While attending the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) annual conference in NYC earlier this month, I had the pleasure of taking a cooking class from one of my favorite cookbook authors. Not only is Pierre Thiam an innovative cook, he’s an incredibly genuine and enthusiastic gentleman. He hails from Senegal, a country on the [...]
Continue reading about Culinary Inspiration from Africa’s West Coast
A lot of things are better off made than bought. I’m talking simple things, like salad dressing (unrefined oil + vinegar/citrus juice) and fruit-flavored yogurt (plain full-fat yogurt + fresh fruit). And it isn’t just a matter of the end product tasting better or being a more nutritious choice — which it does and is [...]
Interesting things happen when you have to — or choose to — stay away from traditional (i.e., gluten-oriented) breads and baked goods. First you go through bread withdrawal. Then you start exploring the wide world of non-wheat-containing breads and crackers and cookies and cakes and realize that life is not all about French baguettes. Globally [...]
Continue reading about Skipping the Bread and Going Directly to Snack-Sized Sandwiches
Natural peanut butter is one of my favorite foods. Not only does it taste so good that it’s addictive, it transcends sandwiches and chocolate cups to create lusciously creamy soups, sauces, and sautées. PB is also easy enough to make yourself: just put 1 cup of unsalted peanuts, 1 tablespoon unrefined peanut oil, and a [...]
Continue reading about Taking Peanut Butter Past the Sandwich
Some side dishes are place holders — they just occupy a parcel of real estate on the side of the plate without actually contributing anything to the property. (White buns, anemic iceberg lettuce, bland mashed potatoes…) But then some side dishes are so dang good you wish they were the main dish. This is one [...]
Who doesn’t like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup? Peanut butter and chocolate just go together. But I guarantee that once you make your own PB&C in solid form or smoothie/shake form, you won’t ever want to go back to the prepackaged kind. The homemade variety tastes better, it’s a whole lot better for your health, [...]
In the States, we eat it with jam or in cookies. If we’re getting really creative, we might throw in an apple or a stalk of celery with raisins. (Remember your childhood “ant-on-a-log” snacks?) In other regions of the world, though — notably Africa and southeast Asia — peanut butter is incorporated into everything from [...]
Continue reading about Sweet, Savory, and Everything in Between
Technically, a sandwich is a bready dough filled with something. Hoagies, gyros, calzones, quesadillas … they all fall into the “sandwich” category. You can stuff them with veggies or meats or cheeses or herbs or condiments or whatever your tongue desires. Sandwiches are, in short, the ultimate custom dish. In the spirit of adding to [...]
Although John Montagu–the 4th Earl of Sandwich–probably didn’t invent one of the staples of modern-day American cuisine, he certainly ensured its popularity. What other eighteenth-century dish is served in almost every restaurant in the country? The sandwich is truly an elegant solution: it allows for extreme creativity in both base and toppings, it’s a great [...]
