cinnamon

fragrant herbed basmati polow

January 3, 2012

This is another wonderful rice pilaf adapted from our favorite Iranian cook book, New Food of Life, by Najmieh Batmanglij. I prepared it for our New Year’s Eve party and we shared it with our friends Jasmine Turner and Prof. T. Steven “suggested” the meal, and I’m glad. I was a bit jet lagged from [...]

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advieh

June 2, 2011

This recipe comes from the amazing book by Najmieh Batmanglij, Food of Life. I made advieh for basmati and fava rice. Personally, I find spice mixes fascinating and mysterious bordering on scary. They’re so puzzling when you buy them pre-made. Whatever could be in these things? Chinese five spice is a perfect example. I look [...]

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basmati rice with dried yellow fava beans

May 27, 2011

This delectable dish comes from the sublime Najmieh Batmanglij’s book, Food of Life. I made it with some success for a recent dinner party on a day when I felt little inspiration. Najmieh always cheers my mind and appetite. Her recipe calls for dried peeled yellow fava beans, which I happened to have. Hegui picked [...]

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pumpkin coconut compote

February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today it’s all about sweets for your sweet. My home State, Minas Gerais in Brazil, is famed for its jams and compotes. They make many sweets from lots of different fruits, including: guava, pineapple, passion fruit, bitter orange, jabuticaba, quice and pumpkin, to name just a few. As a kid, I fondly [...]

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Chinese 5 spice powder

February 8, 2011

I can’t think of a many dishes I like that come flavored with star anise, licorice or fennel seeds. I’m not a huge fan. My nose and palate simply cannot process these intense smells and tastes. Pernod flavored mussels? a Sambuca Romana digestif? Pastis? Licorice candy shaped like little black Scotty dogs? I’ll pass, thank [...]

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my sister’s zucchini walnut raisin bread

January 10, 2011

My sister, Kris, makes wonderful cakes and quick breads. She lives back East so I don’t see her that often. Years ago she would make this zucchini bread around the holidays in large volume and give it as gifts to friends and family. I’ve never made it before now though I’ve had the recipe for [...]

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Irene’s zucchini oatmeal raisin bread

December 17, 2010

Irene is my paternal grandmother, though she prefers “Granny” to “Grandma.” Apparently it makes her feel younger. For a year when I was a child, my family and I lived in Geneva, Switzerland where I attended a private English-speaking school in the Third Grade. I had a Scottish friend in my class who taught me [...]

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PPO: pumpkin pie obsession, better known as healthier-than-it-should-be pumpkin pie

November 29, 2010

I do not know what has come over me, but I have this overwhelming urge to eat and fully enjoy pumpkin pie. It might be because it is the season for pumpkins and pumpkins are just everywhere. Also the food advertisements that come in bright colors in the mail every other day make holiday meals [...]

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apple pear cinnamon cake

November 23, 2010

The other day our neighbor Ann gave us two big bags full of delicious pears and apples she grows in her country home south of San Francisco along the California Central Coast. Everything that she produces is organic. In the past she’s given us zucchini, Japanese eggplant, basil, bok choy greens, lemons and more. Thank [...]

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Moroccan carrot salad

October 26, 2010

We bought a lot of carrots at our local TJ’s store the other day and forgot them in the fridge for about a week. By the time I rediscovered them, they were dehydrated and a bit shriveled, so I decided to prepare them all at once right away. Normally, I use carrots in other things, [...]

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