Dabbling in Stocks

Stocks are simple, really. Pick a good one and, if things work as they should, a modest investment up front will yield generous dividends for a long time. This applies to investments, and doubly so to soup stocks. This site doesn’t have much to say about financial planning, though, which leaves only one topic, a…

All Mixed Up

It’s not the recipe’s fault, though. When it names the ingredients to accompany mango and chicken in the wok, it lists nothing more specific than “fresh stir-fry vegetables.” Therefore, the decision is each cook’s, and there’s no telling where personal tastes will take things. For example, today’s offering brings carrots, bell peppers bean sprouts and…

Party Tonight in Quezon City

Must be quite the occasion, as today introduces not just one, but two types of lumpia,  a Filipino egg roll of sorts typically served at parties and at other celebrations.  There’s the classic pork, carrot and water chestnut variety, pictured above on the right, and a newer crab, pineapple and ginger version from Hawaii, which…

Paella’s Long-Lost Cousin

So to speak. When the Spanish Empire was in full swing, the mother country influenced much more than just political affairs. She kept matters culinary within her orbit too. Local ingredients and techniques offered countless varieties, but they all flowered from a common inspiration. Such is the case with Caracas-Style Rice with Shrimp. Sure, it…

We Need Heat, Stat!

Today’s entry supplies it too, with a pair of warmers.  Indonesia’s cooks contribute the sambal, while Korea’s kitchens produce gochujang, a fermented bean-pepper paste served alongside the main course.  While the flavors span different parts of the continent, both impart a vigor that gently stimulates the palate and satisfies the spirit.  They definitely give this…

It’s Quick

That’s the whole concept of tempura – once the oil is hot enough to begin bubbling, lightly battered food is dipped in it just long enough to flash cook it and to seal in the flavors.  The batter actually protects the food from the oil and ensures the edibles are steamed, not fried, and that…

Tried and New

Whatever else its challenges, the oncoming coldness makes hearty meals beautifully satisfying and even more delicious. These charms glow with additional radiance when novel ingredients take their appreciation to brand-new levels. Food which already was warmly comforting becomes bracing in its newfound delights. Chicken stew is a great example. The Korean version is called Dak…

The Devil, You Say!

No, it’s true!  Despite the demonic titles, both of today’s selections are legitimately delicious, a combination that, despite divergent sources, pair well.  Deviled Beef Short Ribs and Salad with Devil’s Rain Dressing only sound diabolical, but they taste, well, glorious.  It’s Halloween after all, meaning a shiver or two are in order, but first and…

Fine Detail

That’s where it matters, in the little things that combine to bring greatness.  None greater, and none littler, than the fine-grained Moroccan couscous that underlies today’s offering, Moroccan Lamb and Seven-Vegetable Couscous.  From this fluffy and buttery base rises an immensely satisfying stew spirited to culinary paradise by a whole Kasbah-worth of subtle, haunting, North…

The Trip Home

Just as the summer beach vacation is an annual East Coast tradition, so too is the journey back home again.  A somewhat somber moment, perhaps, realizing it’ll be nearly a year before the next time, but a delicious extravagance like Lobster Newburg helps make the return trip something to anticipate, even to savor.  A proper…