This easy bean dish from Tieghan Gerard’s latest cookbook, “Half Baked Harvest: Quick and Cozy” (Clarkson Potter, $32.99), will make dinner or lunch feel like a warm hug. It combines the flavors of a creamy tomato soup with cheesy white beans and herby basil pesto with a touch of garlic.

And talk about easy: It comes together in less than 20 minutes in a single pan, making it easy for serving and cleanup.

I used cannellini beans and added the last few tablespoons of pesto in the jar to use it up. I also added another tablespoon of tomato paste and a splash of cream to even out the flavors of the extra pesto.

I served it with toasted and buttered sprouted spelt bread.

Skillet Tomato Cheddar Basil Beans

PG tested

1/4 cup olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced

1 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 or 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup basil pesto, jarred or homemade

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 15-ounce cans white beans such as butter, cannellini or navy, drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Crusty or toasted bread, for serving

Preheat the broiler.

In large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. When oil is shimmering, add shallot and cook until it begins to soften, 1 minute.

Add garlic and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.

Reduce heat to low, add tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until the paste darkens to a rich brick red, about 4 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup water, then cream and pesto. Season with salt and pepper.

Add beans and 1/2 cup cheddar, tossing until the cheese melts.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are well coated and the flavors are melded, about 10 minutes.

Stir in basil and cook just to wilt, 1 minute more. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar and the mozzarella. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 2 minutes.

Divide among bowls and top with more basil. Serve with bread alongside for scooping and dipping.

Serves 4-6.

— adapted from “Half Baked Harvest Quick & Cozy (Clarkson Potter, $32.99)

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Good Good had been on my radar ever since a friend told me they have his favorite fried chicken in Harlem, a bold statement to say the least. The small eatery flew even higher up my New York restaurant bucket list after dining at The Edge in early 2024, a restaurant owned by sisters Justine and Juliet Masters, who co-own The Good Good with Lesly Bernard.

I strutted down 119th in my new oversized fur coat on a chilly Friday night and finally made my way into the cozy restaurant. Upon first glance, the restaurant appears to have more of a cocktail bar feel. The lights are dim with a moody orange hue, and the decor inside is immaculate and tasteful. I wanted to slide into a booth and stay a while, so I did and ordered a cocktail.

I opted for a negroni made with Ten to One Rum, Amaro Montenegro, and Lillet Blanc. The drink wound up being such a smash hit for me that it has since become my go-to winter cocktail; I promptly purchased a bottle of Amaro Montenegro after my visit. It’s good to know that if I find myself back in the area on another chilly night, drinks are served until midnight.

Incredible cocktails aside, I came with a roaring appetite. While I knew I’d be ordering the fried chicken, I was excited at the prospect of the menu being split into “earth,” “surf,” and “turf,” with earth being veggie-forward (minus the addition of bacon in one dish), surf being seafood-forward, and turf being meat-forward.

Since cocktails and fried chicken were inevitable, I thought I could balance it all with some veggies from the “earth” portion of the menu. I ordered the candied yams, the sautéed seasonal greens and the jerk mushrooms for some spice.

The veggies came out fairly quickly, and with the three I ordered, the portions would have been enough for a complete meal. The yams were cut into thick, steak-like circles and topped with pickled shallots. My first bite led me to a crunchy, sweet, caramelized exterior, followed by a tender interior. The yams are roasted, then tossed in potato starch and fried. Immediately after they’re fried, they are tossed in honey and topped with a peri peri drizzle, pickled Fresno chiles, pickled shallots and herbs. The preparation gives the yams a crunch that could rival fried chicken.

The other standout was the jerk mushroom dish. Like many people, as much as I love fungi, I can get quickly weirded out by the texture, so ordering an entire plate of them is not something I’d usually do, unless as a side at a steakhouse. Texture wasn’t an issue at The Good Good, though. They really don’t shy away from the jerk factor here, and the spice is balanced by the addition of sweetened coconut. Despite coming to eat fried meat, I found The Good Good to be a great option for plant-based diners.

Before my beloved fried chicken arrived, it was time for another cocktail. This time, I opted for a raspberry lemon drop, made with Barr Hill gin, muddled raspberries, creme de framboise, and lemon juice. Just like I’m a sucker for an aesthetically pleasing colorful coat, I am equally a sucker for a pretty pink cocktail, especially if it’s just the right balance of tart and sweet like this one was.

As I sipped cocktail No. 2 on my annual “treat yourself” day, my fried chicken, which can be found on the menu as Hot Honey Fried, arrived.

Do you know how you sometimes will know a dish is going to be good just by looking at it? I might have cried a little happy tear when I saw the glisten of the chicken, thanks to its hot honey glaze. Having eaten at many of the fried chicken mainstays of Harlem, I have to say I agree with my friend: The Good Good’s fried chicken is my personal favorite in the neighborhood. The kick from the hot honey, which can be attributed to fatalii, a chili from Central Africa, paired with the incredibly crispy breading makes for a seriously great bite.

