Chances are wherever the extended McHugh family and friends are gathering today, they’ll be tucking into matriarch Barbara McHugh’s turkey dressing. While the group may be smaller than usual, Barbara, 92, hasn’t retired from the kitchen. “I’ll be making my dressing,” she said.

Cacio e pepe has an exquisite ring and a rich taste, but it is one of the simplest, traditional Italian dishes around. It is a staple of modern Roman cuisine, translating as “cheese and pepper,” and believe it or not, that’s really all there is to it.

According to thediscoverer.com, the latest dining hotspots are not always in the expected cities – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Seattle, Portland, blah, blah, blah – and the blog has named “five remarkable and unexpected foodie destinations that are wowing those with an appetite for the unknown,” with our own Lilac City making the list.

When this dish emerges from the oven, the first thing you notice is how gloriously cheesy it is with an alluring, golden-brown crust of nutty, funky gruyere. Scoop into it, and you get to the tender quinoa studded with pieces of autumnal roasted vegetables all moistened and married in a light, creamy cheese sauce.

If Spokane is rich with talented up-and-coming chefs, then we are absolutely spoiled to be in the heart of such a beer-forward region. Our little town is often found on national lists naming cities who have turned the culinary corner and created a culture that has made a cornerstone out of our food and alcohol industry.

Onions are a staple of cooking in almost every cuisine and season. They’re so commonplace that you probably have one variety or another around the house. But what happens when you don’t have the type called for in a recipe? Not a whole lot, it turns out. “I think they’re more interchangeable than people think,” says Kate Winslow. 

This will be an unforgettable holiday season for all of us, and it begins with Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, Northwest wineries, retailers, restaurants and others in the hospitality industry are suffering because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each year, these businesses bank on October, November and December, which they often refer to as O-N-D.

There’s a handful of dishes that scream comfort food to me, and pot pie is one of them. With a deliciously creamy filling, chock-full of meat and veggies, and tender flaky crust, it’s easily one of my favorite foods to warm both the belly and soul. This spin on the classic dish turns the pot pie into a slab pie by making it in a sheet pan. 

My heart is breaking for the culinary industry after Gov. Jay Inslee’s second shutdown of indoor dining in restaurants was issued on Nov. 15 and continues through at least Dec. 14. Chef and restaurateur Adam Hegsted echoed the same sentiment when I dined Tuesday night at Coeur d’Alene Casino’s Chinook in Worley.

What an autumn it has been for pastry chef turned entrepreneur Ricky Webster of Spokane. Webster opened his first business, the gourmet cheese and artisan bakery Rind and Wheat, in Browne’s Addition in October. Then on Wednesday afternoon, he learned that he won not once but twice in the 2020 Real California Pizza Competition.

Eggs Benedict is the quintessential Sunday brunch dish. It’s a diner staple, probably because it’s so labor-intensive and time-consuming to make. Only a foodie will spend that much of their day poaching eggs and preparing a fickle hollandaise sauce from scratch, but actually, that’s probably why it’s best made at home.

Thanksgiving on Nov. 26 amid the coronavirus pandemic will be unlike any other previous holiday meal, and whether your gathering is solo, in a pair or a small group, you might not want to sweat over hot ovens and stoves for such an intimate meal this time around. A takeout Thanksgiving? Here are options:

Born and raised in Spokane, I couldn’t tell you how many times the reverb of “get a coat on” rang through the anterior of my neighborhood. I grew up on a quiet street where rain or shine, groups of preteens played street hockey and Red Rover.

Tech exec Tim Armstrong began his admiration for the Washington wine industry in 2009 when he and his wife, Jennifer, were living in Chicago. Two years later, after taking winemaking courses through University of California-Davis, WSU and South Seattle College, the Armstrongs were in Woodinville and ready to launch Armstrong Family Winery.

Thanksgiving is usually an oversized holiday – big meal, big groups, big everything. This year, for many of us, that won’t be the case. The spread of the coronavirus, leaner budgets and the relentless stress of a roller-coaster year are causing a lot of home cooks to rethink their approach to the holiday feast.

One of fall’s most popular vegetables, winter squash, is here in abundance. Colorfully lining carts, tables and displays at farmers markets and grocery stores, squash is just waiting to be transformed into a delicious dish at your table. Squash has a subtle sweet and buttery flavor, so it pairs well with just about anything. 

Lesley Dalke’s classroom at West Valley High School is empty. The ovens aren’t turning out batches of muffins, the mixers sit unused, and no inviting smells waft through the air. Teaching high school classes is a challenge for any teacher, but Dalke has a new struggle.

Eggs have been eaten by humans around the world since prehistory. They are one of the most nutritional and affordable foods available, and their culinary versatility makes them anything from a quick snack to the key ingredient of world-class pastry. Here are the basics you need to know to perfect your home-cooked eggs.

The holiday season is in full swing as kitchens everywhere are filled with baked goodness in the form of savory and flavorful meats, fresh and crispy vegetables, mouth-watering side dishes and comforting and decadent breads, pastries and desserts.