My childhood was pretty idyllic. I lived like a wild thing out in the countryside of a farming community, full of peach orchards. My little sister was my playmate and we had lots of adventures riding bikes down the lane, splashing in the mud, playing dress up in my mom’s old dresses in the alfalfa field, and I had an orange cat named Tigger that would regularly bring us mice offerings. And I ate homemade salsa.
Read MoreThis focaccia is pillowy, full of flavor, and a crowd pleaser every single time.
Read MoreI first experienced El Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca, México, where I studied at La Universidad Mesoamericana with my sister Emily during the fall semester of 1999. I have vivid memories of dusk falling on those days in la Ciudad de Oaxaca. Thousands of candles were flickering throughout the zócalo (the town square), and there was color everywhere. Vibrant sand sculptures formed skeletons and the blossoms of bright orange marigolds made bold borders around the art. It was celebratory, but it was reverent.
Read MoreAnother recipe from my Oaxacan archives. I find it a bit poetic that I discovered hummus in southern Mexico before the internet was really even a thing when it came to food recipes. One particularly patient friend has been gently reminding me for nine months now that he’d sure like this recipe when I have a moment and another demanded the recipe upon the following day. I’m here to serve. And oh, hey, the good news? It’ll make you live longer.
Read MoreThis is a post about travel, about fallout from segregation, and how I discovered Oaxacan cuisine.
Read MoreA dark chocolate cream pie that’s been kicked into high gear. It has the warmth of cinnamon, a graham crust made with almonds that is somehow delicate but still holds up for the pie, and don’t underestimate the scent and flavor of a little orange zest.
I remember my first pesto. Or, it may have just been the first pesto I remember loving... I was twenty, studying in Rome for a couple of weeks in May. This recipe was created after some fiddling and tweaking with the basic basil, pine nuts, garlic and cheese combo. I might be breaking a Roman pesto law, but some rules are made to be broken.
Read MoreIf you’ve had the opportunity to explore Spain, you know the Tortilla Española. If you haven’t, welcome to your new favorite way to eat eggs -- for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner. This is the kind of simple food that I could live on, day in and day out, and never tire of.
Read MoreI am not a morning person and having a family has made that fact painfully clear. The struggle is real on a school morning at 6:30 AM. With minimal effort, you can have a satisfying and healthy breakfast available for weeks with this recipe!
Read MoreA few weeks ago, my friend Josh called asking me to help illustrate his teaching online. He’s the lead teaching pastor at our church, Woodmen Valley Chapel. Josh asked me to cook something simple and not too expensive that anyone could make to illustrate the beauty and enjoyment in that process. Because it doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive to be amazing.
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