While I’d 100% recommend the fried chicken, what surprised me most about The Good Good were their veggie dishes, especially those roasted yams. Safe to say, whether it’s a cocktail, a vegetable dish or some fried chicken, whatever you order here is going to be good good (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

• Address: 1694 Park Ave, New York, NY 10035
• Phone: (917) 409-0103
• Hours: Monday-Thursday 5 p.m.-12 a.m.; Friday: 5 p.m.-1 a.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-1 a.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-12 a.m.
• Prices: Earth: $10-$22; Surf: $15-$29; Turf: $26-$48
• Takeout available, no delivery; reservations via Resy.

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

PITTSBURGH — The best meals are also often the simplest meals made with just a handful of everyday, easy-to-find ingredients.

And if they’re both fresh and local, even better.

As recounted in his new memoir, “A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France,” every Friday he and his wife, Mary Jo, would trek to the promenade where the fisherman of Valras sold extremely fresh seafood in stalls. Though it was unfamiliar, he was adventurous and would pick whatever looked the most interesting or was recommended by the fishmongers.

While “fishy” fish like mackerel didn’t go over well with his two kids, he could never go wrong with oysters or palourdes, the small, sweet clams harvested from the Etang de Thau, a salt-water lagoon along the Languedoc coast.

Cooked in a broth of white wine, parsley and piment d’espelette and tossed with sauteed shallots, garlic and pasta, “spaghetti and clams went from a once-a-year-delicacy to a heavily requested family staple,” he writes.

“The kitchen had begun to feel like the center that held [his family] together, and I craved my nightly aproned shift.”

Stuck in landlocked Pittsburgh, I had to “settle” for littleneck clams that arrive at Wholey’s in the Strip District from pristine North Atlantic waters instead of the Mediterranean Sea. (Still great, and cheap!)

I mistakenly bought fettuccine, which is wider and thicker than linguini, the preferred pasta to pair with clams in white sauce. I also substituted a pinch of hot paprika for the piment d’espelette.

Start to finish, the dish took about 15 minutes to prepare if you don’t count soaking time.

Cook’s note: Be sure to scrub the shells really well with a brush to remove any dirt or debris before placing them in the salt water to soak. (This allows the clams to purge any sand), and rinse them again before cooking. I had to strain the liquid twice to remove the remaining black grit.

Pasta and Clams ã la Famille Hoffman

PG tested

4 pounds small clams (littleneck or Manila)

Sea salt

1 pound spaghetti or linguini

1 cup dry white wine

1 large or 2 small shallots, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon piment d’espelette

Make sure clams are closed and that no shells are cracked. Soak in salted water for 20-30 minutes, then drain.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water and follow the instructions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, add the white wine and clams to a saute pan or Dutch oven set over medium heat and cover. Check after 5 minutes, and if not all clams are open, keep checking every 2 minutes until all (or nearly all) clams are open.

Remove clams with a slotted spoon and reserve in a bowl. Toss any that have not opened.

Strain liquid (to remove grit), and set aside in a separate bowl. Taste and add salt to clam broth if necessary.

Sauté the shallot and garlic in olive oil for 3-5 minutes. They should be fragrant but not browned.

Pour reserved clam broth into pot, and add pasta to reheat.

Add parsley, piment d’espelette and shelled clams. Toss to combine.

Serve in pasta bowls and garnish with 3-4 unshelled clams each.

Serves 4.

— Stephen Hoffman

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

As we tip into the New Year, we food writers are often tasked with putting on paper our predictions for what will be trending. Truly, this used to be a simpler task!

Now, with food becoming more and more global, culinary innovations developing at the speed of light, social media weighing in, chefs feeling more empowered to break traditional rules — or to dig deep into their cultural roots — it’s kind of hard to know where to begin. But begin I will, with the caveat that this list is far from comprehensive, and I’m not allowed to hog the whole lifestyle section.

Asian flavors and chains

It seems a little silly to say Asian cuisine is on the rise, since the category is enormous and has been around for millennia. But the growing number of Asian (Southeast Asian in particular) markets, restaurants, ingredients and prepared foods is dramatic, and is influencing all kinds of cooking.

H Mart, a South Korean chain of Asian markets now has 96 stores worldwide, most in the U.S., while other chains like 99 Ranch (Chinese) and Patel Brothers (Indian) are expanding.

Gochujang, sambal, yuzu, calamansi, matcha and kimchi (to name but a few) appear more and more on packaging and menus. There’s sushi, barbecue, ramen, bulgogi. And Asian dumplings are proliferating in the frozen food aisles.

The global palate

Diners are looking for a blend of authenticity and convenience, says Leana Salama of the Specialty Foods Association, a not-for-profit trade association representing more than 3,600 businesses worldwide.

