Feeling hot and bothered? Here’s just what you need! The silky peach nectar will smooth your weary soul and the chili afterburner will ignite the fire in your belly. It’s the weekend and who wants to be a droopy mate and put the brakes on the fun! Spice it up and stir up a little trouble! Remember, Life’s too short to sit on the sidelines! Continue reading
Southeast Asia is one of the world’s great melting pots and cooking is one of the oldest of human activities. It is with great excitement I find myself, on the International Cooking Tour, in Southeast Asia! My husband recently asked me, “If you had to pick only three different cuisines to eat for the rest of your life, what would they be?” Hmmm….that is kind of a hard question for a lover of most food to answer but my response was, “Mexican, Italian and Southeast Asian” (Vietnamese and Thai in particular) Let’s see how these flavors evolved into the foods we love today! Continue reading
Give me a break! We all say it and we all need it. Sometimes your digestive system needs a break from the onslaught of all the different foods we eat too. It’s good to be kind to your body. It’s the only one you have! I have tried many cleanses and most of the time I was afraid of starving to death and my husband was afraid I was going to eat him! Kitchari doesn’t feel that way. You get plenty to eat and are satisfied. In fact, it tastes so good it doesn’t feel like a cleanse. It’s mild yet flavorful so you can serve it as a side dish too and it’s gentle on your bodies digestive system, which gives it a rest. Continue reading
Every tea has its story and Masala Chai is no different. In keeping with the healing and spiritual side of India, we are going to savor the tea that evokes the feeling of India; the very smell of it almost transports you to its streets. And it just so happens to be my favorite tea. Let’s read the ancient tea leaves to get an idea of how this lovely drink has evolved. The Masala Chai we know today did not start out containing any black tea or caffeine. The story of Chai dates back 5,000 years or more to the ancient courts of Siam and India. Legend has it a king concocted the recipe in a quest to create a healing beverage. Did you know Masala means Spiced and Chai means Tea? So when you say Chai Tea you’re really saying Tea Tea, which might be mildly amusing to an Indian.
India, the land of spices, of spiritual influence on food and it’s people and one of the oldest civilizations in the world is where we touch down for the next leg of our International Cooking Tour. Fragments of India’s history can be traced back as far as 700,000 years ago. India’s 26 states hold virtually every kind of landscape imaginable. To simplify a very long and complex history we will divide the country into 4 regions as we savor the food, cleanse our bodies and take time to reflect through the gratitude of food. Continue reading
It’s HOT in South America! OK, let’s face it, it’s still hot in San Diego! It’s officially the hottest summer on record! I am longing for the cool, crisp evenings of fall and they are just not happening yet. In fact it’s been down right hot for weeks and I can’t get to my fall planting or apple picking. On the other hand I am very grateful to live in a beautiful place where most of the year we have weather you just can’t complain about….but I digress…..Back to South America where it is really hot and humid! There’s nothing more refreshing than an ice cold, fruity beverage to chase away the heat. Continue reading
By now, as we travel on our International Cooking Tour, we are starting to get the picture that people from different countries conquer each other and leave their mark, sometimes in a very positive way, in the food styles and sources of meats, fruits, vegetables and spices they bring with them to a new country. One of these spices, Annato or as it is also known Achiote, has a very interesting story. Do you know how cheese, butter, chorizo and smoked fish, to name a few, get their yellow color? It’s Annato or Achiote! Continue reading
When I think of chimichurri sauce I usually think of grilled steak with a sauce that’s a cross between Mexican Salsa and Italian Vinaigrette. This little number is more of an earthy, herbaceous emulsion and it is perfect with grilled chicken or fish. A whole new world of chimichurri has opened up for me! And it’s so much more than just a sauce to drape over the main event, meat! Continue reading
South America here we come! The International Cooking Tour stops off in South America, the land of many wonders. Did you know they are the the 4th largest continent, can boast they have the world’s highest waterfall ~ Angle Falls, the longest river ~ The Amazon, the longest mountain range ~ The Andes, the largest rain forest ~ Amazon Rain Forest, their capitol has the highest elevation ~ La Paz, Bolivia and the world’s southernmost city ~ Ushuaia, Argentina. Now that’s quite a bit to be proud of and we haven’t even gotten to their amazing food yet! So hang onto your hat, there’s so much to savor about South America! Continue reading
Flan has been around as far back as the Roman Empire. Back then, most versions of flan were savory rather than sweet. In Roman times, flan was considered to be a health food and believed to soothe the chest, aid the kidneys and liver, increase fertility, and reduce urinary tract infections. But it is the sweet dessert flan of Mexico most people are familiar with and love! Did I mention my husband is crazy about flan? He says he’s feeling kind of flan-ish if he’s gone too long without some flan! Continue reading
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Life of the Party Always (LOTPA) is about socializing and making every occasion with friends and family a festive one .
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