Gorilla French

I often get together with several French-speaking mothers with children about the same age as my little one. We meet at someone’s home and each bring a dish to share, and while our children play together or independently, we chit-chat about a variety of things—life, schools, travel plans, books, the news, etc. The last time… Read More

A Plant-Based Diet

Food writer Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and other books, re-defined what it means to eat smart when he shared his credo: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Did you know that reducing your intake of animal products and embracing a plant-based diet is one of the best things you… Read More

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

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