After COVID, she says, when people began traveling again, they came home from trips wanting to recreate the traditional flavors they had tasted.

That has led to a lot of unique spinoffs of more authentic snacks from all over. Besides Asia, other leading areas of culinary influence are South and Central America, says Whitney Herrera of Whole Foods’ functional snacks division.

Heat is hot

Our love of chiles continues. In 2025, it will be “less about how much heat you can stand, and more about exploring the flavor nuances,” Salamah says.

She’s seeing various chiles used in everything from chocolate to cheese.

Herrera agrees: “Heat is bigger than ever, with more of an emphasis on complex notes of sweet and spicy.” Chile flavors are permeating snack items such as nuts and trail mix.

Chile crunches or crisps are still gaining fans. Chile oils are infused with crunchy bits, usually fried garlic or shallots, sometimes with added ingredients.

Salsa macha is the Mexican version of chili crunch, with nuts, seeds and spices added to the hot chili oil.

Functional Foods

The “food is medicine” philosophy has evolved, Salamah says. People are thinking more about what foods will enhance their mood or their health, and less about what to avoid.

Non-alcoholic beverages continue to emphasize different flavors, adaptogens and “functional” ingredients.

Salamah calls functional-mushroom beverages a way to “elevate your drinking experience in a healthier way,” appealing to folks avoiding alcohol. Functional mushrooms also are showing up in snacks, in teas and in your coffee.

Salty snacks

Seaweed is “on fire,” says Herrera, becoming more prevalent in snacks and other food categories. It’s pitched as having health benefits and sustainability. With its strong umami flavor, it can be a stand-alone snack, or used as an ingredient, a flavoring for nuts, in stir-fry kits, rice dishes and more.

Another aquatic plant that is moving from the supplement aisle to the food aisles, in beverages in particular, is sea moss, Herrera says.

Crunchy is the texture of the moment

See chile crunches and crisps above. And salty, crunchy snacks are a burgeoning category, says Herrera.

Pistachio seems to be the nut of the moment. In the last month alone, I’ve seen pistachio panettones, pasta, lattes, spreads and croissants in New York City. The pistachio-filled Knafeh chocolate bar from Dubai has been a global sensation.

Added protein

“The ‘proteinization’ of foods is here to stay,” says Salamah. “Makers are finding new and innovative ways to pack more protein into foods.”

She mentions a Tik Tok-spurred craze in 2024 promoting cottage cheese to build protein into flatbreads, dips and cookie dough.

Food waste and sustainability

More and more, consumers want to know how their groceries were grown, raised, harvested and produced, say retailers and restaurant owners.

Attention to packaging and efforts to reduce food waste are growing. Companies are becoming more transparent about sourcing and manufacturing in response to customer demand.

Micro trends

So, if this were the Oscars the music would be soaring, and I’d still have more people to thank. There are many more trends, and micro trends, to explore. Sandwiches getting bigger and more creative. Foods made in pearl form (algae caviar, balsamic vinegar). Lavender in food and drink. Freeze-dried foods. Mood foods. Dumplings in all guises. Unusual melons. AI entering your grocery shopping experience. Cookbook clubs. Sourdough (again!). High-low food pairings.

And finally, I’d like to thank my editors!…

Katie Workman writes regularly about food for The Associated Press. She has written two cookbooks focused on family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at https://themom100.com/. She can be reached at Katie@themom100.com.

For more AP food stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/recipes

The potato salad most frequently made by friends and family was a sweet, vinegary, bacon-spiked dish, often served warm, sometimes straight from the crock pot. It is delicious stuff, but I’ve only felt inspired to make it a few times as an adult, mostly for themed fall parties.

But when I finally visited the region (at least the southern portion of Germany), I discovered that the potato salad most often served along with meat and sausages is indeed tangy, but also light, bacon-free and way less sweet than what I was used to.

I loved it.

So when I found myself with a few pounds of yellow potatoes, I decided to try and find a recipe. I looked through a few and was surprised to find that the secret ingredient is beef broth! It gives the potatoes a savory flavor that I didn’t fully realize was there. (You can sub vegetable broth to make it vegan.)

Besides peeling the potatoes, this recipe could not be any easier. It’s also gluten- and dairy-free, which is great for serving at gatherings where people have dietary restrictions — something that seems to be increasing among my friends and family members.

We served this with some good brats and fresh sauerkraut from Miesfeld’s Triangle Market in Sheboygan, Wis., and it was almost like being back in Europe — without the gorgeous Alps as a backdrop.

Southern German potato salad

If the salad is a little soupy, serve with a slotted spoon.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 cup beef broth
• ½ cup (or more to taste) white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• ⅓ cup light olive oil or sunflower oil (whatever you use, it shouldn’t taste strong)
• 1 bunch fresh chives, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel and slice into ¼ inch slices. Place potatoes in a large glass bowl.
2. Combine onion, broth, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and mustard in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, pour the mixture over the sliced potatoes. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for about an hour.
3. Pour oil over the potato mixture, add chives and mix gently. Taste it and add more vinegar or salt to taste.

