by Chrysa SmithIt was Pomegranates. It was Blood Oranges. Now it's Edamame.It's the latest trendy produce in the restaurant spotlight. I must admit, the name is kind of exotic, isn't it? Apparently, the word edamame means something like beans on branches or twig bean. But what exactly is it? It's soybean. But not just any soybean. It's one that's picked just at the height of ripening, differentiating it (I suppose) from those soybeans [...]
by Chrysa SmithI can't believe it's almost a year since I first blogged about Donna Burdi. At the time, I had been to an event at her catering 'cave' in Bethlehem. And I mean 'cave' in a very good way. Her kitchen and giant dining table sat below ground level, in a Tuscan style room, finished in stone. Very private. Very intimate. You couldn't get a more personal dining experience but for a [...]
Cheryl Stahle was introduced to me during Passover/Holy Week. She writes, practices yoga, seeks out new stories in local coffee shops and teaches English to high school students. A literary consultant, Cheryl's passion is in teaching women to tell their own stories. Sampling her first Passover Seder that week, I asked her to share some of her thoughts as an adult experiencing this religious ritual for the first time. Cheryl is another woman [...]
by Chrysa SmithHasta la Vista, Baby.Isn't this mean? Maybe, but I just couldn't resist.This line came from one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's 'blow 'em up' guy flicks: Terminator 2. But the line has also come to life as he and Maria Shriver may be calling it quits on their 25 year marriage.Truth is, whether I like a couple or not, I feel sad whenever I hear a long-term marriage go kaput. It goes against [...]
by Chrysa SmithI'm not a big cook book collector. Those that I have collected over the years have been gifts, from interviews with chefs or those spiral varieties from charity fundraisers.In all honesty, the fundraiser cookbooks were rarely cracked open----at least until now. It's not snob appeal; culinary superiority or anything. It's just that I've rarely found more than a handful of dishes that I might enjoy, because they have generally contained recipes [...]
by Chrysa SmithThey look innocent enough--sitting there, peacefully enjoying their little slice of God's green earth. And their owners? Nowhere in sight. And for good reason. They have taken the worry out of their furry friends jumping over fences, burrowing under fences, running out into the street----because they have the peace and security of an invisible fence.Aah, good for owners. Horrific for dog walkers.As a bully taunting one of his classmates, I have [...]
by Chrysa SmithHave you been watching America's Next Great Restaurant? I know, another reality show. But besides the fact that it involves food and becoming an instant restauranteur, it's got Curtis Stone :). If you don't know who he is, well, you've obviously been hiding under a saute pan. Because Curtis is not only an accomplished chef who appears regularly on popular TV shows like the TODAY show, he's by far, hands down, [...]
