Posted in African, Cuba, Garlic, Olive Oil, Puerto Rican, Spain, culture, history, plantains, pork, sauce, seafood, shrimp, tostones, tradition, travel on Jul 30th, 2010
He’s certainly not the first to make such a remark, but when in a recent episode of his PBS show Mexico: One Plate at a Time, chef Rick Bayless commented that Mexican food may be the first “fusion cuisine” in the Americas, the concept resonated with me. The collision of cultures and culinary traditions [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in America, Fast Food, Food Commentary, France, French, agriculture, baking, bread, filthy chain stores, tradition, travel on Jun 8th, 2010
The destiny of nations depends upon the manner in which they are fed.”
- Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
The basic premise of William Alexander’s recent book, 52 Loaves, like his first title The $64 Tomato, is that the author becomes so obsessed with a particular project, in this case creating (and growing wheat for) the perfect loaf of country [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Burmese, Garlic, chicken, chicken stock, coconut, culture, flour, ginger, history, lemon, noodles, onions, shallots, spices, tradition on Apr 15th, 2010
There is so little information available about Burma (or Myanmar, depending on how you rock it) that after the inevitable Wikipedia entry, the CIA World Factbook is the second item that appears in Google’s search results. This anonymity is largely due to the military dictatorship that has kept the country under lock and key for [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in France, French, Garlic, Meat, chicken, fried, herbs, offal, poultry, shallots, thyme, tradition, travel on Feb 20th, 2010
Do you ever wish you had a secret power? I don’t mean like some stupid superhero who can fly, make it rain, or look great in a unitard. I mean like a gerbil’s ability to store tasty bits in its cheeks for later, or a tiger’s ability to eat 30lbs of wild boar at a [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Clams, Gallego, Garlic, Jose Andres, Olive Oil, Paul Bocuse, Recipe, Spain, culture, fish, healthy, history, parsley, sauce, seafood, sustainable, tapas, tradition, travel, white fish on Feb 3rd, 2010
It is no coincidence that, in the 30 years since Franco’s death, Spanish creativity in the arts, architecture, business, and gastronomy has blossomed. It is also no coincidence that it has been, predominantly, though not exclusively, Spain’s sub-national and regional groups — who were repressed most viciously by the Fascist dictator — that have led [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Arezzo, Florence, Garlic, Italian, Italy, Meat, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Olive Oil, Pasta, Recipes, Tuscan, bolognese, carrots, celery, chicken stock, duck, flour, game, guanciale, hearty, herbs, indulgent meal, mushroom, mushrooms, noodles, philosophy, porcini, sauce, tomato, tradition, travel, tuscany, wine on Jan 23rd, 2010
It might be generational, or, perhaps, philosophical, but there are, on the one hand, those who enjoy and appreciate handmade things, and the art and craft they require to make, and, on the other, those who prefer their things machine-made, reliable, and standard. The ‘things’ here could be quite literally anything. My father, who, to [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Mexican, Recipe, adobo, braised, chicken, chile, chili, chilli, chipotle, cilantro, cinnamon, nuts, peanut, peppers, sauce, tradition on Jan 15th, 2010
Ever have one of those days where the only thing that gets you through is knowing you are going to have a good meal later on? I have no idea where I read about this dish, but one day, trying to unwind after a long, frustrating and tiring day of putting out the fires that [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in America, British, England, Recipe, alcohol, alcoholic drink, apples, barbecue, beverage, drink, eastenders, holiday, patriotism, summer, tradition on Jul 4th, 2009
Every stereotype, no matter how absurd the caricature, has, at its core, a grain of truth. Though I doubt anyone has ever seen him, the beret and black and white hooped sweater-sporting Frenchman with a cigarette hanging off his lower lip and a baguette under his arm, remains an abiding image of France; and in [...]
Read Full Post »
Get our feed by email
Download our podcasts
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our feed
