Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Herb and Goat Cheese Red Potato Pierogi

January 27, 2016

Homemade pierogis take time, but they are always worth the effort. In this recipe, each pierogi is filled with fresh herbs, goat cheese and mashed red potatoes. It’s a meal that is complemented by the crisp, herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc I received from Cultivar Wine.

Hi! Just a note. Fake Food Free is now a Substack called Every Corner of the World. I’d love for you to join me there. I also now teach food photography and styling. Learn more about that at LoriRice.com. You can still find all my old recipes right here.

My husband and I have been together for 19 years, and I can’t recall going out to dinner on any Valentine’s Day.

Despite being a big fan of the holiday, the idea of going out has always been unappealing. The pressure to make it special, being surrounded by loads of other couples, the same food we could get the weekend before for double the price.

Have I made my case yet?

Instead of all that, I cook. Usually it’s something that takes a bit of work; a favorite food made from scratch.

Visiting California Olive Ranch

January 21, 2016

Mention olive trees and someone will bring up allergies. Mention olive oil and another person will start raving about health.

It’s the perfect example of why I am so drawn to farming and the effort behind what gives us food. Some parts of the sourcing may not be pretty (think of all that pollen during the blooming season for most trees), but the results always are, usually in the form of nutrition and health.

Food rarely comes about without hard work, whether it’s that of one person or a team of employees. Even if you never have the opportunity to do the work yourself, appreciation can be gained by witnessing the process.

My Favorite Winter Salad

January 13, 2016

Early last year I was on a huge salad hiatus. I simply couldn’t get salads to taste good anymore. They were too bland, too blah. Quite frankly, they were living up to their reputation of tasting like cardboard and rabbit food.

Then one day I was assisting with a photo shoot and the recipe editor announced that she had made us a big salad for lunch. Expecting a few leaves of romaine and bottled dressing, I grabbed a bowl and headed to the kitchen.

Next she asked if we would like a poached egg. I love poached eggs, but I’d never tried an egg on a salad. I accepted as I cast my eyes over all the delicious toppings set out on the counter next to a large bowl of mixed greens tossed in a simple miso dressing.

Simple Mushroom and Dill Soup and My Three Words

January 8, 2016

It’s that time of year again. Resolutions, goals, promises and changes consume us all as we move into a brand new year. I like to give the holidays my full, undivided attention, so it usually takes me a week or two into January before I’m ready to start thinking ahead.

Just like the past four years, I’m continuing Chris Brogan’s practice of selecting My Three Words to guide my year. I like this method so much more than resolutions and goal setting. At the core, it really is a type of resolution and goal setting, but choosing the words has this unique way of being general so that it can apply to many areas of your life while also giving focus.

Pomegranate Lemon Cake

December 23, 2015

I have really been missing the big lemon tree that was in the backyard of our rental house in the Bay Area. I took for granted how easy it was to walk out and grab a few almost any time of year.

Our potted Meyer lemon tree made the move and it’s still hanging on, but it didn’t produce any lemons this year.

I was running the other day and I noticed that towards the end of the public running path, a large lemon tree hangs over a backyard fence. I’d been eyeing it for weeks and a few days ago I finally got the courage to grab a few.

Spiced Bourbon Soaked Cranberries

December 22, 2015

Quick. If you make these cranberries right now they will be ready for your New Year’s Eve cocktails. And trust me. You are going to want them for your cocktails.

These tart little berries are sweetened with a syrup made of raw sugar, rich bourbon and aromatic whole spices. They take only minutes to prepare and they make a good destination for the half bag of cranberries left in the fridge that you can’t find a use for.

Apfelpunsch mit Rum (Warm Apple Punch with Rum)

December 21, 2015

This warm winter drink uses local apple cider and white rum to recreate one of our favorite holiday punch, or punsch, drinks we enjoyed at Vienna’s Christmas Markets.

I never could have guessed it would be so hard to find apple cider around here. Apples are plentiful enough in the South Central Valley, but why so few people are turning those apples into delicious cider has surprised me.

Thinking back to my days in Kentucky and Indiana, the second apple season starts, the cider shows up on the shelves. Every store has at least a couple varieties both pasteurized and unpasteurized. It’s a fall and holiday staple in that part of the world.

Here I found one store with one cider and it was pasteurized. Others I’ve found have tried to pass apple juice as cider. Not a chance. I can tell the difference.

Gingerbread Cakes with Orange Buttercream Frosting

December 18, 2015

I’ve had two things sitting in my kitchen that I’ve been dying to use for almost a year now. Some shallow, 3 1/2-inch wide snowflake baking cups from IKEA and a Lebkuchen spice mix I got at a Christmas Market in Berlin.

The Lebkuchen spices are similar to those in gingerbread here in the States and I’d already made some ginger cookies. Not to mention, cookies weren’t going to help me use those baking cups. So I switched gears and baked up gingerbread cakes. They were perfect for both the cups and spices.

Braised Boneless Short Ribs with Citrus Garlic Slaw

December 16, 2015

These boneless short ribs make the best winter comfort food when braised in white wine and served with a seasonal cabbage slaw. The short ribs were among several cuts of high-quality grass-fed beef that I recently received from Butcher Box.

Beyond burgers, I don’t claim to be an expert at cooking beef. That’s why I like it when I receive a little something that makes me step out of my comfort zone. This time is was grass-fed boneless beef short ribs.

Last minute gift idea alert. If you have a beef lover in your life or someone who loves to cook it, Butcher Box is the answer.

A little while back, I was sent a Butcher Box full of high-quality grass-fed beef. Sirloin tips, steaks, short ribs, ground and bacon. It was loaded with good stuff.

Warm Spiced Beer

December 15, 2015

I find that beer temperatures vary by the location. When we lived in Brazil, the beer was so cold that ice was often inside the bottle. In Europe, it’s always been on the warmer side. Cold beer somewhere in between these two was the standard in the States for years. Then came the craft beer boom, and with it, the understanding that some beers are best served at warmer temperatures.

But until we made it Poland, I had never had hot beer.