I cook because I love to eat. I garden because I love to cook.
I have a degree in marine biology. Well, technically it’s a Master’s degree in Marine Environmental Sciences. There are many benefits of going to school for marine science. You get to check out all kinds of really cool things in the oceans and along the …
I used to think of cilantro as a hot weather crop. That’s because it is ubiquitous in food from the Tropics; sprinkled over Thai dishes; an essential component of Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches; the base of some Indian chutneys; and I wouldn’t make Mexican guacamole …
One summer in the late 1970s, when I was young and my brothers and I were away at overnight camp, my parents took a trip to Mexico. My father came back wanting to make two things: sandals and refried beans. For years we had boxes …
In my junior and senior years in college, I was a member of a couple of different cooking groups. About four or five different people, each cooking one night a week. It provided a meal much healthier than the college cafeteria, saved time and money, …
All I remember about eating breakfast at home as a kid is 1) a distinct paucity of sugary cereals, which probably led to 2) French toast with syrup and cinnamon sugar. I also vaguely remember my parents trying to sneak wheat germ into things like …
I didn’t grow up eating much Italian food. As a kid, I was under the false impression that Italian restaurants only served spaghetti and meatballs; in my mind, nothing else was available. Then I grew up and moved to Long Island. Italian food is the …
Without a doubt, the best thing to do when traveling is to visit the local market. Not the supermarket, although you can learn a great deal about a culture by visiting these too, but the weekly market, which is often outdoors. It’s where you see …
I love eating larb in the spring and summer. The weather is just right for this Laotian meat salad, and it’s easy to make. It is light, refreshing, and healthy, wrapped in lettuce leaves, with tons of fresh herbs from the garden. It really is …
About once a month on Friday afternoons after work and school in the 1970s, my parents would put my brothers and I in the back seat of the car – no seat belts required in the back seat – and drive to a cabin they …
Sometimes the main course is easy, but a side dish eludes you. Sometimes you need to concoct an accompaniment to the main meal, but it’s got to be quick. Sometimes you need simple and easy. Sometimes you want the side dish to be healthy. Sometimes …
