Can I just say it took all of my self control (of which there is lamentably little), not to title this post something corny like “Miso Thankful.” Why do I feel this way? The longer I write this blog the more amazed I am at the incredible people I encounter from writing this blog....
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These is a certain kind of sushi restaurant that delights in hiding in plain sight. In San Francisco, they seem to compete on blandness for the most bland exteriors, only to show their true colors to the luck few who’s patience in out waiting their rivals is rewarded with a tasty repast. They are...
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Curry has me in its heady grip, and as I was curious to see its permutations as it made its way around the world. I touched on some of the varieties that could be found in India, how the English stamped their influence on curries by adding a few of their own, such as Balti,...
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Spring is here, I see color wherever I look, especially at the Farmers Market – not the color coordinated palettes of winter – the lush jewel toned browns, greens, and golds, but the clashing vibrant fireworks of blues, reds, pinks, and greens – mostly greens that harold in the new season. One of my...
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Hawaii, the United States’ backyard paradise, is one of those places that is almost impossible to define in terms of its cuisine and culture. The indigenous people were devastated by disease and fighting when Captain Cook settled on the islands. Since then, people from China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, the Philippines and points beyond arrived...
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If I took one of those psychological word pairing tests and the first word was seaweed, hands down my response as a match would be sushi. I suspect I am not alone that since my first introduction to eating seaweed involved this wonderful finger food, it would be a life long association. However I’ve...
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The history of soy sauce is a bit like the sauce itself, kind of murky. What is consistent is that the precursor to soy sauce is something called jiang. Jiang was a method of preservation popular with the prehistoric people of Asia involving preserving meat and fish with salt. This process produced a bi-product,...
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I love to travel and frequently collect cookbooks from my destinations. However, sometimes I get into trouble when a recipe calls for ingredients and I have no idea of the American equivalent. Sugar is one ingredient that I’ve had this problem with frequently, so I decided to investigate the differences. I suspect part of...
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The custom of eating pork on New Year’s is based on the notion that pigs symbolize progress or prosperity for many cultures – not a connection that may immediately come to mind. The animal pushes forward, rooting in the ground before moving, symbolizing progress. In Italy, the fatty meat also symbolizes the fattening of...
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When I was in Singapore, I had a few encounters that reminded me why I love to travel, finding instances that were not typical for me in the US. One was finding a ban on chewing gum, coupled with the fact that the sidewalks were blessedly free of those ugly black, sticky spots that...
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