You can serve it immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Traditionally, it’s served at room temperature, so leave it out for a half-hour before serving. Honestly, it’s even better the second day, once the flavors have had a chance to meld.

After large drops during the pandemic, life expectancy in the United States should recover to 2019 levels this year nationally and in 26 states — but not as fast as it should compared with similar countries, according to a new study.

Bad habits such as junk food, smoking and illicit drug use are preventing longer lifespans even as technology brings major progress in diseases such as cancer and heart disease, according to a new study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

By 2050, U.S. life expectancy is projected to increase from 79.1 years to 80.4 years for babies born in that year, a modest improvement that would drop the United States behind nearly all other high-income countries, according to the study.

Poverty and inadequate health insurance are slowing progress in some states. Wealthier, more urban and better-educated states are doing better and are more likely to adopt policies that save lives, from curbing gun access to offering income supports for young mothers. Nine of the 10 states (all but North Dakota) with the longest life expectancies for babies born this year are dominated by Democrats, and all 10 have expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. All 10 states with the shortest life expectancies are controlled by Republicans (though Kentucky has a Democratic governor), and they include five of the 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid.

A Stateline analysis of data from the study shows how some states have risen, and some have tumbled, in terms of life expectancy.

In 1990, for example, New York and West Virginia were nearly tied at Nos. 39 and 41 among states’ life expectancy rankings. But the two have since taken sharply different paths — New York rose to No. 3 in 2024 and is projected to have the longest life expectancy of any state by 2050, passing Hawaii and Massachusetts.

West Virginia outranks only Mississippi in 2024 and is projected to be last among states in 2050.

New York has benefited from good health care availability in New York City hospitals as well as state policies such as strict gun laws that have curbed suicides, and harm reduction policies to curb overdose deaths with supervised use sites and other controversial programs, said Brett Harris, president of the New York State Public Health Association and an associate professor in the University of Albany’s Department of Health Policy.

Harris said she’s not surprised that New York state, despite its ascent in life expectancy among states, would still drop from No. 33 to No. 41 by 2050 if ranked as a nation, according to the analysis.

“I think part of that is how individualistic we are in this country, the idea of always trying to get ahead, versus more of a community-based environment in other countries,” Harris said. “Their social policies tend to be better for health outcomes. If you live in more of a family environment versus an individualistic environment, that builds in more support.”

West Virginia’s sparse population and rural poverty make it harder to get health care. It’s also hard to get past community and political skepticism about health measures, said Brian Huggins, health officer for Monongalia County, West Virginia. Huggins has worked with other county health officials to advocate for stricter anti-smoking laws and to maintain school vaccination mandates in the face of opposition.

“It hurts to see West Virginia ranked at the bottom. We’re a proud state,” said Huggins, adding that life expectancy there also is hampered by lack of economic opportunity that drives young, healthy residents to move away. A plethora of concerns include a lack of sidewalks that make healthy walking more hazardous, and a dietary culture that does not include vegetables; both promote obesity.

Huggins also has seen conditions abroad. While stationed in Germany for the U.S. Army, he saw generous health provisions for Germans, such as two-week retreats with massages and sauna baths for those feeling stressed or burned out at work.

“Their goal in Germany is they want you back at work. Prevention and keeping a healthy workforce are their priority because that contributes to the economy,” said Huggins. “On the other hand, they have built a tax system to support this. You pay like an 18% tax on everything you buy there — that would not be something Americans would necessarily accept.” Germany’s valued-added tax, now 19%, applies to most goods and services.

Life expectancy dropped two years in a row during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a national drop of more than 1.8 years between 2019 and 2020, from 79.1 to 77.3 years. Recovery will not be complete until this year, according to the projections, with slow progress predicted until 2050 — when the national life expectancy will be about 80.4 years.

Some of the states that recovered fastest from the pandemic were North Dakota, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, where life expectancy gained about a year between 2019 and 2024. Twenty-four states still haven’t regained their 2019 life expectancy.

The District of Columbia, which is not a state, had a lower life expectancy than all 50 states in 1990, but this year it ranks 23. Ali Mokdad, an author of the study and the chief strategy officer for population health at the University of Washington, said D.C.’s improvement is at least partly due to an influx of more affluent and well-educated people since 1990.

Most states that were in the top 10 in 1990 have fallen out: Colorado (from No. 7 to 11), Iowa (from No. 4 to 17), Kansas (from No. 8 to 36), Nebraska (from No. 9 to 19), South Dakota (from No. 10 to 21) and Utah (falling from No. 2 to 12).

