tuna noodle casserole

ultimate comfort food, tuna noodle casserole

I don’t know why, but of late I am drawn to nostalgia and in particular food.  This nostalgic feeling is all good and although I am not one to dwell in the past, there’s something so familiar about comfort food that pulls me back to my childhood.  In the 1950s and well into the ’70s…

Read More

sautéed purple cabbage with pasta

Do you ever wish you could turn back time?  I do, not to alter events but to be more inquisitive with my elders thus being able to pass the story-telling torch onto my children.  My great, great paternal grandmother, Anna Marie Schmeltzer (Nanny Kent), died when I was 11 – she was 86.  My memories…

Read More

chicken stew with olives

Four weeks ago today we were cruising the Bosphorus River, listening to the historical commentary about Turkey and how this river has influenced its shores. As I sit here reminiscing of our trip, it feels as though it was eons ago.  All the planning, research, initial deposit to final payment, and the excitement leading up…

Read More

Roasted Pork Belly

When we first moved to Hong Kong, one of our all-time favorite fast foods was char siu fun (Chinese bbq pork over rice with a side of ginger sauce – yum!).  This was our first introduction to pork belly and before that I hadn’t heard of it.  Well, that’s not strictly accurate.  Although I grew…

Read More

Roasted Vegetables & Sausage

 Looking for a Sunday-style roast but without the fuss?  As much as I adore a Sunday roast, it’s an all day thing or close to it.  Sure, you can leave the roast in the oven and putter around the house or go out for a quick lunch, but realistically, you need to be nearby to…

Read More