When I was little, the first ice-cream I had always marked the beginning of summer. It was almost always the same: two big round crunchy chocolate cookies, drenched in chocolate ganache, with vanilla ice-cream sandwiched between them. Heaven. I still have the same and it still marks the official start of the holidays for me, even though now that I’m all grown-up and able to make (all wise) decisions, I have ice-cream all year around. [READ MORE]
It’s spring! And everything is beautiful and in bloom and the days are longer and the coats are off and all is great and ready for the summer, but… What about soup? You know, that amazing, comforting, go-crazy, give-me-all-you-got winter wonder that warms up the body and the heart- are we really ready to let go of all that comfort and deliciousness until fall? Hell. No. Enter gazpacho, a super cool, super tasty, super colourful soup, perfect for the warm weather and for all you soup lovers out there. [READ MORE]
Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day; I know, I sound like a broken record, but to me (and others, I guess) it’s not just a meal: it’s your first choice of the day, a simple pleasure, yet one that I truly cherish. I really don’t get people who have breakfast in a rush or those who (shock! horror!) skip it altogether. [READ MORE]
Up until I moved to the UK, I always celebrated Mother’s day on May- which was already my mom’s month anyways, what with her name day being on the 21st and preparations for her birthday (on early June) in full swing. For the last ten years or so, I can celebrate her twice, albeit from a distance… [READ MORE]
This dish was more of an afterthought than an actual plan. More of an exercise on what to do when a random pile of groceries lands on your kitchen counter than a carefully planned cooking strategy. The other day, my significant other came home bearing groceries. Shock and joy- as it doesn’t happen often. Like at all. Smiles all over- smiles which were quickly replaced by a silent WTF. And then a loud one. [READ MORE]
I always think of May as the most charming month. It brings with it warm, long days and breezy nights; it calls for lighter clothes and an even lighter frame of mind; it’s filled with a strong sense that the anticipation for summer is almost over. Every year, right around this time, my mind is gone. Gone, all over the place gone. And I love it. It makes me feel like a teenager again, but you know, a wiser, cooler, tougher teenager, one that knows what’s up. Actually, scratch that last part- May comes and I really don’t know what’s up for the first few days. Like I said, gone. [READ MORE]
I love Mexican food; its ingredients (I mean, limes, avocados, chillies, corn, beans, tortillas, tequila, you get it, right?), the heat and flavours, all those vibrant colours and different textures. When I was about 11 or 12, I went with my sister, my mom and one of her friends to a Mexican restaurant. That’s my earliest memory of Mexican food (lots of heat, tons of flavour and so so many tortilla chips) and also my earliest memory of having eaten so much I could barely move. Literally. Thank God the restaurant was up on a small hill and we had to walk down to our house. To this day, most of my Mexican (or Mexican- inspired) meals are more or less the same: heat, flavour, tortilla chips- minus the over-excited overeating and plus a couple Margaritas. [READ MORE]
A while ago, I came across a fascinating read: Jack White (or at least his crew) apparently requires guacamole to be available when touring. And not just any ol’ guac: there’s specific instructions and measurements sent to venues, so that the humble yet delicious dip is made to their liking. Now, if that’s not proof you’ve made it, I don’t know what is. [READ MORE]
One of the reasons why I love cooking with vegetables and fruits so much is the endless variety in colours and shapes. Case in point, kiwis. When you first look at one, all you see is a small, bland, hairy potato. But… Cutting through it and it’s a whole different story: the most gorgeous, soft yet vibrant green appears, paired with a pale yellow centre and decorated with perfectly placed black little spots. I mean, if this is not a thing of beauty, I don’t know what is. Gorgeous AND bursting with vitamins C and K- we’ve got a winner here. [READ MORE]
I was reading an article about hipsters the other day; apparently you guys, hipsters are no more. So long hipsters. Somewhere in the article, foods served in jars were mentioned. Huh. So jars are not just convenient storing devices for your pantry, they’ve also been touched by hipsterism. Huh. Do you see the photo above? The big jar, chock full of goodness? Hipster. [READ MORE]