Those new to the top 10 in 2024 compared with 1990 are: Massachusetts (from No. 13 to 2), New York (as mentioned from No. 39 to 3), California (from No. 24 to 4), New Jersey (from No. 26 to 6), Rhode Island (from No. 19 to 8), and Washington state (from No. 14 to 10).

Urban concentrations of people are important to long life because of the availability of top-flight care, said Mokdad.

“I’m very close to the hospital [in Seattle] and I have health insurance. But is that true for everyone in Washington state? You might live two or three hours from Seattle, so even for people of my income and education level it’s not the same,” Mokdad said.

Quality care and insurance also are important, Mokdad said, to ensure that problems such as obesity and high blood pressure are noted and controlled.

“You see obesity in many areas, especially the Southern states, has increased tremendously and while smoking has dropped in rich areas, it has stuck around in other communities. This is explaining many of these [state differences] — what we call preventable risk factors,” Mokdad said.

“There’s an increase in life expectancy but a lot of people are still left behind,” Mokdad said.

The program, launched this year, is the first nationally to mimic some in 140 other nations that offer cash subsidies for child health, according to the article. The success of similar, temporary child tax credits early in the pandemic has prompted other states to adopt or expand their own tax credits for young mothers.

“We increasingly know that what happens in early childhood can impact life expectancy,” said Dr. Mona Hanna, a Flint pediatrician who founded the program, called Rx Kids. It relies on state help, in the form of permission to use federal funds, as well as private donations.

Michigan included $20 million in its state budget for next year to expand the program to other cities as well as to mostly white, rural counties in the state’s Upper Peninsula. The program grants $1,500 to expectant mothers plus $500 a month for the first year of the baby’s life.

“This is a concrete solution to conquer these place-based disparities and inequities,” Hanna said. “The stress of being born into poverty can lead to things like prematurity and low birth weight. Moms are more likely to have stress and maybe smoke. I see it every day. Families can’t make it to the doctor because they don’t have transportation. They have trouble eating healthy food because it’s too expensive.”

Rural areas in West Virginia could benefit from similar programs to address the state’s issues with poverty, aging and reliance on declining industries like coal, said Darren Liu, a health policy professor at the School of Public Health at West Virginia University.

To get more access to care for rural residents, the state should expand telemedicine, deploy more mobile clinics and offer student loan forgiveness for health care workers in rural areas, Liu told Stateline in an email.

Huggins, the county health officer in West Virginia, said money is a problem despite new federal guidelines that mandate many health screenings at no cost for insured patients. Often low-income patients get screenings but can’t afford to treat disabling conditions such as the knee and back pain they get from manual labor jobs.

“Because of the barriers that insurance companies put up, because they have to be profitable, I think that’s another reason why West Virginia is ranking low,” Huggins said. “That’s a barrier that we have to try to figure out. Almost any insurance now has well over a $1,000 deductible.”

©2024 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

He was trying to get me to think this move was a good thing.

At the age of 14, I had never had a chile relleno before, so I had nothing to compare them to. After eating this local treasure, I thought all chile rellenos had a wonderful ground beef filling in a long chile with a crispy coating served on top of a yellow queso.

But after graduating high school, I began ordering chile rellenos in restaurants in other cities and was disappointed. Cheese on the inside, a soft batter, covered in a chile sauce. None were like Lorene’s.

I soon realized Lorene’s relleno was the outlier. Yet to me, any chile relleno is better than any other Tex-Mex food as long as I can at least taste the chile beneath all the batter and cheese. And most of the time, what I was being served was a traditional relleno experience.

Since then, I’ve tried different versions, including one with raisins and pecans in it — a newfangled version of an old-fashioned picadillo variety. I have had the roasted poblano stuffed with cheese and one stuffed with chicken, both with no batter coating. Sometimes, the relleno is wrapped in either a tortilla or egg roll wrapper and fried. Sometimes I’ll order crispy, and it will come smothered, kinda softening the outer shell. I’ve even suggested that The Denver Post have a contest to find the best relleno. So far, my local favorite — a poblano stuffed with Oaxaca cheese — is from Machete Tequilas + Tacos, at 3570 E. Colfax Ave.

But Lorene’s relleno remains the one to beat. There was no visit home to Texas that didn’t involve at least one stop there near the circle drive on the north side of Borger, Texas. You would always run into someone you knew from the surrounding towns of Fritch or Stinnett.

In Colorado, a friend once drove me to a restaurant in Loveland to try its rellenos. They were great, and it was definitely worth the drive, but they were not the same. Did anybody make them like Lorene? Is it a regional difference? There was only one person to ask: Lorene Richardson.

Turns out Lorene retired at the age of 92; she will be 97 in February. Her children carried on the torch and now serve their mom’s favorite recipes to the community at Village Kids restaurant in Borger. Daughter Shelia Melton said her mom is still going strong.

