Swedes. Chard. Ice Cream Pie. Oil. Tarts.

Article/Recipe: Tart with an art of gold.

The key to the perfect tart is pre-baking the pastry before adding the filling.

This is especially true of an egg-based tart of the quiche lorraine type.

Whatever some recipes say, the oven temperature required to cook the pastry is too high to set the eggs to creamy perfection, while the right temperature for the eggs won't cook the pastry properly.

Article: A primer on oils: when to use what.

Cooking oil used to be so simple. There was vegetable and there was olive.

Today, simplicity has been supplanted by overwhelming options that can trigger almost comedic dilemmas. Dressing a salad? Will it be almond oil or walnut? Grapeseed is good. So is hazelnut. And if fried food is on the menu, canola is nice, but avocado would be a cool twist.

Recipe: S'more Ice Cream Pie.


Article: Hearty chard brings versatility to table.

Although it's a member of the beet family, chard has a gentle flavor profile that is similar to spinach. Both stem and leaf are edible, but the majority of dishes use just the leafy part, directing cooks to remove the stalk before cooking. The leaves can be blanched, steamed or sauteed; the stalks can be blanched, gratineed or braised.

Article/Recipe: Notes from underground.

One man's enthusiasm for vegetables. The article includes a recipe for swede and parmesan cake.

Swedes can be blissful cooked with stock or butter till meltingly soft. I wanted a dish with the simplicity of pommes boulangere but the richness of pommes dauphinoise. Perfect with cold roast lamb or beef.