91Ô­´´

A lot of flour is being sold during the COVID-19 pandemic — an indication that many folks have gone into pioneer mode and are making bread. Ask them what goes good with it and many will say butter.

Early this year — which seems like a lifetime ago, given what’s happened with the COVID-19 pandemic — my wife and I had a lovely little getaway in San Diego.

A number of readers have asked me to offer basic cooking techniques — skills they could learn or improve on while staying close to home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent column on menu planning for the COVID-19 crisis, I suggested home cooks include dishes that used ethnic ingredients.

As I noted in recent columns, many Times 91Ô­´´ readers have reached out to me and emailed suggestions on topics I could write about during the COVID-19 pandemic. Readers have also sent recipe requests and ideas.

The COVID-19 crisis is affecting how we cook and eat. Some ingredients normally well-stocked in grocery stores are becoming scarcer and we’re being forced to switch things up. I was reminded of that when plotting out recipes for this column.

Plus: A recipe for vegetable chowder soup, dressed as you like

A Times 91Ô­´´ reader, Kevin, sent me an email asking if I had any recipes not requiring ingredients that are consistently out of stock at grocery stores during the pandemic.

Judging by how little flour I saw for sale at supermarkets last week, it appears many people have stocked up.

Nancy, a Times 91Ô­´´ reader, asked if could do some columns that offered basic cooking skills and tips using simple ingredients, items you can likely find easily in grocery stores during the current COVID-19 pandemic.