Jams, Pickles & Condiments

Chinese Ginger Scallion Sauce

Chinese Ginger Scallion Sauce

Ginger scallion sauce is a classic Chinese condiment traditionally served on cold poached chicken. But to limit it to a single dish would be a crime. From fried chicken to poke to scrambled eggs, ginger scallion sauce will bring life to your dishes, even those that...

Papaya Ginger Jam

Papaya Ginger Jam

When I lived in Boston, one of my summer activities was to make big batches of apricot jam that I would enjoy throughout the year. Now that I'm living in Hawaii, it's harder to find good stone fruit. Instead we are blessed with beautiful tropical fruit...

Arugula, Basil, and Mint Pesto

Arugula, Basil, and Mint Pesto

In addition to my obsession with cookbooks I also watch a lot of cooking shows. I started early when the only shows were on PBS. With the Food Network and Cooking Channel I can watch cooking shows almost round-the-clock. And this is where I found inspiration one...

Apricot Jam

Apricot Jam

Food in Jars Mastery Challenge #6 Participating in this month's Mastery Challenge was easy because making apricot jam has become one of my annual traditions. My good friend Michelle shared this recipe with me a few years ago and I've been making it ever since. She, in...

Lemon Herb Garlic Salt

Lemon Herb Garlic Salt

Food in Jars Mastery Challenge #2: Salt Preserving This month's assignment for the Food in Jars Mastery Challenge was Salt Preserving. I admit that before the assignment came out I was apprehensive. I thought we would be curing meats or something that sounds iffy if...

Hot & Spicy Apple Chutney

Hot & Spicy Apple Chutney

Moveable Feast: Apples After our usual summer hiatus, Moveable Feast started up once again last weekend with the seasonally appropriate theme of apples. As you might expect, dessert was quickly claimed but for whatever reason, the thing that popped into my head...

Jamie Oliver’s Vanilla Sugar

Jamie Oliver’s Vanilla Sugar

When we worked together years ago, several former co-workers and I would get together at the holidays to have afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton Boston. It was a fun and delicious way to get out of the office for an afternoon and talk about anything but work. Over the...

Strawberry No-Cook Freezer Jam

Strawberry No-Cook Freezer Jam

The first type of jam I learned how to make is no-cook, freezer jam. The recipe is included in the boxes of Sure Jell pectin that you get at the grocery store. It's pretty easy and you don't have to worry about cooking it long enough, getting air bubbles out of jars,...

P is for Padma, a Mini Tribute

P is for Padma, a Mini Tribute

Last year I lost one of my best friends. Padma was not only a friend but a confidant and a cheerleader for me. If asked, I bet she'd have greater belief and hope in me than I ever would in myself. She was taken too soon from us and there's not a day that goes by that...

Lychee Ginger Simple Syrup

Lychee Ginger Simple Syrup

Growing up in Hawaii we had access to a lot of different types of fruit. At any given time we had mangoes, lychee, bananas, tangerines, pomelo, or papayas growing in our yard. Even when the trees got older and didn't produce as much, friends and family often brought...

Adventures in Canning – Part 2

Adventures in Canning – Part 2

Influence of the Blogs I've been trolling the Internet looking for more recipes to try after the relative success of my first two canning efforts. There are so many beautiful food blogs out there. My humble little blog holds no comparison. Gorgeous photography and...

Adventures in Canning – Part 1

Adventures in Canning – Part 1

I've always been fascinated by canning but as a single girl living in an apartment, it neither seemed necessary or practical. Nor was I sure that I'd be able to safely and properly preserve anything. This year I finally gave in and took my first stab at canning. I...