When I was pregnant with Isaac, I was so ready for them, like a tennis player light on the balls of her feet, ready to lunge and meet the yellow, furry ball head-on. Would it be pickles of every shape, size, and hue? Or my...
The online Merriam Webster dictionary defines fusion cuisine as: “food prepared by using the techniques and ingredients of two or more ethnic or regional cuisines” Going by this definition, just about everything we cook or eat is fusion cuisine. Noodles came from China (yes, they did!),...
There’s rice pudding and then there’s rice pudding. Or more precisely, my rice pudding: “my” being yours, mine, or Uncle Bob’s. Ask just about anyone and you’ll probably get an earful about a “secret” ingredient, or a tale inextricably linked to the memory of their childhood (or perhaps...
When I was gathering recipes for The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook, I spent a day with Cathy Chun and her sister, Carol, cooking, chatting and sharing. Shrimp with black bean sauce and taro cake were on the menu. While both were delicious, only the shrimp dish made...
The last few weeks have been exhausting. I’ve been sick twice in three weeks (once with a gastro-intestinal virus and am now recovering with maybe strep and/or a sinus infection), and my two illnesses bookended my little man’s bout with a stomach virus (yet again)....
Everyone loves fried rice! I know, I know, it’s a bold statement to make. I don’t think it’s a stretch though. Just think about the infinite permutations worldwide. Examples include: Indonesian nasi goreng, Thai pineapple fried rice, Filipino garlic fried rice (siningag), and that’s only in...
Golden-hued Madras curry powder Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a generic curry powder. In fact, the term curry powder didn’t exist until the 18th century when local cooks in Madras (now called Chennai in India's southern Tamil Nadu state) packaged a...
People either recoil in terror or express intrigue when I tell them about one of my favorite comfort foods—Spam mac and cheese. Yes, you read right: Spam--aka luncheon meat--that processed and prepackaged meat product (I daren’t call it real meat!) in a can. Growing up...
Luffa squash lying elegantly on my dining table Our taste buds are the most effective memory keepers of all. Let me explain. A few weeks ago, I was talking to my favorite Hmong farmer, Moua, about the assortment of Asian vegetables he grows and sells. He drew...
In this installment, Audrey Low contributes a little snippet that reflects on the kitchen chores she had as a child, plus a whimisical look at an old wives' tale . Of Malaysian-Chinese descent, Audrey is an anthropologist living in Australia. Her blog: papayatreelimited.blogspot.com combines her love of...
