Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps

Today I am craving ‘normal’. I am half way around the world enjoying a glass of wine in a lovely street cafe and yet I am craving homemade food and all that is normal about it. Too much travel this last month has left more eager than usual to return home and embrace everything ‘normal’ […]

Cola and Jam Spare Ribs

I’m sorry but I have to “phone this one in” this week. Its not just because spare ribs are nearly impossible to pho tograph…but that is certainly part of it. (I really can’t wait to see how the rest of the Doristas did photographing this one! ) I wasn’t even going to make these this […]

Mojito Melon Skewers

Show up to the next backyard party you attend with a platter full of these and you will get quite a lot of attention. I did. The recipe (slightly adapted here) comes from Matt Armandariz’ new book “On a Stick” which I reviewed here last week. It seemed only fair that after reviewing it I […]

Candied Orange Peels – Grandma Style!

Could Candied Orange Peels be my birthright? A sweet journey through grandma’s kitchen If you grew up with the joy of visiting your grandmother, you likely know the golden rule: at Grandma’s house, you get to eat all the forbidden snacks. My grandmother was no exception. Sure, she would pretend to honor my mother’s strict […]

Quiche Me Honey Honey (Quiche Me!)

French Fridays with Dorie   Quiche Me Honey Honey (Quiche Me!) Internet browsing for a recipe often takes me first to Epicurious or The Food Network even though more often than not I end up using recipes found elsewhere. I also prefer to blog-stalk as the personal touch blogs can offer the recipe seeker appeal […]

Tourteau de Chevre

French Fridays with Dorie I don’t know if the saying “better late than never” is really true or not but I can tell you if I had never sampled this tourteau de chevre I would have been very disappointed. I know. If I had never sampled the tourteau I would not have known enough to […]

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

My Persian ‘in-laws slash extended family’ number into the double dozens at an average get together. It took me a couple years to figure out which of the ‘cousins’ were actually cousins and which were, you know, ‘cousins’. It hardly mattered as once you are loved by one of them you are Family. Period. I […]

Bistrot Paul Bert Pepper Steak

As you might imagine, I have an orientation toward flaming foods. Nothing reads ‘fabulous‘ at the dinner table more than the sight of actual flames dancing across an entree or desert (or in this case, sauce.) I first caught the flambe bug while first learning to cook. I couldn’t resist the showy (show off!) nature […]

Mustard Batons for chic cocktail hours

French Fridays with Dorie Who wouldn’t love showing up to a cocktail party and being hit up by these savory mustard batons? That would certainly set the mood for cocktails and chatter, n’cest pas? I mourn the loss of the all-but-lost-art of the proper cocktail party. They were a huge part of my early childhood […]

Céleri Rémoulade – something French on the side!

Monsieur Céleri Rémoulade, will you forgive me my trespass? It seems as if I neglected to acknowledge the fine specimen sitting next to last week’s endearing Cuban. When you stand next to something as tasty and mouthwatering as a Cuban you run the risk of not being noticed. Several readers did notice! I am hoping to […]