As COVID-19 wages war on civilization, a look into my chest freezer and the watering of my garden gives me hope and solace in a time of uncertainty. I do not consider myself a “prepper,” but I am certainly well prepared.  Over the last seven years, I have invested heavily in the process of procuring my own food. My hobbies of hunting, fly-fishing and gardening fill my freezer and the bellies of myself and loved ones. In times like these, my bounty eases my anxieties. This wasn’t always the ...

With turkey season quickly approaching but winter weather still holding on, I dream of mornings in the woods listening to gobbles breaking the silence of the pre-dawn darkness. Every year I save some turkey in my freezer until this time to remind me of – and to forestall my longing for – the hunts ahead. A wild turkey ragu over pasta is a welcome dish in my house any time of year, but it is especially inspiring now. This particular ragu recipe utilizes legs and wings – parts of the turkey ...

If I had to pick between eating crappie and bluegill, I’d choose bluegill every time. I think crappie tastes bland, whereas bluegill are sweet and firm. The downside, this sunfish family member tends to grow on the smaller side. Bluegill fillets resemble “chips,” and few anglers venture beyond frying them because there’s not much else you can do. Those thin, small pieces can’t hold up to too much handling, let alone any amount of marinating. My solution, prepare and eat the fish whole on ...

My mother always kept store-bought Vietnamese fish paste on hand. Sold in plastic containers, fish paste freezes well and its uses are versatile: Form the paste into balls and drop into boiling soup; shape into patties and fry; slice and serve over white rice, noodles or inside a bánh mì sandwich; or eat as a snack. A less obvious way to use fish paste is to stuff it into jalapenos and then sear them golden brown. Mom often called upon this recipe when she was too tired to cook a complicated ...

Like most other chefs, I enjoy reading and talking about food almost as much as I enjoy cooking and eating. In fact, I definitely spend more time thinking about food than cooking the dishes I prepare. That may seem odd to some, but there is a great deal of behind-the-scenes work that goes into the creative process of developing a dish. This recipe is a fine example of just that. This meal is not uniquely my own. The concept of a Scotch egg has been around for a very long time. I have seen ...