotten until I was watching the latest and perhaps last X Files series in 2018 where Scully talks about her love of “Goop-O ABC.” She and Mulder go into a Roshomon-type discussion about flawed memories.Continue Reading
Curry Powder & Roux Cubes
When it cames to curry, Gma’s kitchen was all about the Japanese version which came from the British. It has all the same spices in the British version but with a lean towards the sweeter, less “spicy” more umami side of things. Even though I love all kinds of curryContinue Reading
Crabmeat Salad
In the early days of our Maine summers, I remember catching crabs in a little trap off the dock float. I loved eating steamed crab, but it was so much work and messy for so little appetite-satisfaction. Eventually, we started to order and pick up already-cooked and picked crabmeat fromContinue Reading
Shime Saba しめ鯖 and Saba Oshizushi 鯖押し寿司
So this is kind of a tough recipe to do unless you’re able to get fresh mackerel or fishing yourself like Gpa was on a daily basis in Maine, but I have been told that you can buy the right kind of mackerel (shime saba) already marinated in the frozenContinue Reading
Tamagoyaki: Rolled Egg Omelet
This traditional dish is another picnic, & car-food basic as it is travel-friendly, can be made ahead of time, and tastes good warm, room temperature, or chilled. The recipe that Gma used is closer to Dashimaki tamago (出汁巻き玉子) which results in that perfect sweet/savory combination and a very fluffy, custard-like egg.Continue Reading
Onigiri, Omusubi: Japanese Soul Food
As mentioned before, this was a staple of the car food box and it was the only time that Gma made them. That may be why they seemed so special to me as it meant summer vacation had begun and we’d be heading out to my favorite place in theContinue Reading
Gomaae: Magic Sesame Dressing
You can make this year-round to dress any green veggie like broccoli, beans, asparagus and swiss chard, but traditionally, it is a spinach dish. It’s great served as a chilled or room temperature side dish and I was most familiar with it as part of the summer cookout menu. SeasoningsContinue Reading