One cannot complain about living on the gorgeous Monterey Peninsula along the California coast just blocks from the water. Yes, I have a view of the bay from my kitchen’s picture window but please allow me this one gripe — moving from...

There are secret recipes and there are secret recipes. Ever since I moved to Northern California, I’ve heard rumors about the famous recipes prepared in the secret kitchen at the An family’s Thanh Long Restaurant. (They also own two branches of the...

My paternal grandmother, whom I called “Oma” As my cookbook launched this past October 1st, I came to the sudden realization that I knew more about the grandmothers I interviewed than my own. And in a reversal of scenarios, one friend whose mom I...

Hello dear readers, I do apologize for the lack of blog posts but things have been busy around here. I’ve started a new gig with Allrecipes.com and as my husband keeps teasing me, I’m about to give birth to two babies!  Yes, I am expecting. The real...

Aloo gobi. Aloo gobi. Aloo gobi. Aloo gobi. No matter which syllable, or syllables, I place the inflection on I can’t help but crinkle my lips into a smile every time I utter the name of this popular North Indian dish. And I must say I’ve been...

A few weeks ago, I was in Seattle to celebrate my dad’s 70th birthday. That’s my mom and dad. The peak of the nasi tumpeng is sliced off first, in the same tradition as slicing into a birthday cake (Photo courtesy of Ricky Raynaldi) My visit...