The first cold air of autumn has been generally known as the season for chili, but I’ve come to know this American dish all year round. Simple in nature, but open to many variations, it’s a dish that works for all seasons and all tastes. I personally love it any time of the year, even [...]

Since the early days of the Southern French US colonies, Mardi Gras has been a yearly tradition that even a hurricane could not stop. It’s the historic time of Carnival, the celebration of indulgence and what many might call “sin” before taking on the 40 day fasting from such things we know as Lent. The [...]

Spanish cuisine has always fascinated me, mainly because of how much it differs from the many flavors of Mexican, Central, and South American cuisine one finds here in the US. While the languages are similar, the food certainly isn’t. Spanish cuisine has its own distinct flavor and culture that one can see relationships with its [...]

I always love how movies and television open us all up to new dishes and culinary cultures we might not have seen before.  French cuisine, while noted highly and raved about, has always been a hit-or-miss thing with me.  I’ve eaten twice in French restaurants, only to end up sick later.  However, I haven’t given [...]

OK, so the best laid plans never seem to always happen.  I planned on writing this while on vacation, but Zuzana and I were having so much fun that I just lost track of the time, and now we’re home.  My apologies to anyone who felt abandoned. While over in Zuzana’s native Slovakia, I was [...]

I want to first start off this post with a short apology.  Before I left for my month-long European adventure, I had planned to post three recipes I learned from my father, but I found myself busy tying up loose ends at work and packing, and thus forgot the notes I had taken.  Rest assured, [...]