Imagine warm, soft sandy beaches, a slow, relaxing breeze blowing through the coconut palms and the soft lapping sound of the translucent aquamarine waters glistening under the sun. Then you hear, in the distance, a deep, rich voice crying out, “Coconuts!” A smiling face approaches as you open your eyes and ponder the thought of eating a fresh coconut, opened in front of you. Nothing can replace the experience of enjoying this tropical treat in its purest form as you rest in a tropical paradise. But, you can enjoy the next best thing, coconut candy (recipe below). Coconuts are an iconic island food. We love fancy, tropical drinks in coconut shells, we think of the islands when we see or eat coconut. You will find coconuts to be readily available for consumption on any of the 30 inhabited, out of the 700 Islands OF the Bahamas. Spanish explorers introduced the... Read the Rest →
Did you know that if you say “olive juice” a person from across the room, who cannot hear you, will see the movement of your lips and think you have said, “I love you.” Give it a try. If you pronounce your words carefully it does look the same. We have olive love. Olives are considered one of the most important food products that have been known to man and date back 8,000 years. It is believed that Olives come from the Mediterranean region. Technically, olives are classified as fruits of the Olea europea tree, which can live 100 years. The olive tree is a symbol of happiness and peace. In the Mediterranean area, during ancient times the olive was a major necessity for man’s existence. The fruit and its oil were major diet constituents. Today, we enjoy the health benefits of olive oil, but many people are still eating... Read the Rest →
Did you know that if you say “olive juice” a person from across the room, who cannot hear you, will see the movement of your lips and think you have said, “I love you.” Give it a try. If you pronounce your words carefully it does look the same. We have olive love. Olives are considered one of the most important food products that have been known to man and date back 8,000 years. It is believed that Olives come from the Mediterranean region. Technically, olives are classified as fruits of the Olea europea tree, which can live 100 years. The olive tree is a symbol of happiness and peace. In the Mediterranean area, during ancient times the olive was a major necessity for man’s existence. The fruit and its oil were major diet constituents. Today, we enjoy the health benefits of olive oil, but many people are still eating... Read the Rest →
What can you say about a person who you’ve known since you were 5 years old? I’ve known Michelle longer than anyone on this earth except my family. We met in kindergarten. Her mother, Arlette, was our art teacher from kindergarten to 8th grade. And, Michelle inherited her mother’s (and grandmother’s) amazing talents. I always admired Michelle’s talent, her eye for detail. As a child I was always proud that she was my friend. I was tall and awkward, with frizzy, curly hair and glasses. Michelle was petite and adorable, with thick, long blonde hair and a bright smile. But, we clicked. And, today, as an adult I am even prouder still of my dear friend. Michelle is the co-founder of Cloud9 Fabrics and currently the Design and Marketing Director. Because I won’t do Michelle justice I will defer to her about page information: “Michelle has spent her entire life... Read the Rest →
The maps I gazed at during geography class, before the collapse of the Soviet Union looked a lot different than the ones my children use. The USSR was such a huge part of how I viewed the world. The map of my childhood is no longer. Once part of the Soviet Union the Baltic States consider themselves to have resumed their pre–World War II sovereignty upon their separation from the Soviet Union. And, now there are at least 15 post soviet states in the world. These are 15 independent states that seceded from the USSR and they are known at the FSU (Former Soviet Union) or NIS (Newly Independent States. One of those countries is Azerbaijan and like Armenia (which is a post soviet country) they are located in the Caucasus. The Caucasus Mountains give the name to the region known as the Caucasus. The mountain range between the Black... Read the Rest →
Sliders are extremely popular in the USA. They are the ideal pub food. Of course, the most popular sliders are simply miniature hamburgers. However, with the popularity of sliders came more diversity. We’ve eaten lamb sliders, buffalo sliders, bbq pork sliders and buffalo chicken sliders just to name a few. Each slider is delicious in its own right and for each slider there is a complimentary beer. We find our sliders a perfect solution to the gooey, cheesy, moist dilemma that seems to plague this type of food. All types of sliders can be quite delicious when cooked properly, but if not a slider can be dry and disappointing. Our sliders are the perfect solution to this problem and they are perfect for any winter weekend party. The meat is prepared in a crock pot which allows you time to prepare for your party. When serving our sliders we recommend,... Read the Rest →