Lorene’s opened in the 1960s. “My pop and his brother-in-law came up with the recipes,” Melton said. For the relleno, her dad came up with the secret ingredient for the batter. And I mean secret. The family owners mix the dry ingredients, and the staff has only to add the wet ingredients. They use Anaheim peppers, but have used Hatch peppers as well.

Melton said an employee once worked hard to try to figure out the recipe.

“She thought she had it down. She took it to a local restaurant here,” Shelia said, laughing. “She didn’t have it,” she scoffed.

Well, I don’t have it down either. But in my efforts, I came up with my second favorite version. And hopefully, with more practice, they will be as pretty as Lorene’s. But they will never be the same.

Crispy Chile Relleno with Ground Beef

Barbara Ellis, features coordinator at The Denver Post and a pretty good sous chef, helped me work out this recipe. I wanted a crisp but light batter on the outside, and wanted to taste the chile above everything else. So, we made a fine ground beef filling without overwhelming seasonings. To save time and effort, we used jarred queso, which worked great for our purposes. Remember, the point here is to have it lightly battered.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

6 large or 8 medium Anaheim peppers, long and straight

1 pound ground beef, 80 to 85%

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 serrano peppers, seeded and diced

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Vegetable oil

Fish fry mix, such as McCormick Golden Dipt Fish Fry Mix

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

Jar of yellow queso, for serving

Directions

Roast the peppers, over an open flame on a gas stove, on the grill, or in the oven under the broiler. Roast until skin is charred and then sweat the peppers inside a plastic bag for 15 to 30 minutes, until skin peels off easily. (It’s OK if some black char stays on the pepper, as long as most of the skin is removed so that the batter can stick to the pepper.)

Brown the ground beef with onion, diced serrano peppers, garlic, cumin, onion powder, garlic, salt and pepper. You can add more salt to taste. Break up the ground beef finely to make it easier to stuff into the pepper.

Cut a slit near the top of the pepper, slicing through the inner seed pocket, without slicing through the bottom of the pepper. Then make a small vertical slit. Remove the seed pocket near the top, being careful not to rip too much pepper open.

Stuff the peppers, carefully, with the ground beef mixture. Use long toothpicks to close the peppers for frying.

Beat eggs with milk in a bowl long enough to accommodate the peppers.

Pour 1 to 2 cups fry mix into another bowl (also long enough for the peppers.) You can add more fry mix as you go.

Heat vegetable oil, about an inch deep, in pan or electric skillet.

Place peppers in egg mixture and spoon around the peppers to get them coated, but avoid getting egg mixture inside the pepper. Batter the peppers with the fry mix, also avoiding the inside of the pepper.

Fry in the skillet until crisp and brown, again avoiding getting oil in the interior. We used tongs and hold the peppers up while frying.

To serve, heat the queso and place on a plate in a long strip to place the pepper on. Remove toothpicks and serve.

Note: We used our same fry technique and batter to make cheese-stuffed poblano peppers, which made a great accompaniment to our beef-stuffed pepper. Using blocks of Oaxaca cheese stuffed in poblanos was easier to work with and we didn’t need the toothpicks to hold the sturdier poblano together. We served these topped with salsa.

New York is fortunate to have a variety of Japanese restaurants that can really hold their own, with 19 having at least one Michelin star, and one (Masa) even holding the restaurant guide’s elusive three-star rating. Speaking of Michelin stars, the small Nolita izakaya subject to today’s review is owned by chef Daisuke Nakazawa of one Michelin-star Sushi Nakazawa.

While Saito might not have a Michelin star — at least not yet — they do have, in my humble opinion, one of the best Japanese menus in the city. Japanese cuisine shines in its simplicity and freshness, and Saito has a no-frills approach to highlighting ingredients as they are while keeping the atmosphere playful and unpretentious.

That brings me right to the bluefin tuna rib, or bluefin tuna nakaochi. As the name suggests, this dish is quite literally a tuna rib, bone and all. It is served raw, alongside an empty clamshell and some nori sheets as utensils for eating this unique take on Japanese tuna. I brought a friend with me to split the delicate piece of fish, and we got some accompaniments to match.

We started with the grilled shishito peppers. In addition to the bluefin tuna nakaochi, we ordered two taco-style hand rolls  — one tuna and one amberjack — and a sashimi assortment for two. At the very last minute, we added the Washu beefsteak.

The shishito peppers were easy to snack on with a nice hit of salt thanks to both the crystalized soy sauce and dried bonito flakes. The taco-style hand rolls are perfectly fine, and I had a fond appreciation for the crispness of the nori sheets that served as the “taco shell.” That said, if you’re going to order sashimi and the bluefin tuna nakaochi, I would say they’re not entirely necessary.

