The Essential Vietnamese Sauce: Nuoc Mau

It looks rather like sorghum molasses, or espresso with a swirled froth of reddish gold crema on top.
But it is neither of these things.
It is dark, it is deep, it consists of two ingredients, and while it is simple to make it is not easy.
And, it is an essential component to many […]

Bad News About Food

Well, all in the world of food is not sweetness and light.
In the past few days and weeks, some really ugly news has surfaced in the realm of food and health that I thought I would share with my readers. I do try to be positive here, but sometimes, I feel that we, as […]

The Holy Trinity of the Chinese Kitchen

In the cuisines of South Louisiana, cooks speak in reverential tones of three essential aromatic ingredients which they call, “The Holy Trinity:”onion, celery and bell pepper.
Nearly every recipe starts with the Holy Trinity being sauteed in a heavy-bottomed pan, where their combined fragrance and flavor can then infuse the finished dish deliciously.
Chinese cookery, […]

Weekend Kat Blogging: Doesn’t She Look Proud?

And well she should look proud.
For you see–Kat has finally mastered sitting upright on her own.
And while it is a lot of work for her, there are many rewards. It makes it easier for her to eat all of the tasty new flavors she has been experiencing: guacamole, curry, carrot, potato and onion soup, […]

What To Do With Nuoc Cham: Lemongrass Beef Over Broken Rice

Simple does not equate with plain.
You know, the phrase, “it’s plain and simple?”
Well, in cookery, those two words do not have to go together.
Food that comes together with a minimum of ingredients does not have to taste plain. Or bland. Or boring.
This recipe is a classic example of what I am trying to […]