There are few rites of spring more satisfying than the annual cleaning. I’ve been at my “spring cleaning” for the past several weeks, clearing out closets and drawers again. Nowadays, I find the need and desire to declutter more often, not just during spring, but every season. I recently came across Marie Kondo’s book, The… Read More
I’m on Snapchat!
You’ve probably already heard that millennials are all over Snapchat. It was ranked the third most popular social app among millennials, trailing only Facebook and Instagram. I’m not a millennial—by any stretch of the imagination—but I started using Snapchat a few days ago to send photos and videos to friends, and now I’m quickly becoming a fan. Snapchat is… Read More
Janerik (Sour Green Plums)
New to me, sour green plums have long been a favored springtime snack in the Middle East. Tiny (about the size of grapes), juicy, very crisp, and a bit sour, one small bite captures that green spring crunch! I took a bite and, similar to green almonds, they reminded me of an unripe, green mango—a… Read More
My Easter Brunch Fiasco
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
Green Almonds
Some people may call us crazy, but we’re the ones who will happily drive across town just to find one special ingredient to try and share with friends and family. You do that too, don’t you? That’s what I recently did to find these green fuzzy pods called green almonds. Believe or not, until a few days… Read More
Cranberry Orange Granola-Chocolate Bark
I had been tinkering with a recipe for granola using cranberries, orange, cardamom and pecans. When I finally got it the way I wanted, I liked it so much I decided to find several ways to use it. This Granola-Chocolate Bark, an inspiration from Food and Wine, came to mind. Everyone who has tried this… Read More