Donna Maurillo
Food columnist
Donna Maurillo writes the Food for Thought column for the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Recent articles
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Local food
Food for Thought: Burrito is magic, regardless of who invented
Some folks claim that burritos are not an authentic Mexican food. These same folks say that spaghetti isn’t really Italian, and chop suey isn’t really Chinese. But honestly, who cares? If you like it, does it matter where it came from? Just learn to make a good burrito, and you won’t care if it’s Mexican, Texan or Californian.The name “burrito” is rooted in the Spanish word for burro. Probably the roll-up resembles the packs that burros...
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Local food
Food for Thought: Taste buds not always a good bud
I hate beets. I mean, I really hate beets. No matter how many times I’ve tried to like them, they just hit my palate the wrong way, making me scream, “No! A thousand times, no!”Liver is another thing I cannot eat. If you tied me to a chair and told me I couldn’t leave until I ate a forkful of liver, I’d starve first. For other people, it’s Brussels sprouts, or broccoli, or something else that other people happen to love.So,...
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Leisure travel
Sea what I found: Joy of cruises catches many first-timers by surprise
Some places are best introduced on a cruise ship. I once thought I’d love to spend a month on Martinique. But after taking my first cruise in 1983 to the eastern Caribbean, I learned that I much preferred St. Maarten. Nicer people and prettier beaches.I’d also wanted to see Alaska. The drive, however, would have been daunting. And so many of the settlements are miles and miles apart. Again, cruising gave me what I wanted but without the long stretches of lonely...
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Local food
Food for Thought: Magic Cake — watch it disappear
What’s this about “Magic Cake?” Lately I’ve been seeing several versions popping up online. No, I haven’t tried it yet because I’m afraid I’ll eat the whole thing. But given the high ratings it’s been receiving, Magic Cake is high on my bucket list.Everyone seems to be going nuts about it because the cake has three distinct layers — sponge cake, custard and a dense layer at the bottom. But the best part is that you make...
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Local food
Food for Thought: Let science improve your cooking
We’re told that, to keep chicken from sticking in a frying pan, use plenty of oil and high heat. But suppose we want to make gravy or a sauce? For that, we’d want plenty of “stuff” — called fond — stuck to the bottom of the pan.In that case, fry with less oil, wet the skin, and use lower heat. You’ll get plenty of good fond to mix into the developing gravy.If you’re blending liquids with a whisk, using a circular stirring...
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Local food
Food for Thought: Breakfast at the harbor
When my neighbors Hank and Sharon Schoenbeck told me about breakfast at the Crow’s Nest, I was puzzled. Really? I’ve been to the Nest for lunch, dinner, beverages and dancing. But I never knew that they served breakfast.So we headed on down one weekday morning, and I was pleasantly surprised. First, we had a table right up near the beach and the harbor channel, where a couple of dolphins provided brief entertainment. (Don’t you just love living in Santa...
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Local food
Food for Thought: Pick your pizza, fresh or frozen
As we were noshing on some frozen pizza the other night, we were talking about the comparison between store-bought and pizzeria versions. Our frozen DiGiorno Rising Crust was fine for a Saturday evening watching TV. In fact, Consumer Reports says it’s one of the best.But The Daily Meal website rated pizzerias all over the country and picked the Top 101. Of course, most were in the Northeast — Boston, New York, Philadelphia and so on. Just squeaking in at 101st place was...
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Local food
Food for Thought: Yes, there’s a reason those in Europe tend to be much thinner
When I was in Italy — almost any place in Europe, really — I noticed that there were very few overweight people. OK, maybe some of the older folks will put on a few pounds as they age. But young and middle-age people are thinner than those in the U.S.Part of that is because they aren’t so car-centric. We drive everywhere. In fact, we can’t even leave our cars on the far side of the parking lot because it’s too far to walk.But eating habits are...
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Local food
Food for Thought: Bread, bread and more bread
When I was a newlywed in the mid-1960s, my then husband would take off for the military base every morning, and I’d be left at home. Once the bed was made and the dishes washed, I didn’t have much to do. So I hit on the idea of baking bread. It involved a few hours, most of it letting the dough rise, but it kept me busy.The Key West heat was perfect for letting the dough rise on the kitchen table. Or I’d place the bowl in our Karmann Ghia with the windows rolled...
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Local food
Food for Thought: Hungry Girl great for anyone who’s hungry, really
We had brunch recently with Duf Fischer and Paula Brink Towle at their Aptos home, and I begged for the secret to her frittata. Actually, I didn’t have to do much begging. Paula gladly sent me the recipe from Hungry Girl.Because I’d just had gallbladder surgery, she concentrated on low-fat ingredients. But rather than taste bland, the entire meal was incredible. The frittata was made from Egg Beaters, low-fat cheese and butternut squash. Then Paula baked it in muffin...
