I was lucky enough to stumble upon the Union Square Greenmarket on my very first morning in New York City. As I was jet-lagged and on a crazy sleeping schedule, I was up and out walking in midtown Manhattan at 5:30 a.m. It was a beautiful morning and the only people out were those with running shoes on their feet or dog leashes in hand. I had no idea where I was headed but sometimes there is nothing better than just wandering around a new city alone, absorbing the sights, sounds, and smells. Continue reading →

Just found an interesting tip over at Kalofagas – In Pursuit of Delicious Foods. Roast a big batch of peppers during the summer and freeze them for year-round use! Visit Kalofagas for instructions and while you’re there, check out Peter’s recipe for Htipiti dip – a Greek roasted red pepper dip.

One thing that I don’t talk enough about on this blog is music. But wait, you say. This a food blog, right? Yes, yes, I know. But ask me what the most important appliance in my kitchen is and I’ll tell you without hesitation that it’s my CD player. To me, a kitchen without music is a kitchen without life. Cooking is fun. But dancing around the kitchen with your favorite song turned up? That is living.

Speaking of favorite songs, I was recently asked to be a “Song of the Week” contributor over at The Plugg, one of my favorite entertainment blogs. Once a week, The Plugg writers offer up their favorite song picks, and it’s always a great and eclectic mix. But this week they decided to take a break and let some other bloggers contribute their favorites. If you want to listen to my pick for song of the week as well as see what some other bloggers are listening to, head over and check out The Plugg’s Song of the Week – Blogger Special.

Terry over at Blue Kitchen has a page on his site dedicated to the music playing in his kitchen. He calls it ‘What’s on the kitchen boombox?’, and I plan on copying his idea sometime soon (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?). But until I get my own music page set up, I’ll be filling you in a little more often on what I’m listening to in the kitchen. Hopefully, you’ll do the same! Today I’ve been listening to Rodrigo y Gabriela on my kitchen boombox, what are you listening to?

Just a quick note!  Peter over at Kalofagas got creative with my Creamy Feta Dressing and made his own version of it to be eaten with some really yummy looking fries!  According to Peter, Greeks like to eat their fries with feta and, after seeing the photo and reading his post, I’m convinced that this will be one of my new favorite combinations!  Go check out Feta Frites at Kalofagas now!

I am pleased to announce that one of my recipes has been featured in a cooking video over at Rub My Chicken, the improvisational cooking video site formerly known as Collective Kitchen. Jonathan, an American living in Denmark and star of Rub My Chicken, chose to feature my very own Easy Egg Salad in his latest video adventure. Although his version of egg salad is based on my recipe, he gives it a bit of a face lift by making his own flavored mayonnaise and grinding the mustard seeds by hand.  YUM!

While you’re over there checking out the egg salad, make sure to browse through some of the earlier episodes as well.  Just a quick warning, Jonathan is very, um, passionate about his cooking and his colorful use of language reflects that. So, if you feel that there is no room for cursing in a cooking video, steer clear of Rub My Chicken. For those of you who can handle the salty language, head on over to Rub My Chicken for some great food and lots of laughs!

Well, it’s not really an obsession. But last time I was home, my Dad had a jar of pickled okra at his house and as we sat out on his front porch eating it, I fell in love with the stuff! I’ve never really eaten much okra but the few times I’ve tried it, either deep-fried or in gumbo, I thought it was okay. It seems that most people either love it or hate it. I just never had strong feelings one way or another. That was until I had it pickled! Ok, I admit that I love just about anything pickled. But there’s just something about pickled okra.

Ok, so the reason I’m writing about this is because I happened to see a jar of pickled okra at our grocery store on the military base the other day. Of course I bought it! I haven’t stopped thinking about it since last fall when I ate it at my Dad’s house. So now I’ve already eaten half the jar. The thing is, this stuff isn’t nearly as good as what I had before. So, I’ve been online this morning searching for jars of pickled okra that can be shipped to an overseas military address. I think I’ve decided on this Hot Pickled Okra. Has anyone tried this brand? Any other suggestions? Anyone else out there love pickled okra?

If you’ve had a chance to visit any of the outdoor markets lately, you’ve seen them. Piles of bright red berries, gleaming in the sunlight, just waiting to be taken home and devoured! There are a variety of strawberries here in Sicily, from the impossibly tiny fragoline to the gigantic fragolone, and every size in between. Although strawberries are a wonderfully healthy, low-calorie treat when eaten plain, I look forward to strawberry season for another reason: Strawberry Shortcake! Continue reading →

It’s been quite a while since I’ve written about one of my favorite online shops. No, I’m not talking about Zappos, I’m not talking about King Arthur Flour, and I’m not talking about Burt’s Bees. While it’s true that all of those businesses get their share of my money, my most recent online purchase was from The Spice House. Does it seem strange to shop for spices online? I kind of thought so too. But one visit to their site changed my mind and after my first package arrived in the mail over a year ago, I was completely hooked!

I was one of those people whose spice cabinet was packed with old bottles of spices that had been purchased for one recipe or another and then never touched again. Continue reading →