A Perfect Summer Chili We call it chili, shortening the name from its original, chili con carne, the dish chuck wagon cooks in the Southwest made to feed the he-man appetites of cowboys working cattle at the ranch and out on the range.

Entertaining The Perfect Dish For warm-weather entertaining, I like colorful dishes that can be made ahead. I favor those flexible enough to accommodate spur-of-the-moment gatherings and variations based on what looks good at the market or happens to be on hand.

Easy And Healthful Pâté For Today's Lifestyle Back when gourmet dining meant French food, and The French Chef was our sole culinary media star, making pâté from scratch, along with whipping up a soufflé and baking a crusty baguette, were considered the marks of an accomplished home cook.

Mexican Tomatillo Soup Shows Regional Flavor As Mexican cooking has become increasingly popular, chefs have taken to exploring its regional aspects. A refreshing example of this, both for its flavor and unexpected use of common Mexican ingredients, is a soup created by restauranteur Bob Kinkead.

Celebrating the Year of the Rooster The Chinese New Year begins at the second new moon after the winter solstice, on February 9th, and is celebrated until the full moon on the 24th. 2005 is the Year of the Rooster.

Monkfish Makes an Elegant Dinner Called lotte in France, monkfish is also sometimes known as poor man's lobster because its pearly white color and unflaky texture vaguely resemble the meat of a lobster tail.

Citrus Zest Made Simple Walk into a room after someone has peeled an orange, and the fragrance is positively uplifting. This instant aromatherapy comes from essential oils in the zest.

Savoring the Slow-Cooked Meal Braising is one-pot cooking that is tenderizing, aromatic, incredibly flavorful and easy. Includes recipe for Indian-Style Braised Chicken.

From Venice, A Feast For The Holidays Despite the influence of American fast food that has spread across the globe, Italian cooking remains distinctively national as well as regional. Includes recipe for Venetian Fish Stew.

Power Up Your Sandwiches Health reports regularly tell us how eating a variety of foods - especially plant-based foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans - can help keep us in good health. The sandwich is one of the easiest ways to do that. Includes recipe for Turkey, Spinach and Apple Wrap.

Rustic French Cooking During a winter I spent in Paris, I cooked hefty soups and stews constantly to drive out the damp chill, and because they were easy to assemble in my so-called kitchen, truly a closet where the stove consisted of a double electric hot plate. Includes recipe for French Country Bean Soup.

Discover Armenian Kufta Armenian cooking is probably unknown to you, but sample it and you'll discover it is surprisingly familiar. The flavors reflect the influences of neighboring Turkey, the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia and the Persian food of northern Iran. Includes recipe for Chickpea Kufte with Walnut Filling.

Salmon & Sweet Potatoes? Super Fishcakes! To broaden fishcakes' appeal and maximize their nutritious health protection, I have created an unusual combination with Salmon and Sweet Potato Fishcakes.

Transforming Fennel Once an ethnic and seasonal ingredient found only at Italian greengrocers from September to May, fennel now appears in many supermarkets through most of the year. Includes recipe for Chicken with Fennel and Red Peppers.