Blog Post List

This blog post list contains the most recent blog posts from The Messy Baker in reverse chronological order. You can also browse by recipe category or use the search function.

Italian cuisine can be full of surprises. Despite calling for two whole tablespoons of minced garlic, this dish is sweet and unexpectedly subtle. Too subtle for some. Like my father, who diplomatically suggested I shouldn't bother making it again but was open to lemon pie. Or...

Reviewing my Italian week line-up, I realized that unless you're carb-loading for a marathon, you'll need a break from the starch I'm about to foist upon you before the week's over. Stromboli, risotto, spaghetti and gnocchi are all wonderful, but I can feel my waistband...

It's Italian week and I'm more than a little intimidated. You could spend a lifetime studying its regional dishes and only take a small bite out of the country's offerings. Where do I start? What should I cover? Can I do The Boot justice? So, to...

So much for my Saturday post about local foods. Instead of stands overflowing with fresh produce, these were some of my dining options. While I just happened to be stranded in rain-drenched Chicago O'Hare International Airport, it could have been almost any mall food court...

I expect paper napkins when I'm eating at a hole-in-the-wall that serves the best Chinese food in town. Uneven table legs propped up by coasters, half-filled ketchup bottles and packaged jams are part of the family diner experience. At this kind of restaurant, as long...

My taste buds have changed over the years. I used to hate maple and now have become quite fond of it. So fond of it that I made maple walnut ice cream as a nod to Canadian cuisine for The World's Longest Barbecue. The secret to...

When Katharine gave me this lovely Asian-inspired bowl for my birthday, I envisioned using it for something like this: I carefully placed it in on the living room window ledge imagining how wonderful it would look brimming with Empire apples. I intended to bring steaming mounds...

Looks kinda chi-chi doesn't it? Truth be told I whipped it up in about 2 minutes and put it on a piece of torn bagel brought home from the Farmers' Market a half hour before. I think the sprig of rosemary elevates the look. Or...

I might be a bit slow, but I keep my promises. Just before Christmas, I asked readers for their favourite food combinations, promising a recipe inspired by their pairing. Andrew requested apple and cheddar and has been bugging me for a recipe based on this...