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TIDBITS by Sharon Thompson

  • You'll have plenty of company at celebration dinners

    by Sharon Thompson

    If you need a reason to celebrate during the next few days, pick one of these: Derby on Saturday, University of Kentucky ­graduation on Sunday, and Cinco de Mayo on Monday. Then, next weekend, May 11 is Mother's Day.

External Link »  Flavors of Kentucky Sharon Thompson's blog

  • Grill bone-in chicken breasts slowly, steadily

    Leisurely pace and lower temperature leaves the meat tender and moist

    By Howie Rumberg

    I can grill up a burger, a hot dog or even a swordfish steak with the best. But perfecting the chicken breast — juicy in the middle, caramelized exterior — is a nerve-wracking experience.

  • cookbooks

    Buy locally, eat divinely

    Authors provide lots of fresh recipe ideas

    By Sharon Thompson

    As farmers markets get under way across the state, it's time for a reminder about the importance of buying local foods.

  • Phyllos helps to lower the calories in sweet treats

    By Kathy Manweiler

    When you make desserts on a smaller scale, both your sweet tooth and your waistline will give thanks. Plus, these tiny treats can be a great fit for parties, group meetings or church potlucks.

  • Roadside cuisine

    These books help you travel on your stomach

    By J.M. Hirsch

    Ready to hit the road for a culinary adventure? There's a stack of new ­summer road trip-ready books to help.

  • cookbook

    Author derives joy from cooking what she grows

    Author uses kitchen garden as the starting point for her recipes

    By Sharon Thompson

    Cooks don't need a back yard as big as a park to grow fresh vegetables and herbs.

  • Yogurt passes acid test for all-day marinade

    It tenderizes meat and fish without making them mushy and helps other flavors stick around

    By Jim Romanoff

    When it's grilling season, it's much easier to avoid the takeout dinner trap.

  • Turn day-old bread into a zesty side dish or a meal

    All over the world, cooks have devised recipes to turn day-old bread into a zesty side dish or even a meal

    By Sharon Thompson

    This spring and summer, toss your salads with some bread.

  • Shrimp: Easy to cook, even easier to overcook

    Simple marinade turns shellfish into tropical delight

    By J.M. Hirsch

    Aside from overcooking, it’s hard to go wrong with shrimp.

  • Rites of sprig

    Mint is essential in a julep, but don't overlook its many other flavors and uses

    By Sharon Thompson

    At Derbytime, the first sprigs of mint to pop up in the garden are often muddled for mint juleps or used to decorate tea and lemonade glasses for parties.

  • Kentucky's signature drink is tasty when it's made right

    By Sharon Thompson

    At Derby time, the most popular way to use mint is in a mint julep.

  • Bobby Flay promotes Derby parties in general

    Sharon Thompson

    Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, host of the Food Network's Boy Meets Grill, is the ­official host and spokesman for Kentucky Derby Party, a new program from Churchill Downs. It's designed to connect millions of Kentucky Derby fans worldwide who enjoy hosting parties on the first Saturday in May.

  • Run for the Roses tradition includes the right party foods

    New cookbook compiles all the sure bets

    By Sharon Thompson

    The folks at McClanahan Publishing in Kuttawa have updated their collection of Derby recipes with a new release. Derby Entertaining is a compilation of traditional recipes perfect for a Derby party on Saturday.

  • Have a slice of flax

    Banana bread recipe adds healthful omega-3

    By Jill WWendholt Silva

    Have you been lax about getting your flax?

  • Pasta dish's bold ingredients cut cooking time

    Meat, bold ingredients make up for lost time

    By J.M. Hirsch

    There is nothing subtle about this meat sauce.

  • New Orleans now has more restaurants than before Katrina

    By Patti Nickell

    It didn't matter that he had no staff and no customers other than rescue workers, reporters from around the world and the few stragglers who hadn't either evacuated or been run out of town by the National Guard. There he was day after day, cooking up pots of jambalaya and red beans and rice, and doling them out free of charge to grateful customers.

  • book review

    Derby party guide covers all the best bets

    Derby party guide covers all the best bets

    By Sharon Thompson

    A guide to throwing a fabulous Derby party would be best written by socialite hostesses Marylou Whitney and Anita Madden. But the next-best thing would be a book written by party guest Sue Wylie.

  • Meet the new king of New Orleans cuisine

    His restaurants are the talk of Louisiana

    By Patti Nickell

    Once upon a time in the culinary kingdom of New Orleans, there occurred a palace coup. While King Emeril was off ”bam“-ing it up on national TV and opening new outposts across the country, in such far-flung citadels as Orlando and Las Vegas, Prince John was winning the hearts of foodies across south Louisiana.

  • Menu choices abound for pre-Derby fund-raiser

    Menu choices abound for pre-Derby fund-raiser

    By Sharon Thompson

    GEORGETOWN — The home of a famous jockey is the perfect setting for the Scott County Woman's Club's annual pre-Derby party.

  • Dinner casserole gets a quick start on stove

    Pan pops in the oven for just a few minutes

    By Renee Enna

    This vegetarian ­Italian ”casserole“ is mostly a stove-top preparation. Instead of making our own ­marinara, we're using a good-­quality jarred version. (But ­nothing's stopping you from using your own.)

