The New York Times Magazine Announces New Food Column; Amanda Hesser’s ‘Food Diary’ to Begin May 13

What does a food reporter eat? Two dozen doughnuts, for one story, scallops at five different restaurants for another. What about in “real life,” on a first date, when home alone, or cooking for someone special? Beginning May 13, New York Times Dining In/Dining Out Reporter Amanda Hesser will share her experiences and adventures with food in “Food Diary: Confessions of a Woman Who Loves Food Too Much,” a new column in The New York Times Magazine. “Food Diary” will alternate with Jonathan Reynolds’s “Food” column and together replace freelancer Molly O’Neill’s food coverage.

Hesser is a trained cook, cookbook author and food reporter while Reynolds, a playwright and screenwriter, boasts no food credentials apart from loving to eat. “Any reporter who covers a beat obsesses on his or her subject,” said Amy Spindler, style editor of The New York Times Magazine. “Amanda Hesser’s reporting on food has revolutionized The New York Times, and now magazine readers can get insight on how thinking about food – perhaps too much – affects her everyday life. Her insider’s perspective complements Jonathan’s layman’s perspective, providing a fun `she said/he said’ quality to our coverage.”

“Food Diary” debuts with “The First Supper,” in which Hesser recalls the first meal she cooked for her boyfriend. “First meals are intimate … Dinner guests can see by how you compose a dinner if you are an ungenerous hothead or a nurturer, stingy or clever, fussy or stylish. Which is probably why I lost sleep over what to cook for him.” With warmth and humor Hesser relates the meal’s highs (a successfully roasted guinea hen) and the lows (the smoked salmon starter – he didn’t like smoked fish) and includes the recipes.

“Food Diary” will take inspiration from Hesser’s life and will provide continuing story lines with returning characters, while Reynolds’s “Food” column will continue to range far and wide with eclectic stories about authentic tamales made by Mexican immigrants to pineapple upside-down cake.

Hesser has apprenticed and cooked in France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland, and is the author of “The Cook and the Gardener.” She joined The Times in 1997 and has covered topics from manzanilla sherry in Spain to the cranberry industry to the use of salt as a seasoning in desserts.

The New York Times celebrates its 150th anniversary this fall. Founded in 1851 by Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones, the New-York Daily Times, as it was known, began as a four-page paper. It soon became a success, appealing to readers who wanted impartial coverage of the day’s news. Today, The Times circulates to 1.1 million readers daily (1.7 million on Sundays) and has more than 1,200 newsroom employees in 47 news bureaus worldwide. The newspaper is now available nationally, while The New York Times on the Web (www.nytimes.com) reaches a worldwide audience. Committed to producing the finest possible news report every day, The New York Times has won 81 Pulitzer Prizes, far more than any other news organization.

The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT) is a diversified media company including newspapers, television and radio stations, and electronic information and publishing. The Company’s core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment. In 2001 the Company was ranked No. 1 in the publishing industry in Fortune’s list of America’s Most Admired Companies. In October 2000 the Company was ranked No. 1 in the publishing industry in Fortune’s survey of the Global Most Admired Companies and was ranked first among all companies in the survey for the quality of its products and services.

The Company, which had 2000 revenues of $3.5 billion, publishes The New York Times, The Boston Globe and 15 other newspapers; operates eight network-affiliated television stations and owns two New York City radio stations. It also operates news, photo and graphics services as well as news and feature syndicates. A division of the Company, New York Times Digital, operates Internet properties such as NYTimes.com, Boston.com and newyorktoday.com. The Company holds interests in one newsprint mill, one supercalendered paper mill and the International Herald Tribune S.A.S.

Braising’ new trails – use of braising as cooking technique – Culinary Currents

The term “braising” doesn’t have as much sex appeal as grilling, roasting, sauteeing or even frying, but it does suggest robust flavor, comfort and warmth.
At a time when cheap cuts of meat are valued for their price points and many diners are craving home-style food, braising is a cooking method restaurants are embracing.
“With braising, an otherwise unattractive cut of meat is turned into a very attractive classic item,” said Michael Ayoub, chef-owner of Cucina in Brooklyn, New York.
According to Ayoub, Cucina’s two braised items are currently the hottest sellers on the menu: loin of pork braised in Barolo wine stuffed with raisins and pine nuts, $14, and osso buco with pappardelle noodles, $18.
For the osso buco, Ayoub uses huge veal shanks, which he browns and then bakes for three and one-half hours with vegetables, red wine and brown veal stock, a recipe learned from relatives in Milan, Italy. He cooks the dish uncovered.
Braising typically combines browning and slow, moist cooking in a covered container, either in an oven or on a stove top. The method differs from stewing in that less liquid is used in a braise and the braised item is often larger then stewed items.
Fibrous foods are traditionally cooked for a long period of time to ensure tenderness and to impart a mellow marrying of flavors. Braised foods can be prepared in advance of service, and they are ideal for quick service since the pressure of cooking to order is minimized.
Tom Meyer, corporate chef for Clyde’s Restaurant Group, based in Washington D.C., is especially attracted to items that are fast to dish up during lunch service because many diners are in a rush. Clyde’s restaurants are 350-seat saloon types with $7 check averages at lunch.
Meyer said braised dishes do well at the nine Clyde’s restaurants since most of the neighboring restaurants do not offer similar hearty braised dishes.
At Tomato Palace, in Columbia, Md., which Clyde’s Restaurant Group planned to open on March 1, Meyer is test marketing braised chicken with sausage, fresh plum tomatoes, peppers, red onions and garlic, $10.95.
Braising can be successfully applied to fish as well as meat. Randy Cysyk braises monk fish in apple cider, $10.95, at Dakota’s in Boston. He browns the fish on the bone, in olive oil, then halfcovers it with cider and finishes it in a hot oven.
Dakota’s corporate chef, Jim Severson, said, “braising is associated with old-style cooking because it isn’t spectacular since there is no color or texture separations. It isn’t for arty-type chefs. But I think you will see more of it because inexpensive cuts will become popular with the increase of value-driven dining requests.”
“It’s an autumn-winter-type dish, but it doesn’t have to be reserved for then. You could do a braised lamb or vegetable in the spring,” Severson added.
Vegetables are being braised by some stylish chefs. Among them is Joel Robuchon of restaurant Jamin, in Paris, France. Included in “Simply French: Patricia Wells Presents the Cuisine of Joel Robuchon,” is braised endives. Instead of browning the endive first, Robuchon simmers it in water with lemon juice, salt and sugar; then he browns the vegetable in butter just before service.
Other braised vegetables showing up in restaurants around the country include braised black eye peas served with charred salmon fillet, 16.95, at the American Festival Cafe, in Manhattan. And shallots braised in balsamic vinegar are as a garnish for veal scaloppine at the 16 units of Sfuzzi.
In California the Cypress Club’s chef Cory Schreiber has a braised balsamic-glazed rabbit on his dinner menu, $19. He marinates the rabbit in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and mustard and then drains the rabbit and roasts it in a hot oven to brown. He finishes by baking the rabbit in the marinade.
At Asta in San Francisco, about half of the customers are unfamiliar with braising, according to the dinning room manager, but chef Jay Lyons continues to prepare braises, such as braised short ribs with winter vegetables and herb dumplings, $11.50.
“I think people ate more braised dishes when they were kids than they eat today,” Lyons said. “It is a time consideration. At one time Mom would start a stew hours before dinner. Now Mom and Dad are getting home a half hour before dinner. There may be a whole generation of kids that are braising-illiterate.”