Black Beluga, the Caviar of Lentils

Striking in appearance, black beluga lentils are said to be the caviar of lentils. Tiny, round and black jewels, they glisten when they’re cooked and look a lot like beluga caviar, the most prized of all caviar varieties.   Unlike many lentil varieties that tend to disintegrate and become a bit mushy when cooked, beluga lentils… Read More

Soupe aux Deux Melons (Two Melons Soup)

This refreshing soup is a great starter for dinner on a warm summer evening. When we visit Quebec, we always set time to visit our dear friends, Paul and Caroline. They are two of the warmest, kindest, genuine, and hard working people I’ve ever met. Aside from their normal day jobs, they’re both musicians—Paul an organist and Caroline… Read More

Paella and The Concept of Home

We shape our dwelling, and afterwards our dwellings shape us. —Winston Churchill Having lived in apartments—both here in the U.S. and abroad—most of my adult life, I used to think of home as a house I’d one day have, decorated in a rustically chic and understated sort of way. In my home, I imagined busying… Read More

Burma, A World Apart

This is Burma, and it is unlike any land you know about. — Rudyard Kipling, Letters from the East (1898) Kipling was right. Burma (also known as Myanmar) is such a very unique and fascinating place. For years it was a pariah state and isolated from the rest of the world. As a result, it… Read More

Bolivian Canahua Pilaf

Remember how I said (here) that my kitchen cupboards are filled with things like exotic grains and that I’d soon be cooking through my cupboards, so to speak? Well, today I present organic Bolivian Canahua (pronounced “kaniwa”). Very similar to its cousin quinoa, canahua is a hearty grain that grows in the mountains of the… Read More

Peach Buckwheat Porridge

When peaches are in season, this really simple and tasty dish is served in my home again and again—for breakfast or dinner. Sweet and juicy, summer peaches are one of my favorite seasonal fruits. From cobblers and pies to smoothies and ice cream, fresh peaches are a delicious addition to almost any recipe. Buckwheat, slowly… Read More