The best part of being a foreigner is the opportunity to connect with other foreigners. (Stranieri is the Italian word for us. Sounds like strangers, no? Without a doubt we seem strange to Italians.) Far from home, we gravitate toward each other for a sense of understanding and community. We offer each other empathy and support. And… Continue reading The Rituals of Coffee
In the category of “Things I Never Expected” you will find the fact that we have a fig tree in our yard. I can’t tell you the variety, as I really know nothing about figs. It wasn’t until a bird massacred a dangling fig, disemboweling it and leaving a flap of red, pulpy insides hanging from… Continue reading What to Do with Figs
After spending a year and a half in England, I was beyond excited to sample some Belgian fare during my recent trip to Brussels. We visited A La Becasse for dinner our first night, per a Rick Steves recommendation. We wanted to check out the traditional clay pots in which they served lambic. Which was good, because the food selection was mostly… Continue reading Eating & Drinking in Brussels
My mom makes the BEST chocolate chip cookies. Not too sweet. Still moist and even more delicious after a few days. Totally addictive. Recently I noticed that Pinterest was blowing our little secret though. Did you see the slew of “pudding cookies” popping up a while back? Yeah. Where I come from, we just call… Continue reading We Just Call Them “Cookies”
I’m thinking about starting to pack for our trip to the States this week. A little. My mind and stomach are more preoccupied with the junk food that I can’t wait to eat. How much do you think I can squeeze in over three weeks? (And how many pounds do you think this all will… Continue reading My Great American Pig-out
There were peaches, staring me in the face, at the front of the commissary’s produce section. $1.48 for 2 pounds! They smelled tasty, so it was a done deal. Two days later when I noticed one turning a little too ripe, I knew it was time to act. A peach cobbler it would be.… Continue reading How to Kill a Cobbler
Strawberries have been going like hotcakes at the markets out here. And who am I to resist a two-for-one deal on deliciously ripe strawberries? The problem: too many strawberries to eat ASAP, not enough freezer space to save + no time for baking. The solution: Small batch strawberry jam! I tried this simple recipe from… Continue reading Easy Strawberry Jam
