Hi. I’m Isabel, I cook and scribble. I make a lot of food and do a lot of writing, and Bread & Courage is what I have to show for it. It started as a simple food blog called TASTE but evolved into something more—a place where I express my love of food, community and the environment. Thanks for spending some time here—and be in touch!
All of my original TASTE blog entries with the new look.
Carrots are one of my favorite vegetables to roast because they always turn out well—especially if you don' t burn them. But even so, the sweet starchiness can withstand being a bit brown around the edges. Another absolutely delightful carrot-charistic is that they don' t get juicy when you bake them, as often occurs with […]
Someday, I will become a professional sandwichmaker. Until then, I will continue experimenting with combinations—a variety of cheeses, herbs, spreads, temperatures, meats, veggies, fruits, nuts, you name-its. On Sunday, while stewing over my bubbling pot of vegetarian split pea soup, I considered what ham-based side dish I could make to accent the vegetarian soup. I […]
Sundays are for soup. Good soup takes time, and time is rarely more available than on Sunday afternoons. Spending a couple of hours over an evolving pot is probably one of the greatest pleasures in life: first of all, a simmering soup or stew makes the whole house smell delicious—in that cozy and comforting way. […]
My friend Molly has a talent for great food in a flash: Rachel Ray would benefit from a lesson over this gal' s stove. Even though I' ve never had any of Ray-Ray' s reportedly YUMO stoup, I would be totally un-inclined to visit her home for thirty minutes of meal preparation. All that chatter […]
Another thing I realized last Monday: football parties are not about salads and side dishes. Unless you' re having lots of persnickety women over who might worry about eating too much chili or potato skin, then don' t fret too much about having lots of healthy options…they will be outdone by your pot of beef […]
I made a lot of these. An entire 10-pound bag' s worth. And here is what I learned—if you' re going to make potato skins, be sure to do it the day before making mashed potatoes. The innards are cheap, but it' s always a sad sight to waste food. I must have thrown away […]
I realized something last Monday night: football parties are a huge gamble. The damage that mine incurred could only have been worse if there had been more Giants fans in the room. I might have prevented that by inviting people who favored the opposing team, but I don' t really know a lot of football […]
Read the full post at Huffington. Food needs a piece of that seven billion dollar pie. For fortunate Americans, food is as much a source of entertainment as it is nourishment. Yet despite the lore of culinary shows and specialty markets, there remains a deep, gastronomical divide: some demographics have trouble finding or affording basic […]
Read the original at findingDulcinea.com. Lebanese Lawyer Makes Culinary Accusations A Lebanese businessman is planning to sue Israel for stealing vital elements of his culture' s cuisine, including hummus, kubbeh, fattoush, falafel and tabbouleh, which the Lebanese have considered trademark dishes from before the creation of the Jewish state. Fadi Abboud, president of the Lebanese […]
I am fully aware that not everyone shares my passion for zucchini. But some people do, and for those sophisticated palates, I have something simply remarkable (or remarkably simple) to present. And for those wary of delicate yellow squash and its green equivalent, this dish just might convert you. Let me open by asking: how […]
