“Claire attempted to plunge into the next chapter, but her mind was elsewhere. She closed her computer and went to the kitchen to bake a loaf of cranberry nut bread. She roasted the walnuts in a skillet to give them a smoky flavor and perfumed the batter with cardamom and freshly grated orange zest. While […]
“The salad proved to be equally home-grown—or at least locally gathered. There were baby nasturtium shoots, wild sorrel, and borage. There were tiny clumps of upland cress and wild asparagus stalks slender as pipe cleaners. The Hermit added some Jerusalem artichokes, which he sliced paper-thin with his Opinel. He rubbed a wooden bowl with a […]
“Claire excused herself to bring the scallops to the table. Now this strange man, with his second-hand clothes and rough manners, was telling her with great accuracy how he imagined she made the dish. He ate slowly, she noticed, with single-minded focus and pleasure. He seemed not only to taste, but think about each bite. […]
“The Hermit chopped some ramps and venison bacon and poured a little oil into a cast iron skillet. The scent of sizzling wild garlic filled the kitchen. While the ramps and bacon browned, he took a stale loaf of bread and grated it on an old-fashioned box grater. He added the crumbs and some crumbled […]
“At 6 p.m., Elliott made the house cocktail—Katama Kirs—which consisted of vintage champagne and blueberry syrup. Then six p.m. rolled into seven p.m. and everyone took a seat at the table. The Hermit looked to be a no-show.” – From Chapter 10, “Giving Thanks” in Steven Raichlen’s novel The Hermit of Chappaquiddick
The recipe and key tips to making perfectly grilled pineapple that has a spicy and juicy flavor with a smoky whipped cream edge.
