Posts Tagged ‘food’

A Sweet, Sweet Holiday: Rike’s Coconut Cookies

Wednesday, December 12th, 2012

004 (2)My coconut cookies are no long family tradition, but they are a rather recent addition to my baking repertoire. They were an instant hit with who have tried them, however, and they are ever so easy to make. So here they are. Have fun baking! (more…)

What Do You Do With a Pomegranate?

Saturday, November 17th, 2012

pomegranateWhat can I say about the pomegranate? The seeds (the part we eat) are a dark, beautiful shade of red that seems particularly appropriate at this time of year. It’s supposedly one of the “super foods,” rich in antioxidants. And it can be quite tasty. But just what do you do with a pomegranate?

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On vacation in Southern Bavaria, part 3

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012

12Sta072No report of visiting Bavaria is complete without mentioning the food.  It’s just that delicious! When I speak of Bavarian food, what I really mean is Southern German and Austrian food, because reciped have been traded in these regions for centuries, local cuisines have enriched each other and the result is a variety of cooking that is similar in all these areas.

I want to begin with the beer, because no proper Bavarian would dream of sitting down for a full meal without a beer. There are several sorts, most important Pils, Helles (similar to but not the same as lager), and Weißbier. For those who try to avoid alcohol, there is alcohol-reduced beer and alcohol-free beer these days. I prefer the latter; when we went to Oktoberfest last weekend and I ordered some there, my husband was quite shocked it was actually available! (more…)

Frozen Fruit Snacks

Saturday, June 23rd, 2012

Years ago, during a particularly hot summer spell, a friend told me about her favorite hot weather snack. She would clean a bunch of seedless grapes, put them in Ziploc bags, and freeze them. I was a bit skeptical, but gave it a try. Wow! I was instantly hooked on frozen grapes. They’re a bit sweet (depending on the variety), cold, and juicy. And best of all, they’re a healthier snack than an ice cream bar.

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Choosing a restaurant

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

LokalMy husband and I don’t make much of Valentine’s Day, but we do tend to use it as an excuse to go out for a nice meal together. This year this is especially important to me, as we are both in for a very busy workday today due to long scheduled meetings. And it’s snowing, which will getting to restaurant a bit awkward (cycling is out of the questions, and there are few buses at night). Anyway, if you go out on such a night it shows that the relationship is important enough to make an effort! (more…)

Cooking with Greens

Saturday, September 10th, 2011

swisschardI’ll be the first to admit that I have periods in which I eat an incredibly unhealthy diet. But on a day to day basis, I try to focus on including as many nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables as possible to my diet. Recently, I’ve become obsessed with the wonders of greens. Now I’m not talking about lettuce. I’m talking about those old-fashioned, newly fashionable greens such as kale, Swiss chard, and turnip greens.

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Crock Pot Cooking

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

vegetable soup crock pot 009For most of my adult life  a crock pot has been a staple in my kitchen. My current version is starting to show its age and I’ll be replacing it at some point over the next few weeks. Until recently, however, I’ve always thought of a crock pot as something to use in the late fall and winter.

A few weeks ago, a friend commented that she was making a roast in her crock pot. I was shocked, and asked, “Why are you using a crock pot in the summer?” Her response, “I use a crock pot a lot in the summer, because it doesn’t heat up the kitchen like the oven or stove do.”

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In Praise of the Frittata

Saturday, August 20th, 2011

spinach-frittata-goat-cheeseFor most of this hot summer my evening meal of choice has been anything cold. I’ve eaten salads in every variety possible. I’ve also done a few cold soups. I’ve had various combinations of cheese and fruit and/or veggie plates. And some nights I’ve just had Greek yogurt piled with fruit and a few nuts. But finally this past week my stomach — and taste buds — started to rebel. At last, the longing for warm food returned.

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A flood of fruit

Monday, August 15th, 2011

miraMy parents dropped by on Saturday, and left behind mountains of fruit. More specifically, about three pounds of blackberries, about seven pounds of mirabelles, and an unknown quantity of pears. The thing is, my parents know a great number of people with large garden, lots of trees and far more fruit than they can deal with. Which they pass on to friends. And so my mother makes pies and jams and compotes as much as she can, and hands the rest of the fruit on to others, preferably her children. (more…)

The Perfect Ear of Corn

Saturday, July 30th, 2011

Corn-on-the-CobSeems like we’re on a bit of a summer food binge here at AAR. A few days ago Jean talked about a new salad recipe she’d tried (mango salad that sounds divine) using fish sauce. A few weeks ago, I was all about summer cherries. Well, my summer food obsession hasn’t waned. This morning I woke up thinking about fresh corn on the cob.

Corn on the cob is definitely a comfort food for me, reminding me of summers growing up. My mother would make corn on the cob for us several times a week while corn was in season. As kids, we would stick our little yellow plastic corn cobs in the ends of the corn, slather the cob with butter, dump on way too much salt, and be in heaven.

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