As for the tuna rib, it’s fairly priced at $32. It truly looks massive on the plate — the bone is quite tall and gives the nakaochi a dramatic height. It’s one of the most showstopping dishes I’ve seen in quite some time, and what I love about it is that’s it’s not trying to be anything more than what it is: raw tuna on a rib. But with its naturally bright pink meat and exposed bone contrasting with the black plate, this dish is bound to turn every head in the restaurant when it comes out.

You’re given the clamshell to scoop the tuna meat right off the bone. I am a big fan of playing with my food, so I was giddy like a schoolgirl at this prospect. As I scooped, I was surprised to see the meat does not go as deep as the rib’s massive size would have you think; it’s actually quite a thin piece of tuna. I tried the first bite without any soy sauce or nori. The meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender, perhaps because it’s so close to the bone. The taste is mild and delicate. With the addition of nori and just a small hit of soy and wasabi, I could’ve popped a good amount in my mouth, like potato chips or popcorn, no problem.

Washu (or Washugyu) is a cut of beef that comes from cattle that have never been treated with growth hormones. I’ve admitted over here at NYC Hidden Dining Gems that I really don’t get the hype around steak. I seldom order it and would choose a burger or even a slice of pizza over a steak any day. I can now confidently say that’s because I’ve never had Washu before.

While I came for the tuna rib, the Washugyu was my favorite bite at Saito by a long shot. It’s so perfectly tender, with edges scored in a way that really allowed all of that marbled fat to render, creating a bite that can best be described as caramelized, buttery meat. The menu reads “market price,” but ours only came to $38. To get a steak that tender for such a good deal, especially when I’ve paid more for a burger in New York, ensures I’ll be coming back to Saito again and again.

My final verdict on Saito is that while the tuna rib is what got me through the door, the Washugyu is what will keep me coming back.

• Address: 72 Kenmare St, New York, N.Y. 10012
• Phone: (646) 590-2969
• Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; closed Sundays and Mondays
• Prices: Appetizers: $6-$13; Crispy Rice: $10-$18; Sashimi: $9-$32; Taco-Style Hand Roll: $6-$20; From the Land: $23-MP; From the Ocean: $18-$32; Rice and Noodle: $18-$35; Dessert: $6
• No takeout, no delivery; reservations accepted.

Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations

Traybakes are valued for their simplicity. Everything cooks at the same temperature for the same amount of time, which doesn’t always translate to complex flavor development. But convenience doesn’t have to be boring and bland. A mix of honey, paprika and roasted orange delivers deep sweetness balanced by tangy citrus and hints of smokiness in this ultra-easy chicken traybake.

Even the knife-work is minimal in this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year.” You’ll only need to trim the chicken, quarter an orange and cut the vegetables into wedges. Don’t forget to pat the chicken dry to wick away excess moisture that would prevent the honey-oil mixture from clinging while also inhibiting flavorful browning.

In addition to smoked paprika, orange zest and cayenne are added to the honey mixture to bring brightness and heat. Sweet potatoes and onions round out the meal.

After you transfer the roasted chicken and vegetables to a platter, the drippings that remain on the baking sheet are combined with softened butter and the juice squeezed from the roasted orange, so not a single drop of flavor is left behind.

The ingredients come together into a glossy, savory-sweet sauce that will make dinner taste far more labor-intensive than it was. Pour half the sauce over the chicken and vegetables; serve the remainder on the side.

Smoky Chicken and Sweet Potato Traybake

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Grated zest of 1 orange, orange cut into quarters

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

½ to ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry

2 medium sweet potatoes (1 pound total), cut lengthwise into ¾-inch wedges

1 small red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges, with root end intact

2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 2 pieces, room temperature

Directions:

Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the middle position. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, oil, orange zest, paprika, cayenne (if using), 1½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the chicken, sweet potatoes and onion. Drizzle on the honey mixture and rub it into the chicken and vegetables. Arrange the chicken skin up in a single layer in the center, then arrange the vegetables in an even layer around the chicken. Place an orange quarter, cut side up, in each corner of the baking sheet. Roast until spotty brown and the thickest part of the thighs reach 175°F, 30 to 35 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter; tent with foil. With the tongs, squeeze the juice from the orange quarters onto the baking sheet; discard the quarters. Add the butter and whisk, scraping up any browned bits, until melted and combined with the pan juices. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour half of the sauce over the chicken and vegetables; serve the remainder on the side.

The holidays are often about indulgence – relaxed time with loved ones, good food and delicious beverages. If you are looking for indulgence without alcohol this year, mocktails are a tasty and festive way to drink soberly. Here’s how to plan and prepare festive non-alcoholic or NA drinks for the holidays.

Sipping a creative mocktail is a great way to enjoy some festive cheer, whether for a Christmas party or a quiet night during a busy holiday season. Mocktails will be the drink of choice this year at many holiday gatherings. With drinks that taste great, look festive and let you have a chug without the challenges of alcohol, mocktails are the perfect way to liven up the season.

