Making your own hummus is one of the simple pleasures in life. The inspiration for this dish came after I hit downtown Chicago with rooftop reservations at the posh Mediterranean tapa’s restaurant- Aba. It was love at first bite with their sweet corn hummus and I knew I had to attempt a recreation. That’s one of my favorite parts of hummus, there is so much room to be creative with it. I have made everything from pink beet hummus to a chocolate hummus. There are just no rules… at least not in my kitchen. What is Hummus? Hummus is a…
faraway kitchen
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Continue ReadingWhen I was a kid, my dad used to always make us his famous grilled cheese with a can of peaches on top. To this day, I can’t imagine eating grilled cheese without peaches. But back then I remember all my friends being completely baffled by the idea of peaches on a grilled cheese. “That’s what poor people do,” I recall one child critically saying… clearly that kid didn’t end up following the wild adventures of anything Anthony Bourdain. Have fun in your boring existence, kid. I decided to take one of my favorite childhood meals and turn it into…
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Continue ReadingSomeone once told me that what is meant for me will come for me. Next thing I know, this German schnitzel showed up over and over again in my dreams and here we are. I think that’s how ideas work. They come for you like little messenger fairies from the sky, and you can grab them or you can let them float on by. More often than not, we let them float on by… but if they are truly meant for us then they will come again and again until you have no choice but to grab them. Places, ideas,…
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Continue ReadingFried Oyster Mushrooms: A Southern Comfort Twist Fried oyster mushrooms are a rare ingredient that can transport me anywhere in the world. They’re so simple, yet so full of possibilities. One minute, I’m imagining them in a New Orleans-style Po’ Boy, the next, I’m envisioning them alongside Southern-style chicken and waffles. That’s the beauty of these mushrooms—they’re not bound by just one identity. Who wants to be confined, anyway? I have always been fascinated about mealtime. Perhaps it’s the forever explorer in me. Once a day you can put something on a plate that allows you to think about somewhere…
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Continue ReadingTartare takes me back to France, and lets be honest… I’m always trying to go back to France. Anyone that tells you France is overrated has a cynical view on the world- a superiority complex that you should run fast and far from. I can’t get enough of the broken down alleyways (yes, I’m talking about alleys again) contrasted with posh arched doorways hanging open. France is one of those places that I don’t have to do anything in, I just need to be there. It’s like a drug, simply being in its presence gives me enough life to keep…
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Continue ReadingPeruvian cuisine is quite possibly my favorite part of South America to fall into. There is a clear European influence along with Incan indigenous roots. For that reason, it collides two of my favorite worlds together. The posh and polished land of European plating, balanced by the rural and rustic bones of indigenous recipes. I have this constant polar pull in my life, where I’m attracted the the fancy chic parts of life, but then there’s this other side of me that needs to be lost on a dirt road driving a motorbike looking for $2 street dishes. There’s a…
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Continue ReadingEvery so often you get a dish that picks you up and takes you away from where you are. For me, it probably happens more often than it should. One minute I’m casually watching what kind of nonsense Jerry and George are getting into on the tv, and suddenly I’m transported seaside to a nordic fishing village overwhelmed by the sound of delicate waves. That is the magic of eating a spread of carrot lox over a fatty open-faced danish sandwich sprinkled in fresh dill. It’s not just eating a sandwich, it’s getting lost on a rickety pier starring out…
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Continue ReadingVegan Spicy Tuna, youuuu say? I do indeed say so. I have a complete adoration for Japanese culture and sushi life. When I decided to life a vegan lifestyle a few years ago, I panicked at the thought of never tasting a spicy tuna again. That all changed as I’m now a frequent regular at the local vegan sushi restaurant (I love this city). The first time I brought my best friend there and fed him a tomato spicy tuna roll- I watched the look on his face shift to complete mystification and glee. That is when I knew I…
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Continue ReadingMaybe food means something different for everyone. For some of us, it’s simply the means to survive and for others the pleasure to life. It’s this beautiful method of communication, to express to people what they mean to me. There’s love in the act of creating something beautiful for someone. Each little dip of chocolate feels like a poem you spend all night pacing the floors about. Honestly… nothing says love like a dang Churro Cheesecake. Serve it Steamy Hot I am over the top excited to share this Mexican Churro Cheesecake recipe with you. One thing I’ve observed about…
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Continue ReadingNorth America is filled with so many amazing sandwiches. Choosing to eliminate or reduce animal products does not mean that you need to miss out on these amazing dishes. I’m a believer that we are consuming the story when we eat things like a Philly Cheesesteak. It’s about waiting in a line wrapped around the building to try one of Jims famous Cheesesteaks while everyone in line debates who has the best in the city. It’s about Jim serving you out of a tiny street side window, the messiest hoagie bun sandwich while you eat it on the street stoop…