Wine & Words

Any easy gift for Valentine's Day.

When in France, lamb inspired thoughts of chili. When making chili, lamb inspired thoughts of France.

Over the years, I’ve tried dozens of these chili incarnations, but the one kind I had yet to try was lamb chili.

Recipe for lamb-and-white-bean chili.

The perfect, easy thing to make for the people you love. Melissa Clark shows how to make chocolate truffles.

Tips on buying and cooking fennel.

The licorice-scented bulb is delicious raw, but when baked with Italian cheese, bread crumbs and herbs, it becomes a crisp, golden and fragrant side dish or main course.

A recipe for fennel al forno.

Sol Mar specializes in cuisine from Brazil and Portugal.

The chef at Upstairs, in Upper Montclair, is a humble sort, but his restaurant has started to attract a lot of attention, rewarding diners with something new and fresh every few weeks.

Vinoco, which opened nearly a year ago, is tiny, but once you get a table you feel exceptionally lucky.

Three confectioneries in western Connecticut offer everything from truffles to turtles.

This earthy and nutritious dish stays moist with a little cooking water from the grains.

A West Coast chef takes the farm-to-table ethic to new extremes.

Dr. Jan Chozen Bays, a pediatrician who writes about eating thoughtfully, fields reader comments and questions.

They will open a restaurant this fall on Park Avenue and 26th Street.

With a little practice and a little added flavor, a humble chicken breast can be anything you want.

Don’t toss out the barley cooking water: It adds flavor and texture to these sautéed vegetables.

Valentine’s Day gifts at New Amsterdam market; Scotch tasting at the Brandy Library; exploring Mexican food in Diego Rivera’s time at the 92Y Tribeca; and other events.

Empellón Cocina, Alex Stupak’s second Mexican restaurant, opens in the East Village, and Ted & Honey Cafe opens at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.