There is a lot to say about the connection between food and politics in the Middle East. From the Fertile Crescent and the beginning of agriculture to, more recently, the bread riots that led to the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011. While I was in Jordan, a contemporary art museum in Amman called Darat al…
Greek Food Fest
Every fall, Dallas-Fort Worth hosts multiple Greek festivals, full of dancing, eating and drinking . My personal favorite is the Mid-Cities Greek Fest in Euless, which happens in mid or late October every year, as it’s smaller and has higher-quality food. A few years ago, they raised enough money through their annual festivals to build…
Bosnia
Bosnia has a…complicated…history. I won’t be able to do it justice here, so I really recommend checking out Lonely Planet, The Cellist of Sarajevo, podcast episodes about the Bosnian War from Reflecting History, or other great resources. When it comes to food in Bosnia today, it is primarily influenced by the 400 years that Bosnia…
Hoi An Quan
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Hoi An was the busiest port on the South China Sea, attracting traders from China to Japan to Europe. Today, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in central Vietnam, known for its distinct yellow buildings and great cuisine. The food of Hoi An is unique within…
The Joy of Soy
Growing up, my only understanding of soy products was the little soy sauce packets that accompanied our monthly grocery store sushi. Now, I have eight different soy products in my house, and am often found on the weekend perusing the two full aisles of soy products at H-Mart, grabbing tofu, dark soy, sweet soy or…
Resources for the New Chef in All of Us
With the sheer number of food blogs, cookbooks and Instagram accounts available, sitting down on a Sunday to meal plan for the week can sometimes be overwhelming. I’ve been there. Well, I’m still there every week. What I’ve found helpful, though, is focusing in on a few cuisines – for me, that’s Mediterranean and Asian….
Surprise Chef
Over the past few months, I’ve significantly increased the number of cookbooks I own, the hours I spend at grocery stores and in the kitchen and the quality of food that I serve. And I’ve learned one thing – I can cook most things better, and for sure cheaper, than restaurants. So instead of going…
Support Black-Owned Restaurants
In Houston, we’re lucky to have such fantastic and diverse food, including a large number of black-owned restaurants, many of which are historically located in southwest Houston – an area called the Third Ward. Below are some of my favorites ranging from fast food to fine dining, but there are other excellent places out there…
Quarantine Dinner Parties
We’ve been a big fan of late of hosting small quarantine dinner parties and brunches, allowing us to try out new recipes and get some social interaction every week. Below are some of those recipes, as well as other things I’ve been eating. Pair with new cocktail recipes or local beer. Mexican night Forget enchiladas….
#Quarantine Cooking
Anyone who likes to eat can soon learn to cook well. While my usual foodie adventures around Houston are on pause for now, I’m turning my apartment into the latest spot for good food. The past few weeks of stay-at-home orders, to-go alcohol, and restaurant closures have given me the chance to cook and try…
Eat Local, Eat Global 