I’m no math person. However, I have an appreciation for people for whom math is an ease. And of course, I’m going to rally around a day that involves celebrating the mathematical constant (π) by eating pie on 3-14.
Category Archives: Recipes
the virtues of cashew milk
I share this post with you in the spirit of the new year. I decided it would be good to make something new, something healthy, something that would make me feel like I was starting the year off in a clean living sort of way.
holiday decadence
‘Tis the season for excess. I seem to be making that my mantra during the month of December. It all started at the beginning of the month with a handful of cookie baking sessions with my very pregnant girlfriend. She needed distractions to keep her mind off her current situation, so baking seemed to fit the bill. The closer she got to her due date, the more these baking sessions ramped up. We baked, we cooked, we rolled rum balls, we did it all. Continue reading holiday decadence
father-in-law mapo tofu
My father-in-law lives in a ‘small village’ outside of Shanghai. He moved there from Taiwan to retire. The first time my husband and I went to visit him years ago, we were both expecting the quintessential village he made his new home of Kunshan out to be. I still tease my father-in-law about his misrepresentation of his village, because it’s in fact a mid-range (by China’s standards) city of 1.65 million people. I guess it’s all perspective. When you live in a country of 1.3 billion, a mere 1.65 million can take on more of a village feel. Continue reading father-in-law mapo tofu
peach cobbler
Last summer my husband and I spent a few days in Seattle with friends. Because it was my husband’s first time, we did touristy things including a trip to the Space Needle, Sculpture Park, Capitol Hill and Pike Place Market. And of course, we ate.
homemade maraschino cherries
Gone are the days of bright pink maraschino cherries. You know, the ones that topped your Shirley Temples when you were a kid. Now is the time to graduate to the big leagues of adult maraschino cherries for your grown up drinks and sophisticated sundae toppers. Continue reading homemade maraschino cherries
the sadness of chia pudding
It has taken me almost a year to write about chia pudding. I know it’s been a while because the original draft I started was dated last October. No, I’m not a terrible procrastinator. The truth is, this mango chia pudding recipe is closely linked to memories of my dear friend Michelle, who passed away on July 30, 2015. Continue reading the sadness of chia pudding
chocolate makes everything better?
The onslaught of news about violence seems to be endless these days. I find myself asking a lot of questions. Are these horrific things happening in the U.S. because of our Republican presidential nominee? Do certain people think bad behavior is ok because they hear the Republican nominee regularly threatening, valorizing and inciting violence? Is a ‘lone wolf’ inspired by a terrorist group’s ideology going to be the new normal? Is it now socially acceptable to stir up the pot, get in confrontations and fight with strangers? Am I just being dramatic, and this has been happening for years, but we tend to hear more about it now?
yoyogi cocktail
I think I’ve found my favorite cocktail of 2016, and that’s saying a lot because I love cocktails. I first sipped the Yoyogi at Noraneko, a restaurant located in Portland where I live. The restaurant is billed as a ramen shop, but their Japanese appetizers and traditional comfort foods are what dominate the menu. What gets me excited about Noraneko is their bar program. They have an extensive selection of traditional Japanese whiskeys and mixed drinks on the menu. Continue reading yoyogi cocktail
a grandma-inspired cake
Memories, nostalgia and food are a theme in my life. I’ve written about food memories many times here. The taste and smell of food can bring back memories not just of eating food itself, but also of place and setting. For me, food is an effective trigger of deeper memories of feelings and emotions. Continue reading a grandma-inspired cake
planks and sticks 