Tag: cooking

Books and Literature

2022 Reading List

Forgot to post my reading list from last year! I can’t tell you the number of times I can’t tell you the number of times I will start reading a book, and make it all the way through the intro or first chapter to discover that yes, I’ve read it before. So these lists are helpful, not only to discover personal reading trends and figure out what to read next, but to keep me from rereading the same things over and over.

2022 had lots of great books about history, science fiction, music, social justice, essays – and of course, FOOD! I can’t stop reading cooking memoirs and similar books because of how differently people remember specific dishes and how they are tied to memories (also a lot of them contain recipes too). Pretty proud of myself for averaging 4 books per month for the entire year, and I’m already making great headway on my 2023 list.

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Exploring our World, Flavors

A Full Season of Sandwiches

The second installment of sandwiches contained secrets like how to make perfectly fluffy chickpea and herb falafels, and how to make a 100% vegetarian meatball sub that is so good your Italian friend asks for the recipe. And lots of fresh and grilled vegetables from around the Mediterranean resulted in some excellent summertime dinners. Although the “Summer of Sandwiches” extended through Fall, many of these recipes will reappear at the table in the future. Includes links to recipes and notes about how to make them vegetarian and vegan friendly.

Part 3 of 3 features 11 sandwiches from Argentina, Trinidad, and across Mexico and the United States.

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Exploring our World, Flavors

Scores of Sandwiches

The first 10 sandwiches of this delicious endeavor featured vegetarian favorites like banh mi with marinated tofu and avocado toast topped with an egg. But it also included new recipes like homemade plant-based sausages with lemongrass, green onions, ginger, and garlic for Laotian khao jee. Let’s continue the sandwich quest in a new region of the world. Includes links to recipes and notes about how to make them vegetarian and vegan.

Part 2 of 3 features 9 sandwiches from Senegal, Israel, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Greece, England, and Italy.

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Exploring our World, Flavors

Summer of Sandwiches

Everybody loves sandwiches, right? Everywhere you go, there is always some local version made with whatever ingredients are on hand. They are versatile and eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Many of the most well-known creations have meat: doner kebab sandwiches, the muffaletta, chicken shawarma, a grilled Cuban. But what about the vegetarian and seafood sandwiches of the world? Includes links to recipes and notes on how to make them more vegan friendly.

Part 1 of 3 features 10 sandwiches from India, Pakistan, Laos, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, and Australia.

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Books and Literature, Flavors

2021 Reading List

Food, memories and emotions are closely linked in our brains. A taste of something can transport you to another time and place, or maybe you avoid certain foods based on past experiences or connections. In addition to cooking, I also enjoy reading about cooking because everyone approaches it in different ways: through passion, survival, nostalgia, or luck. My friend taught a culinary writing course at Portland State University recently, and many of the food memoirs I read in 2021 are included in the course reading.

food memoirs

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Flavors

December: Root Vegetable Wellington

The Beef Wellington is an essential part of English cooking, but vegetarian versions have also become quite popular. The process is the same: a layer of puff pastry dough seals in the filling to keep the moisture inside while it cooks. The dish looks pretty technical and I’ve never attempted anything like it before, but I’ve watched enough episodes of the Great British Baking Show that I’m pretty sure I can handle it.

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Flavors

December: Black Bean & Vegetable Stew

Recipes are everywhere you look – I found the recipe for this black bean and vegetable stew on back of a can of black beans. Since then, it has become a winter staple because it uses your favorite ingredients or whatever you have on hand. Seriously, I cannot emphasize how easy, delicious and versatile this soup is; it’s a great beginner recipe, and it will feed an army.

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Flavors

November: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

Cold weather means hearty soups, warm bread and a mug of hot tea. Shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with minced lamb, but this delicious vegetarian version will be sure to please everyone! It’s similar to the vegetable pot pie that I made last year, but instead of biscuit dough on top that bakes into a crust in the oven, a shepherd’s pie is topped with mashed potatoes to keep all the moisture and flavor in.

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Flavors

October: Smoked Almond Rice Pilaf

This hearty rice pilaf uses vitamin-rich wild rice, vegetables, herbs and chopped almonds to create a savory dish that goes with anything! The word “pilaf” comes from the Hindi word pulav, which translates into “dish of rice and meat.” The first known recipe for pilaf is from 10th century Persia, and variations can be found all over the world, especially in the region from Spain to Afghanistan.

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Flavors

September: Zucchini Burgers

I have been given several monstrous zucchinis this summer from people who have overflowing gardens! These plants grow in most temperate climates, and are low-maintenance enough to easily grow huge zucchinis in your own backyard. I have been looking up tons of zucchini recipes to find a way to cook these enormous vegetables, because loaves of zucchini bread get tiresome after a while!

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