My earliest memories of eating sweet corn are set in the mountainous region of Puncak, two hours from Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. Puncak, with its brisk mountain air, panoramic scenery and cool climate, was and still is a popular destination for city dwellers. My relatives often...
It’s that time of year again when parents all over the country are pulling their hair out trying to put together easy-to-prepare, somewhat healthy lunches for their school-age kids. While my son loves a ham-and-cheese and peanut butter sandwich as much as the next four-year-old, he...
The annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival has kicked off and runs from June 25 to 29, July 2 to 6 on the National Mall in Washington D.C. The spotlight this year is on China (and Kenya). Every year, the festival’s highlights include food booths and cooking demos (at...
This absolutely delightful recipe comes from Shulie Madnick of FoodWanderings.com. It's both tasty and very pretty, flecks of green jalapeño twinkling against a blanket of yellow-tinted rice. It’s fabulous covered in curry or makes a showstopping side dish at your next barbecue or potluck. Some tips from Shulie:...
As soon as my mom ascends the stairs and disappears into the guest room, I arrange the mise en place for rolling spring rolls (or lumpia as they're called in Indonesian) on the kitchen table: a stack of wrappers, a bowl of ground pork and bamboo...
This week, I found this beautiful specimen in my vegetable and fruit box, vaguely listed as “Asian lettuce mix.” Dirt still clinging to its roots, the bunch showed off a surprising array of appendages--frills, jagged edges, flat ovals, all in shades of green transfiguring into...
When pickles and tea are put together in the same sentence, one might think of lahpet thoke, the Burmese pickled tea salad I first savored at San Francisco restaurant Burma Superstar. Or perhaps one’s favorite victuals—I for one love pickles and tea, but usually consumed...
We all know about Lunar New Year, celebrated most notably by Chinese and Vietnamese in January or February every year. However, under-the-radar new year festivities take place at the start of spring. Lao New Year is celebrated as a three-day-long festival from April 13-15 (it can...
I’ve been on a meatball kick lately, which is a little strange since I’m not a huge meat-eater. Maybe it's the cooler weather. Maybe it's all the spaghetti and meatball recipes I keep seeing. Who knows? That being said, I didn't want my meatballs to be...
When my husband was deployed for one year last year, he was entitled to a two-week R&R (rest and relaxation) trip which meant the military would fly him anywhere in the world. Many choose to go home but we decided to entrust Isaac to the...