Why mocktails will be on trend this winter

Alcohol has traditionally been a part of the holiday season. Drinking at parties, enjoying a glass of wine at a dinner, giving gifts of wine or spirits and seasonal drinks have made alcohol a quintessential part of the holidays for some.

But it isn’t for everyone. More and more people are avoiding alcohol entirely or cutting back. Lifestyle changes or health concerns inspire some to go sober. Others are simply curious or looking to support sober family and friends. Particularly during the holidays, limiting alcohol can prevent overindulgence and help you stay fully present for holiday memories.

Mocktails – mixed drinks made without alcohol – are the perfect answer for those embracing sobriety at this time of year. Non-alcoholic alternatives have been growing in popularity in recent years. The market for non-alcoholic beverages increased by 33% last year, topping out at over $300 million, according to Greenbook. As people embrace NA beers, wine and spirits, mocktails have become more creative and the options more varied.

Mocktails have fun and festive ingredients without using any liquor, making them a delicious addition to any holiday drink menu. They are also a great way to experiment with seasonal flavors and mixology in a way everyone can partake of.

Essential ingredients and tools for holiday mocktails

Stock your bar with the essentials as you plan a holiday mocktail menu. Your favorite ingredients and flavors are a great place to start. From there, you can add traditional winter flavors and garnishes or use the holidays to experiment with new flavors.

Zero-proof spirits and non-alcoholic basics

The base of your mocktails will likely be a non-alcoholic spirit or other cocktail basics. The number of NA spirits has exploded in recent years and you will find non-alcoholic gin, whiskey, vodka, tequila and more. Botanical spirits also bring unique flavors that can mix well with winter ingredients.

You may also want to stock up on sparkling water, ginger beer, simple syrup, kombucha and other mixers. You can purchase them or make your own. Infused simple syrup is easy to make and adds seasonal flavors to mocktails.

Seasonal flavors

For winter flavors, you can’t go wrong with seasonal fruits or warm spices. Apple, citrus, pumpkin, cranberry and pomegranate are bright and sweet for holiday mocktails. Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and clove are more savory and comforting. Having a variety on hand will let you make different kinds of mocktails.

Garnishes for a festive presentation

For restaurant-quality mocktails, finish your drinks off with a beautiful garnish. Cinnamon sugar rims, rosemary sprigs, citrus peels and candy canes are cute and festive. Shaped ice cubes or adding garnishes like cranberries before freezing are a nice touch.

Tools for exceptional mocktails

With any mixology, having the right tools will improve the experience of preparing and serving drinks. A cocktail shaker is a must, while a long-handled bar spoon, jigger, strainer, juicer and muddler will be helpful depending on the types of drinks you’ll be making.

The right glassware will also elevate your mocktails. Fancy glassware makes mocktails more fun. If you will be drinking hot drinks, festive mugs are a great way to serve them.

Winter-inspired mocktail recipes for your holiday season

This year, explore non-alcoholic versions of classic drinks and try inventive new mocktails highlighting seasonal flavor. All of your favorite drinks can be made with NA spirits. Hot drinks like mulled wine or a hot toddy are warming on cold nights. For a party, try an orange cranberry sangria mocktail.

For new mocktails, lean on seasonal flavors like cranberry or blood orange. A Christmas gin mocktail brings both together with NA gin for a beautiful ruby drink that will put you instantly in the Christmas spirit.

Hosting a festive gathering with sober options

If you are hosting any holiday parties this year, adding some non-alcoholic options to your cooler or bar cart will help make all of your guests feel included. Start by stocking up on NA spirits, wine and beers. Also get the ingredients for your favorite mocktails, such as sparkling water, simple syrup and festive flavors and garnishes.

You can also prepare a menu of themed mocktails. This is an exciting way for guests to choose their drinks and can help sober-curious guests explore NA options. Pick flavors that will complement any food you serve to create the perfect menu. A mix of sweet, savory and refreshing drinks ensures you have something for every taste.

For a more interactive experience, set up a mocktail bar and let guests mix their own drinks. Include essential ingredients and tools on your mocktail bar, as well as recipe cards. Exploring DIY mixology will likely be a highlight of your party.

Pulling the focus of a party away from drinking will also create a more inclusive gathering. Plenty of appetizers let people keep their hands busy during cocktail hour. Try festive snacks like spiced nuts or Christmas bruschetta. Games or other activities provide laughter and entertainment without drinking.

Drink and be merry this holiday season with mocktails

Delectable mocktails with seasonal flavors and festive garnishes are the best way to welcome the holidays. Whether you are staying sober this year or just want a tasty drink without imbibing, stock up your mocktail bar cart with your favorite ingredients and enjoy the holiday cheer with every sip.

Ksenia Prints is a food writer, blogger, photographer and recipe developer from Montreal, Canada. She blogs at My Mocktail Forest, a blog focused on fun, flirty non-alcoholic drinks and recipes for entertaining.