If you've ever wondered if paying big bucks for Champagne is really worth it when there are Cavas, Crémants and other sparkling wines at much lower, budget-friendly prices. Will you really taste the difference? After drinking a very expensive Champagne last year and not really … [Read more...] about Champagne, Cava, Crémant and Sparkling Wine: The Most Expensive Aren’t Always Worth the Price
Fermentation Spring Cleaning: Homemade Soymilk, Soy Yogurt, and Soy Okara Tempeh
I get really good at doing multi-day cooking projects when I'm procrastinating, like this soy bean okra tempeh. Hence why I wanted to use up the tempeh starter I'd ordered from Cultures for Health, plus the organic soybeans I'd gotten from...somewhere (that's how long they were … [Read more...] about Fermentation Spring Cleaning: Homemade Soymilk, Soy Yogurt, and Soy Okara Tempeh
On a Hunt for Mezcal, Bacanora, Tequila, Tepary Beans, and Green Hatch Chili Powder in Tucson, AZ
I should split this post into three posts, to give the Mezcal, Tequila, and Bacanora I tried room to shine, but instead, I'm going to think of agave-based booze, high-protein Arizona tepary beans, and sweet-and-subtly spicy green hatch chili powder as the three brothers of … [Read more...] about On a Hunt for Mezcal, Bacanora, Tequila, Tepary Beans, and Green Hatch Chili Powder in Tucson, AZ
How (and how not) to Harvest Date Palms
Did you know that date palms grow in Arizona? Think of all those expensive dates that you could be harvesting directly from the tree instead of buying at the grocery store! If you look up – way up – at the right time of year, the fronds will be laden with think, juicy, sugary … [Read more...] about How (and how not) to Harvest Date Palms
Gluten-Free Oreo Cake: Sometimes You Just Need to Make a Ridiculous Layer Cake
How many times have you twisted the top chocolate cookie off an Oreo? Me, probably a hundred times. I used to love the double stuffed ones. I'd take off the top, lick off about 80% of the filling, then crunch into the bottom cookie with the remaining filling for that subjectively … [Read more...] about Gluten-Free Oreo Cake: Sometimes You Just Need to Make a Ridiculous Layer Cake
Chaat Masala-Spiced Chicken Wings and Cherry Bomb Peppers: Stinky Feet and Crispy Skin
"You'll know which jar is the garam masala and which is the chaat masala because the chaat is the one that smells funky," I explained to my mom, who was worried by having to distinguish between two unmarked jars in her cupboard. To me, the different was as clear as night and day. … [Read more...] about Chaat Masala-Spiced Chicken Wings and Cherry Bomb Peppers: Stinky Feet and Crispy Skin
I Can Always Smell Papaya
When you have a papaya ripening on your counter for two weeks, you get to know the nuance of the aroma of papaya. How to describe the smell is tricky, though. There's a floral softness, a musky bouquet that makes me dreaming of biting into a juicy, pink-fleshed piece. The … [Read more...] about I Can Always Smell Papaya
Figs, Democracy, and Sardines: Food and a Room With a View in Glyfada and Athens, Greece
"What was the highlight of today for you?" my mom asked me after touring the Ancient Agora, in Athens, Greece, hiking up a hill for a panoramic view complete with an under-construction Parthenon, and spooking around the outside of the Acropolis museum. I thought for a bit, … [Read more...] about Figs, Democracy, and Sardines: Food and a Room With a View in Glyfada and Athens, Greece
Taco for a Shot: My Article on Food Incentives to Vaccination in the Montreal Gazette
My latest article in the Montreal got a different name than the one I'd originally pitched. Titled "Why Aren't Quebec restaurants Using Free Food as a Vaccination Incentive?" instead of "Taco for a Shot." The straightforward question as a title certainly gets the point … [Read more...] about Taco for a Shot: My Article on Food Incentives to Vaccination in the Montreal Gazette
Summer 2021: Easy Pickled Corn, Hazelnut Dukkah and Dehydrated Currants
Oh dear, where has the time gone? If I were Catholic, I feel as though I'd be starting this blog post with a "It's been months since I've written a recipe post ... " before launching into the virtues of pickled corn chow chow. Instead, I'll just be pleading mea culpa for … [Read more...] about Summer 2021: Easy Pickled Corn, Hazelnut Dukkah and Dehydrated Currants