Bill St. John

Bill St. John has written and taught about restaurants, food, cooking and wine for more than 40 years, locally for Rocky Mountain News, The Denver Post and KCNC-TV Channel 4, nationally for Chicago Tribune Newspapers and Wine & Spirits magazine. The Denver native lives in his hometown. Contact Bill St. John at bsjpost@gmail.com.

At its base, a khichdi recipe calls for a 50/50 blend of basmati rice and some sort of pulse (any lentil, split dried mung bean, chana, dried pigeon pea, or a combination). (Bill St. John, Special to The Denver Post)

Get Cooking: Start the year with an Indian khichdi

January 5, 2022 at 6:00 a.m.

One of the simpler of Indian dishes -- so simple that its main use in India is to soothe both infants and the ill 鈥� has spread itself globally under...

Winter squash can be a tough nut to crack — but is oh, so delicious

December 29, 2021 at 7:11 a.m.

Winter squash is such a metaphor for life, isn鈥檛 it? Crack through its carapace-like shell and it抖阴ap little more than raw, bitter flesh, stringy and seed-laden. You鈥檙e a tough nut...

It is festive to serve Christmas Lamb with green and red vegetables. (Bill St. John, Special to The Denver Post)

Get Cooking: How to roast the perfect Christmas lamb

December 22, 2021 at 9:11 a.m.

One of my brothers, Marc, lives overseas and is fond of cooking what the French call a 鈥済igot鈥� (leg of lamb) for Sunday dinners. I鈥檓 always amazed how much Dijon...

When chopping or dicing foods, curl the fingers of the opposite hand. Your knuckles will prevent cutting yourself. (Amy Brothers, Denver Post file)

Get Cooking: The basics of knife skills

December 7, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

The most important thing in your kitchen is also the simplest. It抖阴ap the knife.

Starting with whole spices can make them more influential in your cooking. Getty Images/iStock photo

Get Cooking: Reach ultimate flavor by cooking with whole spices

November 30, 2021 at 6:47 a.m.

I had a hunch that the instructor was correct when he stated that 鈥淚ndia produces 50 percent of the global spice trade.鈥� But nonetheless, I checked with my go-to source...

Use up leftover Thanksgiving dinner potatoes for latkes. (Bill St. John, Special to The Denver Post)

Get Cooking: How to get creative with Thanksgiving leftovers

November 24, 2021 at 6:00 a.m.

The microwave helps with Turkey Day leftovers. But so does the imagination. I鈥檝e developed and tested a couple of recipes that stretch Thanksgiving dinner into a few new meals down...

Bill St. John offers his dad's mashed potatoes recipe and Gene Amole's stuffing. (Getty Images)

Get Cooking: Dad’s mashed potatoes, Gene Amole’s stuffing and a turkey-roasting video

November 16, 2021 at 8:48 a.m.

Gene Amole, the late and much-beloved Denver native, radio DJ and Rocky Mountain News columnist, wrote many dozens of columns for that sadly departed newspaper, but the one with his...

Mirepoix鈥攁 mix of celery, carrots and onions鈥攎ay be chopped large or small, depending on how the cook uses it. (Bill St. John, Special to The Denver Post)

Get Cooking: How to prep to make Thanksgiving easier

November 10, 2021 at 6:00 a.m.

In a typical year -- two of which we haven鈥檛 seen of late 鈥� Thanksgiving Day dinner is often the largest family meal that a cook prepares. It's the most...

Get Cooking: If you love garlic, it loves you back

November 3, 2021 at 6:21 a.m.

In its way, I think of garlic as the most human of the vegetables.

Bowls of steaming Homemade Chinese Hot and Sour Soup. (Bill St. John, Special to The Denver Post)

Get Cooking: Chinese takeout that you can make at home

October 27, 2021 at 6:00 a.m.

Learn how to make homemade Chinese Hot and Sour Soup with this simple recipes.

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