posted by admin on Jul 10
Hi, gang. First, I want to remind anyone in the Staten Island area that I’ll be doing a cooking demonstration on Saturday, July 17, in front of Bent Pages bookstore, at 391 Van Duzer St. July is Van Duzer Days, a month’s worth of weekend street fairs! Woohoo! Anyway, I’ll be there around 2:00, cooking up some yummies. Come taste some samples, and, if you feel like it, you can pick up a copy of my book, What, No Meat?
Now, here’s the main show: Mamey.
posted by admin on Jun 11
Hi, all. Summer’s rolling in and we’re finally able to do all those things we love to do in beautiful weather. One of the nice things about summer is being able to stroll leisurely around the neighborhood after a good dinner. (I suppose you can do that in winter, too, but who wants to?)
The other evening, I had dinner with a couple of friends in an area of Brooklyn called Carroll Gardens. It’s a really cute little area, reminiscent of Greenwich Village, only more intimate and with a “local” feel to it. Anyway, after dinner at an excellent vegan restaurant called Wild Ginger (more on that another time), we strolled Smith St. I picked up menus from restaurants I wanted to try, window shopped, and caught the strains of various types of music coming from different bars (I really must try the Zombie Hut one of these days). On this stroll, I encountered a tiny little gourmet shop called Stinky’s Cheese. It’s aptly named, I realized as I stepped inside–the aroma of the cheeses they offer permeates the entire space.
posted by admin on Jan 30
Hi, all. I hope everyone’s sage and warm in the latest wave of winter wonderland-ness that’s hitting various parts of the country and the world. All I have to say is, “BRRRRRR.” This is the kind of weather that sends people running to comfort food, stuff that’s warming and that reminds us of our childhoods. Of course, comfort food means something different to everyone.
Which brings me to my topic for this week: February is National Snack Food 
Month! Now, snack food is not necessarily comfort food, but for some, it is. And it’s particularly appropriate that I’m writing about snack food today because I’m craving it for an entirely different reason, and it is a source of comfort for me during those times. I think you know what I mean. Moving on…
posted by admin on Oct 30
Hi, gang. I decided to do a product review this week because I enjoy trying new (or new-to-me) products on the market, and when I encounter something that could be useful to others, I like to share.
posted by admin on Oct 16
When I was 16, my parents took me on a European tour. It was one of those bus tours, where you travel with a bunch of people for two weeks from place to place. We hit London, Paris, Lucerne, Venice, Florence, and Rome. I wish my palate had been more sophisticated then, because that’s a foodie’s dream. But, since I was only 16, don’t expect some European food manifesto.
posted by admin on Aug 28
Hi, gang. First thing’s first: I want to remind all my fellow writers out there that there are only a few days left to submit to Skulls and Crossbones, the female pirate anthology. Quick, polish up those stories and send them in! Make sure to follow the guidelines and send them to pirateanthology@gmail.com.
posted by admin on Aug 15
Hi, all. This past month has been a constant sampling of new and differennt foods and beverages (well, they’re new to me). Just this past week alone, I tried two jars of salsa that I picked up in Virginia. They were locally made and there was nothing in them but fresh produce and some cane sugar. One of them was a vidalia onion-peach salsa that was absolutely fantastic. The other was a summer garden salsa, with all sorts of minced veggies in it. It was such a treat to eat something that wasn’t filled with preservatives and all kinds of things that I can’t pronounce, and I was glad to support a small business.
posted by admin on Aug 2
Hi, everyone. Just got back from a two-week road trip Friday afternoon. My fellow road warrior, Andi Marquette, and I hit 14 states! We started in Colorado on Sunday, July 19, headed southeast through Oklahoma and Texas, then drove along the Gulf Coast through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, then down to Orlando by Thursday for a writers’ conference. (Andi, by the way, won an award for Best Mystery Novel.) On Sunday, we headed farther south to Ft. Lauderdale to visit a couple of friends of mine, then hit the road again on Tuesday, heading north. We went through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and finally New York.
The adventure begins…
posted by admin on Jun 19
Hi, gang. I’ve been a cooking fool lately. I am determined to finish the testing of the recipes for my cookbook-in-progress within the next few months. I don’t have a full-time job, so if not now, when?
Part of this testing is about stepping outside of my comfort zone and cooking with ingredients and methods that I am not accustomed to (i.e., that I grew up with). And since I’ve been working on this book since 2002, I’ve been doing that for quite some time. So, I really think nothing of taking an ingredient and using it in an usual way.
Let me explain…
posted by admin on May 1
Hi, gang. Hope everyone’s doing well. We had some pretty kooky weather here in New York—92 degrees on Tuesday! In April? Crazy, man. Global warming is starting to freak me out.
Today, I’m going to talk about tempeh. People often ask me what it is and I tell them it’s a soy product. “Oh, like tofu?” they ask, understandably. Well, yes and no. It is related to tofu in that is is made with soybeans but it differs completely in taste, texture, and production.
