Travel. Eat. Cook.
October brings about a shift in weather throughout the world. Whether it is spring in Australia and New Zealand, or autumn in the USA and Europe, or wet and muggy weather in Southeast Asia, we can all benefit from a dish that will spice us …
In my travels to China, I was inspired by so many incredible dishes from hole-in-the-wall cafes to fancy restaurants. This eggplant dish was something I had in a small restaurant in Hangzhou. It awoke my tastebuds with spicy, savory, and vinegary flavors. I just had …
When I traveled to China, I got to sample some amazing dishes that were basically free appetizers. This particular wood ear mushroom cold dish was crunchy, punchy and spicy, and whetted my appetite before the main dishes were rolled out. I’m not a huge mushroom …
Filled with the zest of lemongrass and cilantro, and the punch of shallots and garlic, these pork meatballs will take you on a tasty tour of Thailand through your tastebuds. You may dip them in Thai sweet chili sauce but they’re awesome on their own!
My gorgeous and brilliant friend Leah created a breakfast dish that beautifully combines her Southern roots with inspiration from her travels abroad. When I recreated her dish at home, I lacked the Ethiopian spice, berbere, which gave her dish that extra wonderful kick. Instead of …
When I visited China, I got to enjoy a multitude of regional cuisines and the one that stood out was Sichuan food. One particular dish at a Sichuan restaurant blew my mind – liang mian, cold noodles. The piles of noodles and shredded chicken sat …
Known for its distinct zesty flavor, coriander, also known as cilantro, is an herb that people either love or hate. When I was a kid, I used to pick out all the coriander leaves on my plate, but my taste buds have thankfully evolved. This …
It was months away from Thanksgiving when my friend Kristin, her husband Russ, and I binged watched “Friends” one lazy September weekend. A Thanksgiving episode compelled us to have the brilliant idea of roasting our very first turkey (sans real adults like our parents) the …
This burger blends of all the deliciously zesty flavors from Southeast Asian cuisine – lemongrass, garlic, cilantro, fish sauce, and rice vinegar. If you like your patties spicy, you may even throw in a couple of minced Thai bird’s eye chilies to give it a …
My favorite Thai restaurant of all time, Pookie’s Thai Westlake, is located in a suburb of California called Westlake Village. Helmed by a vivacious Thai lady named Pookie, the restaurant has been attracting scores of loyal diners for almost 20 years. Some would even travel …