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 there was one word that guarantees an animated discussion for food lovers here in the good ole’ United States, that word is “barbecue (BBQ)”. Everyone has an opinion – charcoal or gas, what kind of briquets, how to start the fire, the kind of wood to use, and we haven’t even gotten to...
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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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I had no plans to write about my experience at the Fancy Food Show that recently took place in San Francisco; I intended to incorporate what I discovered in future posts, but after receiving many requests to identify what I tried, I reconsidered. After all, is not food something of an ambassador of a...
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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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I learned the hard way, that you can take the girl out of Minnesota snow, but not necessarily the snow out of the girl – if that makes any sense. Having grown up in the Midwest and accustomed to four distinct seasons – I sorely missed my winter precipitation. I find close encounters with...
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I recently swapped a few emails with FoodGal about haggis before my trip to Ireland and the exchange reminded me of my time in London when I enjoyed sampling the different flavors of potato chips (or crisps as they call theme) with my lunch time sandwich – I tried to never repeat a flavor....
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When I lived in London, pubs were my “go to” spots, primarily because I barely knew a soul. I found I could go to most any pub, grab a pint and a meal without feeling the least bit awkward. In the pub, I never felt obligated to enter as part of a group –...
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A topic smoldering in the back of my mind for some months as I’ve seen variations on this theme for months because of numerous holidays. When is bread more than bread? Or perhaps a bit more generally, when do baked goods serve a higher purpose? I’ve unearth a few instances, and I am sure...
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Halloween is fast approaching. I know because I just spent a few days with my niece and I got the details on this much anticipated holiday from her costume (a garden fairy) to the fact that old people do not wear costumes (she’s four). She informed me of this sad fact when I asked...
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