When you have lemons, the saying goes, you make lemonade. And when you have potatoes -- and lots of them due to a clerical error in ordering online (5 bags vs. 5 potatoes) -- you start to get creative. Potato chips -- or crisps if you are British -- had always been on my bucket …
Watching the clouds go by
This is our view of the tip of the San Gabriel Mountains, touched by a bank of clouds on a recent sunset. This panorama is visible from our apartment in downtown Los Angeles. In the other direction, we can see all the way to Long Beach. On a clear day, we get a tiny glimpse …
Confessions regarding a gingerly topic
WE use ginger. Lots of it. We make ginger ale, and ginger tea. We cook a multitude of Indian, Mauritian, Chinese and Thai dishes. Ginger is a necessity for these cuisines. But let's face it: peeling this root is tedious. The etymology of the word "ginger" (or should I say the root word of the …
In search of the perfect home-made chocolate
We are still on the quest to concoct the perfect dark chocolate. We're getting there, but have not quite perfected the technique. Our latest batch is pure organic fair-trade cocoa powder and pure chocolate nibs, maple syrup, coconut oil, coconut flakes and orange zest. It has the right texture and taste. But, the formula/process still …
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The perfect pizza crust
As a kid, pizza was a treat for dinner. Mom made them completely by hand, starting with the dough from scratch. She got pretty good at it. So good, in fact, that she could not only churn out enough to feed a family of 10, but would sell them to neighbors for the princely sum …
In search of the most beautiful beach in the world
“Which way do we go?” The inevitable question faces us while staring at a fork in the road. We are on bikes on the tiny island of La Digue, one and one-half hours ride via catamaran from Mahé, the main island in the Seychelles islands. We are on bikes because the island, all of 5 …
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Christmas Horn Cookies
The recipe came from the “old country” and according to family legend, it was top secret and to be guarded. We knew them as Christmas Horns, a confection of almonds, flour, eggs, vanilla and sugar. Right after Thanksgiving, the kitchen would turn into a factory, as the kids helped Mom crank out the dough for …
Taking time to unwind
One of the disadvantages of working from home is that you are never far enough away from your work to not work. It's always there, right in front of you. So, after about a month of toiling every day, we decided to put the brakes on and break away from it all. We can see …
Tortillas in no time, flat.
Here is a handy tip: If you are in the remote mountains of Sinaloa, Mexico, and you hear a pack of wild dogs, their barking increasing in volume, there is a very good chance they are not approaching to greet you in a friendly manner. It was many years ago when I found myself in …
