After over a year of not setting foot on the west coast, I finally purchased my tickets to San Francisco! (I'm sure my mother will be thrilled to read this!) My family (one part of it or another) has been living in the Bay Area since the mid-1980's, so SF has been like a second home for meContinue reading "California, Here I Come! – Part I"
Chef’s Night Off – Moroccan in Bay Ridge
Over the wet weekend I had dinner with my friend Hayley at la Maison du Couscous, a tiny out of the way Moroccan place in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn. When I lived in Bay Ridge, I never ate here but always wanted to try it... so with cabin fever from all the rain, I decided toContinue reading "Chef’s Night Off – Moroccan in Bay Ridge"
More Armchair Traveling – Italy to Vietnam
On rainy days when I have to get up and go to work, I wish that I could grab a cup of coffee, a good book or a stack of magazines and curl up in my cozy chair. I love the experience of being transported to new and exotic places through stories, photos and recipes.Continue reading "More Armchair Traveling – Italy to Vietnam"
More on Japanese Grilling
Today I spent a bit more time researching the grilling technique I wrote about yesterday, so today's "Been There, Read That" will take us a little further into this subject (this may actually be the beginning of a new food tangent for me). I will admit that until the bincho-tan demonstration last week, my experience withContinue reading "More on Japanese Grilling"
Grilling with Japan’s Finest – Indoors in NYC
Once again I did not have to travel very far for a new lesson in a fascinating food culture. In fact, I didn’t even have to leave work… One of the perks about being a student, alumni, or employee at The French Culinary Institute (at The International Culinary Center) is that you get toContinue reading "Grilling with Japan’s Finest – Indoors in NYC"
Tuesday’s Top 5 – One Day in the Napa Valley
The other day a former student (knowing I lived in Napa for many years) asked me for suggestions for a quick one-day detour to the Napa Valley while in San Francisco for business. It's had me thinking, once again, about planning a trip of my own. I'll definitely go for longer than a day though!Continue reading "Tuesday’s Top 5 – One Day in the Napa Valley"
Chef’s Night Off – More Rainy Days in NYC
From the missed post, you would think that yesterday was Chef's Day Off... No, just needed the whole day to recouperate from Saturday night (I'm not as young as I used to be)! Saturday night was the launch party for Justin Timberlake's new 901 Tequila. Junior Merino of The Liquid Chef was mixing the cocktailsContinue reading "Chef’s Night Off – More Rainy Days in NYC"
Been There, Read That: Garlic Scapes
Last year around this time I read an article in the New York Times Dining & Wine section about the many forms of garlic now available in the local farmers' markets. In "A Good Appetite: A Garlic Festival Without a Single Clove," Melissa Clark writes of one of my favorite spring flavor enhancers, green garlic,Continue reading "Been There, Read That: Garlic Scapes"