  • Cropping up

    New growing season brings fresher, better food to our tables

    By Sharon Thompson

    The very best food, no matter where you live in the world, comes from the neighborhood. Soon, Central Kentucky neighborhoods will be bursting with the very best, most flavorful foods of all.

  • Recipes

    Trudie and Dana Reed, owners of Reed Valley Orchard in Harrison and Bourbon counties, will have blueberries at farmers market the first of June.

  • Mustard of all types packs a memorable punch

    Mustard in all of its varieties can pack a memorable punch

    By Carole Kotkin

    Mustard is a lot more than a bright yellow condiment to smear on hot dogs. There are hundreds of varieties, all made from the seeds of a plant in the cabbage family that is native to India and China.

  • Curry paste, coconut milk, lime amp up flavor

    Curry paste, coconut milk, lime amp up flavor

    By J.M. Hirsch

    This heavily seasoned beef stir-fry is one part Thai curry dish, one part taco meat. And entirely ­delicious.

  • Restaurant salad dressings, slimmed down

    By Kathy Manweiler

    The dressings are the draw for many restaurant salads, but they can toss lots of extra calories and fat grams into your bowl.

  • Braising does justice to beef brisket

    By Jim Romanoff

    When it comes to a brisket of beef, how healthy a meal it makes depends on which end you choose.

  • Eat what you can't see at "Lights Out Dinner'

    Sharon Thompson

    Eating what you can't see

  • Be deviled

    Here are some creative ways to dress up hard-cooked eggs

    By Jill Wendholt Silva

    At first glance, hard-cooked eggs might appear rather bland and one-dimensional. But add a wink of caviar or a nudge of gorgonzola to the filling and you’ve got yourself some deviled-may-care whimsy. We invite you to pop a few of these good eggs, but hurry: You know they’re always the first to go.

  • Renowned chef prefers to play with his food

    By Mike Hale

    In an age when chefs attract paparazzi and hire image consultants, Michel Richard exudes humility, despite a résumé that places him in every intelligent conversation about the world’s top culinary minds.

  • Menus from old restaurants stir up memories

    By Sharon Thompson

    A restaurant manager runs off with the register receipts; another ­restaurant's namesake gets arrested; feather boas and polyester suits catch on fire (a bad bananas Foster incident); and a notorious rogue cop gets shot on the steps of an upscale restaurant.

  • In cookbooks, Q is for quinoa

    Tiny, versatile grain is a nutritional powerhouse

    In most cookbook indexes, the “Q” section is tiny or nonexistent. Not so, however, in The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook by Judith Finalyson (Robert Rose, $24.95). The reason: quinoa.

  • It isn’t strawberry season yet, but don’t let that stop you

    Spring can bring a longing for fresh, seasonal fruit, especially with strawberry season just around the bend.

  • Tea for 200 means thousands of pieces of finger food

    That means 3,250 pieces of homemade finger food for Richmond auxiliary's event

    Often, our fast-paced schedules don't allow time to relax and enjoy time with friends.

  • New fad: spray-on pancakes

    Aunt Jemima meets Reddi-Wip

    By Michelle Locke

    SAN FRANCISCO — You want pancakes, but adding water to powder and stirring it seems like too much effort. Enter Batter Blaster, the pancake you just point and spray.

  • Ham: bone up

    There are many choices, so make sure you know which you want

    Serving a holiday ham might seem like an easy choice. Until you get to the grocer.

  • A few tweaks make Italian favorite better for you

    Bread-crumb coating cuts down on oil absorption

    Eggplant is like a sponge: The more oil you add to the pan, the more fat it sucks up. Coating the eggplant with bread crumbs or batter helps to provide a barrier.

  • This candy is hard, but it's not difficult to make

    Try it in an Easter mold

    Despite its name, hard candy is easy to make.

  • A meal in hours

    Slow cookers are easier than ever to use

    By Sharon Thompson

    The slow cooker is the quintessential wedding gift. The price range is great — $29.95 to $249.95 — and it’s a useful addition to anyone’s kitchen. The small appliance works on a low or high temperature setting, and some even have programmable timers that switch to warm when the food is done.

  • COOKBOOK

    Natchez native accessorizes her menus

    By Sharon Thompson

    Regina’s Table at Twin Oaks is a coffee-table cookbook that will surely be smudged with flour and butter before long.

  • Have a full slice of this cheesecake

    Lighter ingredients don't sacrifice flavor

    By Jim Romanoff

    Cheesecake is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, but it’s hard to be pleased with the amount of fat in many classic versions — usually more than 30 grams a serving. Happily, a delicious lighter cheesecake is possible.

  • Salsa adds some spice to ground chicken burger

    Just be sure to use breast meat only to avoid additional fat

    Spicy tomato salsa gives these light, juicy chicken burgers a hint of the Southwest. Coleslaw is a perfect side dish, and making it is a breeze when you start with a package of shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix, available in the produce section.

  • Festival features my cookbook, corn

    By Sharon Thompson

    I will be signing copies of my cookbook, Flavors of Kentucky, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Sweet Corn Festival at Evans Orchard and Cider Mill in Georgetown. For more information go to www.evansorchard.com
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