The best grits you’ll ever eat – and make yourself

Often in life, the best ideas are the simplest. The best dishes are not necessarily the most complex – like molecular gastronomy, for example. Nice to look at, but really? These grits, quite the opposite, are insanely good. I promise you that you will never taste grits as good as this recipe. I also bet…

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Zielona Kuchnia: An organic experience in Krakow

Classic continental European dishes take on organic, Polish interpretations at one of Krakow’s best modern restaurants. I’ve found that I can visit any city in Europe and find menus that put the city, region, or country’s spin on dishes from throughout the continent. The more I travel, the more I notice the culinary influences of…

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Pod Aniolami – ‘Under the angels’ and underground for Poland’s best

Step back in time for an underground (literally!) feast of some of Poland’s finest cuisine deep in the heart of Krakow. A colleague who knows Poland well highly recommended Pod Aniolami (literally “Under the Angels,” translated) for both the excellent food and a walk back into medieval Poland. Not one to ignore such an enthusiastic…

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Exploring food and beverages in Lesser Poland

What is Polish cuisine? While it is always tough to define or pigeonhole any country or locale’s food, Polish cuisine is not vastly deviant from that of other eastern European nations or groups. Traditional foods are well suited for its bone-chilling winters. Sausage, pork, potatoes, cabbage, beets, and sour cream are a few of its…

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Mutabel: The Arabic twin of Baba Ghanouj

A creamy eggplant dip with the bite of garlic and an almost airy fluffiness, accented with nutty olive oil – sound familiar? Think of Mutabel as the fraternal twin of Baba Ghanouj: nearly identical ingredients, expressed just a bit differently. If you didn’t have them side-by-side, one could easily mistake them for one another. This…

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Bourbon Brown Sugar Caramel Ice Cream

Looking to America for culinary inspiration, I bring you an ice cream to wow your friends or guests. Brown sugar, caramel, and cream accentuate the Southern charm of bourbon. Crumbled caramel-cashew cookies add buttery sweetness and crunchy texture to this grown-up dessert. I wrote my first blog post several months before the launch of The…

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Curried English Pea Soup

Fresh, green English peas evoke memories of spring. A healthy dash of  curry powder and cayenne pepper give this soup enough of a kick to make one curious for more. Substitute vegetable broth for chicken and your meal is vegetarian friendly, also. This soup is not photogenic (“Pea green” has its reputation to uphold). Yet…

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Shiraz:  An Iranian feast in Muscat

When a country is right across a narrow gulf from another, it is reasonable to assume the two countries’ cuisine should influence one another’s.  In Oman, Iranian (or Persian) food is not as visible as one might expect, but Omani food certainly benefits from a history of Persian/Iranian trade and culture.  During my visit to…

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