Blog Archives - Page 6 of 10

Keep Calm and Curry on!

Curry is a paradox. Most people are familiar with the word. Yet, at the same time, they will have absolutely no idea what you’re eating if you tell them you’re having one. You could be having lamb or chicken or maybe beef or pork. Perhaps you’re a vegetarian. Or maybe it’s a seafood dish. It is dry or wet? Will you need a spoon to eat it? What color is it? How spicy is it? The name doesn’t provide the answer to any of these questions. Only if you take a peek at what’s on the plate do you get an idea. So how is it possible for a dish to be so ambiguous by definition and what actually makes curry a curry?

Vietnamese Food, The ‘Yin and Yang’ Cuisine of Asia

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Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, in a region known as Indochina. It hugs the coastline of the South China Sea and borders Laos and Cambodia to the west. In America, Vietnam is sadly known less for its cuisine and more for the notoriety of the 20 year Vietnam War. In fact, many aspects of its culture, including a diverse and impressive gastronomy, are relatively unexplored. Happily, this is beginning to change as Vietnamese cuisine has been steadily gaining popularity in the West. Why the appeal? You could say it is due to its simplicity, multicultural influences and healthiness. You could also say it is a cuisine governed by philosophy, bound by regional geography and shaped by history. Either way, it is a stimulating, technicolor experience for all five senses and one that stands out from its South East Asian neighbors. Let’s explore some reasons why.

Spaghetti Bolognese, Perfect Pasta or Imperfect Impostor?

Thanks to its strategic geographic location in Emilia-Romagna, which is a major Italian food hub, Bologna boasts some of the Italy’s best cuisine. Though not considered an authentic Bolognese dish, Spaghetti Bolognese has gained lots of popularity worldwide. This particular dish appeals to both locals and foreigners who believe they are eating a typical Italian recipe. But the truth is, Spaghetti Bolognese isn’t a native Italian dish as most people believe. In fact, authentic Bolognese doesn’t involve spaghetti at all.

Bangers and Mash, Great British Food at its Best

‘Bangers and mash’ is a staple part of British cuisine; a popular national dish, alongside fish and chips, shepherd’s pie and a ‘Sunday roast’ dinner. Besides the fact that it is easy to prepare and inexpensive to source it is a classic crowd pleaser. You could say it’s an absolute “Banger”. The name ‘Bangers and Mash’ literally means sausages and mashed potatoes and it is typically served with a brown onion gravy and sometimes a side of green peas. Although the ingredients are simple in essence, the overall flavor and appearance of the dish can vary enormously. A lot depends on the type of sausage and the way that the cook prepares the gravy. Therefore, it is tricky to replicate if you cannot source or make the right kind of sausage meat and are unsure how the gravy is supposed to taste.

Filipino Cuisine Steps into the Limelight

Asian cuisines have been part of the American landscape for decades. However, only in recent years have Filipino dishes started gaining recognition outside immigrant communities. This is surprising because Americans of Filipino heritage now make up one in five of all Asian-Americans, second only to Chinese in number. In addition, the largest percentage of immigrants serving in the United States military were born in the Philippines. Even Cristeta Comerford, the longstanding White House Executive Chef since 2005, is of Filipino descent. So why did Filipino cuisine remain in obscurity for so long and how come it is finally attracting attention?Continue reading

Salisbury Steak, TV Dinner or America’s First Health Food?

Every recipe tells a story. It is a culinary imprint in time; a piece of history that reveals the who, the why, the when and the where of its creation. What is its origin and how did it come into being? Salisbury Steak is one of America’s classic homestyle meals, and often appears on the household menu in the form of a TV dinner. However, its plain appearance belies its fascinating history. Salisbury steak is, in fact, America’s original health food, and by design not by accident.

Teriyaki, Yakitori and Sukiyaki: The Three Sisters of Japanese Cuisine

You have probably heard of Teriyaki without being an aficionado of Japanese food. It is on the shelves of almost every mainstream grocery store across the United States. It shows up in marinades, seasonings and prepared food and you will be hard pressed to find a Japanese restaurant that doesn’t have it on the menu. But Yakitori and Sukiyaki are a different story. You might call them Teriyaki’s lesser known siblings. The quiet ones. And it’s kind of surprising because in Japan, there is apparently no official teriyaki sauce history.

Like the Mexican burrito or Chinese chop suey, immigrants invented teriyaki, wishing to replicate the dishes they prepared at home. The term teriyaki doesn’t appear on authentic Japanese menus in Japan; it is virgin Hawaiian-Japanese fusion cuisine.

Black Rice…if it’s “forbidden” it has to be good!

Legend has it that this ancient black grain, referred to as “longevity rice,” was eaten exclusively by the emperors of China. Some say it was a way to increase health and ensure a long life. Others say it was deemed to have aphrodisiac qualities. A natural source of magnesium, iron, protein and fiber, this medium-size heirloom rice is distinctive by its delicious roasted nutty taste, soft texture and strikingly deep purple color. So, what exactly is black rice and where did it originate?

The Mighty Meatloaf: America’s Original Family Meal

Meatloaf is a word that makes my husband shudder. I was unprepared for his guttural reaction as I brought my masterpiece to the table as newly-weds. Before the dish touched the table, he related a traumatizing childhood memory of a recipe involving expired meat and last week’s leftovers while it began to dawn on me that we might be getting take-out that evening. Even though I shared the details of my recipe with him and provided material evidence of the freshness of the ingredients there was no persuading him.

Thus, my culinary journey with this classic American meal began and ended in one evening. To this day (22 years later) I have yet to persuade my husband to eat it. So, it amuses me slightly that I write about it today because it is still taboo in our house. However, The Mighty Meatloaf is deservedly Healthy Gourmet’s best-selling meal. So, maybe if he reads this blog and finds out how it is supposed to taste, I might persuade my husband to finally try it…

Caribbean Fusion Cuisine in The Virgin Islands

I was lucky enough to be spending a few days in the US Virgin Islands recently. As I sat and enjoyed another mouthful of exquisitely prepared local food at The Longboard restaurant on St John, I thought it would be a wasted opportunity not to write about food culture in the Virgin Islands. In particular, Caribbean fusion cuisine. My hope had been to explore an abundance of local eateries and sample dishes native to area (the least sophisticated and the more authentic the better). But, due to the pandemic, many were either closed or operating on a limited basis. Happily, I did manage to experience a little of what was available, and eagerly I took the opportunity to learn about what wasn’t. This is what I discovered.