I just got back from New Orleans, where my goal (aside from conferencing it up with about 20,000 librarians) was to eat all the food. New Orleans is a city known for its unique food culture, and I wanted to experience every last bit of it. I even bought a book, Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table
Continue reading Eating New Orleans
One of my favorite things about our new apartment is the little gas grill sitting out on our porch. Grilling has always been one of those quintessential California activities in my mind. When I was growing up a good portion of our meals were cooked out on the patio, and whenever we had a party, you could be sure to find Dad standing out back with tongs in one hand and a beer in the other. And sure, charcoal grilling can provide more flavor, but having a gas grill means you can fire it up and have dinner on the table in 20 minutes. We’ve been getting good use our of our little Weber, and one of the best things to come from the grill since we’ve moved here is this Meyer Lemon Glazed chicken.
Continue reading Meyer Lemon Glazed Chicken
Some of my long-time readers might see another risotto recipe posted here and sigh, thinking, “Doesn’t this girl ever get sick of talking about risotto?” The answer to that is no, I do not get sick of talking about risotto. Sure, it’s kind of the same recipe written again and again and again. But there are so many awesome variations on a theme, and I just want to share them all. This one, for instance, was just perfect for spring, and if you’re seeing the last of the spring peas at the market, I urge you to grab them up and get into the kitchen.
Continue reading Spring Greens Risotto
I’ve been loving all of the foodie shopping opportunities here in the Bay Area. I’m a bit of a grocery store junkie: whether it’s a big supermarket or a small gourmet boutique, I love browsing the shelves, looking for the unusual, the new, and the hard-to-find, seeking out good deals and inspiration. Oakland is full of great grocery stores: We’re only blocks from Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s is right up the road. Berkeley Bowl is a heaven of wonderful smelling produce, and the Rockridge Market Hall brings together all of my favorite things (bread, fresh pasta, sustainably-produced meat, wine, coffee, the list goes on) under one roof. And let’s not even get started on the Farmers’ Markets.
Continue reading Wild Greek Rice and Spring Onion Crostini
You may have noticed something: I’ve moved. As much as I talked and talked about feeling like I’d outgrown The Kitchen Illiterate, and was ready to try something new, well, I just couldn’t walk away completely. I still love this little home on the web, so instead of abandoning it, I renovated.
Well, I’m in the process of renovating. Posts from the wordpress.com domain should redirect here seamlessly (I hope). If you’re subscribed via RSS you might need to update your feed to this new address.
I know I’ve been pretty quiet lately. There have been a lot of changes in my life recently and I’m still trying to figure myself out in all this newness. But I think there will still be a lot to share here, because hey, I still have a lot to learn. I hope you’re willing to stick around and learn with me.