Michael La Corte

Jersey, Woodland Park

Deputy Food Editor at Salon

Food + recipe writer, turophile, voracious coffee consumer | often blathering about food, NJ, Italian and Italian-American cuisine, music/movies/TV, & my dog.

Articles

Sticky, sweet, spicy, perfect: The ultimate holiday ham glaze guide

6 days ago | salon.com | Michael La Corte

When I was growing up, my father was obsessed with Krakus ham. My mom would make it every Easter and New Year’s Day, spiked with whole cloves and topped with a handful of brown sugar. After some time in the oven, perfuming the entire house, the ham would emerge crispy and crackly on top—a perfect interplay of umami, sweetness, and spice. While I no longer eat ham, that memory suffused the warm, celebratory holidays of my childhood.
This carrot cake has grown up. Serve it to your loved ones this spring

1 week ago | salon.com | Michael La Corte

Carrot cake doesn’t usually ask for much. It’s a humble, nostalgic dessert—spiced and sweet, cozy under a thick blanket of cream cheese frosting. It shows up at Easter or maybe at a spring potluck, often slightly too sweet and overloaded with nuts or raisins. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if carrot cake could grow up? I wanted a version that leaned deeper into warmth and richness, less about sugary comfort and more about quiet complexity. A cake that lingered, if you will.
This carrot cake has grown up. Serve it to your loved ones this spring

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Michael La Corte

Carrot cake doesn’t usually ask for much. It’s a humble, nostalgic dessert—spiced and sweet, cozy under a thick blanket of cream cheese frosting. It shows up at Easter or maybe at a spring potluck, often slightly too sweet and overloaded with nuts or raisins. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if carrot cake could grow up? I wanted a version that leaned deeper into warmth and richness, less about sugary comfort and more about quiet complexity. A cake that lingered, if you will.
A cockroach walks into a tonic bar: Erewhon location reopens after health scare

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Michael La Corte

After a brief closure due to a "vermin infestation," the California upscale grocery store Erewhon store in Santa Monica has been reopened. According to Chelsea Hylton with CBS News, the store closed on April 8 due to a "major violation" from the county Environmental Health Facility Closure List. "This was an isolated occurrence, and we take it very seriously," an Erewhon spokesperson told the publication.
This carrot cake has grown up. Serve it to your loved ones this spring

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Michael La Corte

Michael La CorteTue, April 15, 2025 at 4:55 PM UTC7 min readCarrot cake doesn’t usually ask for much. It’s a humble, nostalgic dessert—spiced and sweet, cozy under a thick blanket of cream cheese frosting. It shows up at Easter or maybe at a spring potluck, often slightly too sweet and overloaded with nuts or raisins. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if carrot cake could grow up?
Pasta al limone is the bright, creamy pasta of spring

1 week ago | salon.com | Michael La Corte

Pasta al limone is an exercise in simplicity and restraint — a crash course in emulsification resulting in a bright, silky dish that makes for a perfect weeknight spring meal. Did that make you want to cook it tonight? Almost like a citrusy cousin to cacio e pepe, al limone is a bright spot in the canon of Italian and Italian American classics. Lemon is its defining flavor — not tomato, not cheese, not even the pasta itself. However you include it, lemon is what makes the dish the dish.
Pasta al limone is the bright, creamy pasta of spring

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Michael La Corte

Pasta al limone is an exercise in simplicity and restraint — a crash course in emulsification resulting in a bright, silky dish that makes for a perfect weeknight spring meal. Did that make you want to cook it tonight? Almost like a citrusy cousin to cacio e pepe, al limone is a bright spot in the canon of Italian and Italian American classics. Lemon is its defining flavor — not tomato, not cheese, not even the pasta itself. However you include it, lemon is what makes the dish the dish.
The key to making the fluffiest cream cheese frosting every time, without fail

1 week ago | salon.com | Michael La Corte

Planning to whip up a showstopping carrot cake for Easter? You’ll need a frosting that’s equally impressive — light and fluffy, yet rich and flavorful enough to steal the show. There’s something inherently joyful about a beautifully decorated cake. It draws out those delighted gasps and effusive praise: This cake is amazing! What’s in this frosting?!Because let’s be honest — the frosting is often what gets people talking.
The key to making the fluffiest cream cheese frosting every time, without fail

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Michael La Corte

Planning to whip up a showstopping carrot cake for Easter? You’ll need a frosting that’s equally impressive — light and fluffy, yet rich and flavorful enough to steal the show. There’s something inherently joyful about a beautifully decorated cake. It draws out those delighted gasps and effusive praise: This cake is amazing! What’s in this frosting?!Because let’s be honest — the frosting is often what gets people talking.
The key to making the fluffiest cream cheese frosting every time, without fail

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Michael La Corte

Planning to whip up a showstopping carrot cake for Easter? You’ll need a frosting that’s equally impressive — light and fluffy, yet rich and flavorful enough to steal the show. There’s something inherently joyful about a beautifully decorated cake. It draws out those delighted gasps and effusive praise: This cake is amazing! What’s in this frosting?!Because let’s be honest — the frosting is often what gets people talking.