The barbecue that I started writing about in my last post had a pretty amazing first and last course, both of which you need to try. read more+++

I’ve been a little MIA. I got knocked out with a flu (not swine) and haven’t cooked anything in over a week. Funny how quickly we can lose all interest in food.  The good news is that I am feeling better and returning to a normal schedule. Luckily, there are some things I cooked a couple of weeks ago that I still have not told you about.

My counter runneth over with rhubarb in recent weeks. A combination of impulse buying at the market and a generous gift from my friend Karin’s mom had me faced with a few pounds of rhubarb that I needed to do something with.

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It is always nice to hear that someone who makes stuff that you like, likes what you do too. When Ed Droste, founder of Brooklyn-based band Grizzly Bear, mentioned Lottie + Doof on his twitter feed I quickly heard from a bunch of loyal Grizzly Bear fans and I knew that Ed would be an excellent guest for L + D.

I’ve been a fan of Grizzly Bear since I first heard Horn of Plenty back in 2004. A mutual friend sent me the album and I was immediately drawn to the music. Several years later, Grizzly Bear has transformed from Ed’s solo project into one of the most compelling and popular bands making music today. The group has legions of very devoted followers who are attracted to the foursome’s moody and seductive music. Grizzly Bear fans had been eagerly anticipating the band’s third studio album, Veckatimest, which was released yesterday. The album does not disappoint, and critics have been heaping well-deserved praise upon the group.

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I have been reading a lot lately about the trade war over Roquefort cheese—a trade war that was advanced by Bush in retaliation for France’s unwillingness to accept imports of hormone-containing beef from the US (and likely influenced by residual anti-France sentiment in the USA post-September 11th). In January, before leaving office, the Bush government imposed a 300% tariff (raising it from an already steep 100%) on the import of Roquefort, essentially stopping its sale in the US.

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By now you’re probably wondering if I weigh 400 pounds. There is a lot of sugar and butter and cheese on this site. First of all, I don’t eat all of it myself. I share. And whenever I eat something like a grilled cheese, or lasagna, I balance it out with a big salad. I am more worried about chemicals and preservatives entering my body than I am sugars or fats. I have almost eliminated industrial food from my diet (there are some things I am unwilling to give up, like: cheerios, dried pasta, and the occasional coke (preferably bottled in Mexico)). I am lucky, I live in a city with great bakeries where I can buy freshly baked organic bread and I have access to lots of stores and markets. It isn’t so difficult for me to avoid prepackaged foods. I know not everyone is so lucky. read more+++

I really like tomato soup. I would even go so far as to say it is my favorite soup and this tomato soup is one of the best I have ever eaten. Better than the tomato soup at Bread, better than the tomato soup at Nordstrom Cafe (which is surprisingly good for a department store restaurant), better than any I know. It is relatively easy to make and comes together quickly. I make this pretty regularly during the winter and never get tired of it. Let it offer you some comfort on a cold snowy day (it is 4° F in Chicago right now). It is particularly nice with some Parmesan toasts to dunk into it. Or maybe some mozzarella melted on top. Some fresh chives? Feel free to improvise. read more+++

I wanted to try to lighten the meal up a little and so included a leafy green salad. The real star here was the Cider Vinaigrette, which I adapted from an Ina Garten recipe. I think it would also be good served with some roasted vegetables or on a variety of salad mixes. For my salad, I combined arugula, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, roasted red onions and grated Parmesan cheese. It was a nice balance and a salad I will make for dinner again soon. read more+++