A lot of Japanese desserts tend to be squishy. “Squishy” is not an inviting word to describe something edible, nor the term “glutinous”. Traditional Japanese desserts are just that: sticky, chewy, or mushy such as ohagi (glutinous rice cakes) and kurikinton (pureed sweet potato with candied chestnuts). But picture perfect, nevertheless. The Japanese always eat with their eyes as well as their mouths. This makes the preparation of the common Japanese desserts tedious and meticulous, much like creating works of art. One of the few Japanese desserts I love, and not to mention an exception to the description “sticky,” is castella. It is a Japanese sponge cake made typically from flour, sugar, eggs, and starch syrup. History indicates that Portuguese merchants introduced this dessert in the 16th century and it was called Pão de Castela, which means “bread from Castile.” It is known to be the specialty of Nagasaki. Although it... Read the Rest →
A lot of Japanese desserts tend to be squishy. “Squishy” is not an inviting word to describe something edible, nor the term “glutinous”. Traditional Japanese desserts are just that: sticky, chewy, or mushy such as ohagi (glutinous rice cakes) and kurikinton (pureed sweet potato with candied chestnuts). But picture perfect, nevertheless. The Japanese always eat with their eyes as well as their mouths. This makes the preparation of the common Japanese desserts tedious and meticulous, much like creating works of art. One of the few Japanese desserts I love, and not to mention an exception to the description “sticky,” is castella. It is a Japanese sponge cake made typically from flour, sugar, eggs, and starch syrup. History indicates that Portuguese merchants introduced this dessert in the 16th century and it was called Pão de Castela, which means “bread from Castile.” It is known to be the specialty of Nagasaki. Although it... Read the Rest →
Having recently written about the potato ricer gadget we felt we’d offer another recipe in which this gadget is handy. Making potato gnocchi is fast and easy, particularly with a ricer in hand. The potatoes most suitable for gnocchi are russet potatoes so please don’t substitute with any other variety. If you are a tactile person like us you will lover the silky feel of the gnocchi dough. When rolling into large ropes you will recall your childhood Play Doh days. This gnocchi dough feels so good that you’ll be hesitant to stop rolling it. But, alas, you must for overworking the dough is a no-no. Since we also recently wrote about gluten let us explain why overworking dough makes it tough. Gluten is a mixture of wheat proteins that stick when water is added. They are not water soluble, but they do form a sort of partnership with the... Read the Rest →
Having recently written about the potato ricer gadget we felt we’d offer another recipe in which this gadget is handy. Making potato gnocchi is fast and easy, particularly with a ricer in hand. The potatoes most suitable for gnocchi are russet potatoes so please don’t substitute with any other variety. If you are a tactile person like us you will lover the silky feel of the gnocchi dough. When rolling into large ropes you will recall your childhood Play Doh days. This gnocchi dough feels so good that you’ll be hesitant to stop rolling it. But, alas, you must for overworking the dough is a no-no. Since we also recently wrote about gluten let us explain why overworking dough makes it tough. Gluten is a mixture of wheat proteins that stick when water is added. They are not water soluble, but they do form a sort of partnership with the... Read the Rest →
There was a time when I could give my children a wholesome snack in the afternoon. Gone are the days when they will be satisfied with apples dipped in peanut butter, homemade granola bars or honey cornbread and milk. My two sweet boys have grown into teenage eating machines. They don’t eat snacks anymore. They eat entire meals in between their meals. I can’t really blame them. They don’t have an ounce of fat on their frame. They are tall and athletic so I guess if I could eat like they do, I probably would. I miss the snacks of childhood. Sometimes I grab an apple and the peanut butter and have myself a snack. Once in a while I make honey cornbread because it tastes so good with a nice cold glass of milk. Of course, cornbread isn’t just a snack. It is a delicious to many meals. And... Read the Rest →
There was a time when I could give my children a wholesome snack in the afternoon. Gone are the days when they will be satisfied with apples dipped in peanut butter, homemade granola bars or honey cornbread and milk. My two sweet boys have grown into teenage eating machines. They don’t eat snacks anymore. They eat entire meals in between their meals. I can’t really blame them. They don’t have an ounce of fat on their frame. They are tall and athletic so I guess if I could eat like they do, I probably would. I miss the snacks of childhood. Sometimes I grab an apple and the peanut butter and have myself a snack. Once in a while I make honey cornbread because it tastes so good with a nice cold glass of milk. Of course, cornbread isn’t just a snack. It is a delicious to many meals. And... Read the Rest →
