My Madison Bistro

When I was growing up, my parents made steak fondue every New Year’s Eve. It really was the perfect night: a relaxed dinner, followed by games and watching Dick Clark (at least, when my brother and I were able stay up that late). At any rate, we loved it much more than going out in […]

I recently made an oven version of mushroom risotto. It was good, but not perfect, so I’ll work to perfect the timing before I post it. One thing that kind of stood out, however, was that the flavor wasn’t as round as usual. The only difference, other than the cooking technique? I used store bought […]

There are two things that signal the transition from spring to summer for me: the changing dynamic of the farmers’ market, with the end of tomatoes and zucchini, and the influx of apples and winter squash; and the transition in my garden from summer flowers to my mums. September and October mark my favorite time […]

I’m a creature of habit. Whereas some people find a routine to be stifling, to me, it’s relaxing and calming. In the summer, my Saturday routine used to be 1) large grocery store for dry goods, 2) farmer’s market, and finally a quick stop at 3) the local market. After cleaning up produce and putting […]