I am always on the lookout for different types of sauces to add to my repertoire. I covet and hoard them like a chipmunk hiding nuts for the winter. I keep a separate notebook just for them. They are, along with spice mixes, the secret weapons that you should always keep a plethora of on hand. They can take an uninspired… Read More

Food52 challenged me to a BLT-off for their tomato week so of course I had to create a sandwich inspired by the two cuisines that had the most powerful influence on the way that I think about food. This BLT combines my Sichuan background and deep American Southern roots. The bacon is spiced with my version of the five spice… Read More

For the longest time blackberries rated rather low on my list of berries to eat. If given a choice, I always went for the blueberries. As you saw in my last post, I have a deep deep love for blueberries. But several years ago, I went berry picking for the very first time and man were freshly picked blackberries a… Read More

It has been blazes hot here in New York so I have been on a bit of a granita bender. This frozen dessert requires no special equipment. Literally. Have pan and freezer? Make granita. In life and in the kitchen I can be a a bit all over the place so this throw together sort of dessert if my absolute… Read More

One of my favorite drinks, the mojito, is so very simple to make and yet I always have a hard time finding a good one at restaurants and bars. Usually consisting of just five ingredients, the beauty and difficulty of the mojito really lies in this simplicity. There is no room for error and each ingredient really must be carefully… Read More

I am back from my much needed trip to Australia and New Zealand. It was epic! Over three weeks, I took over 5000 photos. I am of course still going through them all. But I wanted to do a series of posts with accompanying recipes, so this is part 1. Things that I learned in Australia – 1. Australians love to… Read More