La Chandeleur, also known as Crêpe Day, marks the halfway point between winter and spring. In France, the month of February starts with the celebration of Candlemas. It occurs on February 2nd, which is 40 days after Christmas. Many French families celebrate by preparing and eating crêpes on this day and all through the Mardi Gras season.… Read More
Known as the” King of Herbs” in the Middle East, za’atar is both a class of herbs and an aromatic and alluring blend of spices. Za’atar, the spice blend, is such an incredibly versatile mix of spices that it is easily one of my favorites. I’m sure many of you may be familiar with it… Read More
Chickpeas. There are a lot of delicious things you can make with them. If you haven’t yet tried them roasted in the oven, now’s the time. When roasted in the oven, these fiber and protein-packed legumes turn into a crispy, flavorful, savory, healthy and yummy snack. You can toss them with a couple of herbs… Read More
Julia Child once advised, “if a dish goes horribly wrong…never apologize.” She thought such admissions only drew attention to one’s shortcomings and “only made a bad situation worse”. She also considered it unseemly for a cook to twist her/himself into knots of excuses and explanations. ”The cook”, Julia firmly said, “must simply grin and bear… Read More
Very little in life that is worth having comes easy, would you agree? A great marriage; knowledge or mastery of an art or skill; a happy home; good friendships, raising well-rounded children; and more, all require commitment and sustained efforts over a long period of time. Self-discipine and the practice of a healthy lifestyle are no… Read More
In my recent post that began my mini series on Ethiopian cuisine, I featured berbere (the post is now updated with a recipe for berbere), an essential Ethiopian blend of spices that explodes with complex flavor. Another integral—and perhaps the most important—food item in Ethiopian cuisine is injera, a spongy sourdough flatbread that serves not only as a kind of bread, but… Read More
