Few people personify the concept of living with the seasons more than my mother. In touch with the world around them, my parents harvest the fruits and vegetables that their many plants and trees provide throughout the year. Whether early radishes, winter salads, watercress or dandelions, we always knew when spring had sprung from what was served at the table. Back by popular demand, please give a round of applause to dandelions, the queen of bitter. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “The Queen of Bitter: Dandelions”
Category: Recipes
Happy 100th
My Omi turned 100 last week and I was there, along with the rest of the family, to celebrate this very special event. We gathered as a family, close and extended, and friends to mark the day. Inundated with great food, well wishes and lots good times, my grandmother was visibly enjoying the festivities, but also tirelessly working the crowd to make sure everyone knew how appreciative she was of their participation. To celebrate the event, I want to review some of the birthday girl’s favorite dishes. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Happy 100th”
Piha Minced Pies: Worthy of a Trip
There are dishes that I grew up with and those that I picked up along the way. Take minced beef pies. They are a family tradition in New Zealand, as well as England and Australia, and my husband would drive out of his way to a little beach-side village West of Auckland called Piha to fill up on his share of minced beef pies at the local General Store. My pies aren’t exactly the same as those, but they sure do the trick when you want to feed a crowd a hearty, nutritious and delicious meal. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Piha Minced Pies: Worthy of a Trip”
Bow to the Buchtel!
It’s not until I left Italy that I realized we take good food for granted. Not just in our homes, but everywhere we go. Even when skiing. To this day, the snow might be fluffier, the runs more thrilling and the crowds better behaving in the U.S., but nothing compares to the food you are served in the many high-altitude mountain huts when skiing in Italy. There were many favorite places we would pilgrimage to every weekend, but there was one that stood out. Ditching skis and poles behind, we climbed on board our neighbor’s jeep and drove along the snowy roads to a remote small family-run hut called Rauch Hütte. There was no question on what the kids would order. It was always the same: Buchteln. Translating this dish for what it is – apricot-jam-filled yeast dumplings – doesn’t do it justice at all. These plump, fluffy and buttery dumplings were the size of well-rolled snow balls, served over a bed of runny vanilla sauce and leaving you filled with buttery goodness. Who cared what the weather was, or how many people were queuing at the lift when we returned to the slopes. We were happy, stuffed and didn’t know that having Buchteln on Sundays when skiing would be one of the fondest memories we would carry with us thirty years later when living on the other side of the world. Come and Cook with us! Continue reading “Bow to the Buchtel!”
Nuts Over Coconut-Free Curry
Every once in a while, we test a new recipe that perfectly fits the bill. Of course, the first thing we want to do is share it with you. Thanks to my sister’s introduction, we discovered a perfectly balanced curry dish that works without coconut milk. It contains a healthy dose of Ayurvedic spices that most of us would benefit consuming more of without the whopping amounts of saturated fats in the deliciously creamy coconut milk. Come and make some curry with us! Continue reading “Nuts Over Coconut-Free Curry”
Come and Cook with Us 