It’s true, the Francesinha, Porto’s signature sandwich, could be slightly disturbing to an actual French person. After all, it’s a multi-meat sandwich on white bread, coated in cheese and then bathed in a beer sauce. Egg on top optional. More hangry fisherman than Parisian chic. Detroit has its Coney dog. Philly its cheesesteak. In Pittsburgh, … Continue reading
Why is Chefchaouen blue? Blue as the sky. Blue as the sea. The Medina in Chefchauoen is powdery blue and full of twisting alleys and sometimes dead ends. Why blue? Jewish refugees fleeing anti Semitic sentiment in Europe lived in this part of the city in the 1930s and painted it blue. Blue represents a … Continue reading
Flying into Paris on the eve of a national election makes for an interesting and perhaps more unguarded view of the French point of view. Think about how you feel, wherever you may live, when the outcome of a political election publicly reveals the extent of a problem you (the royal “you”) have been unwilling … Continue reading
In the early years post-college, I lived in Bennington, Vermont. It was as lovely as it was heartbreaking. Where else could you go to the local general store and bump into the writer Jamaica Kincaid, angrily shaking a bundle of weeds in her fist (she was unsatisfied with the store’s window boxes)? Where else could … Continue reading
New Orleanians and their king cakes have something very special with each other. This year, that special something is the 58 days they have to find the iconic seasonal cakes at grocery stores, gas stations, upscale restaurants, downhome cafes and everywhere in between, if you happen to be in New Orleans, that is. At the … Continue reading
2013: my Year of the Dog. Or better yet, Year of the Daisy. Daisy came into our lives in late spring as a stray, and quickly made herself one of the family. Having a dog has changed my life for the better. There’s no other way to say it. I’m so happy she found us. … Continue reading
We crossed the Mackinac Bridge in a snowstorm on a day that started rainy in Detroit, turned quickly to ice by the time we passed Auburn Hills and then became firmly snowy by the time we passed Flint. By the time we crossed into the Upper Peninsula, our highway speed topped out at 35 mph. … Continue reading
Kelowna (pronounced “coll-oh-nah”), British Columbia, sits at the northernmost tip of the Sonoran Desert. You know, the one that starts in Mexico. Its terminus is in Canada. I didn’t know that until quite recently. Shielded from the Pacific by several mountain ranges and situated in the arid desert north, Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley is … Continue reading
Bread is a serious business in most of the world. In the United States it doesn’t seem as much of a rite and standard bearer of civilization. In Mexico even, the supermarket bakery aisles are a cavalcade of delightful sights. Orejas (named for their ear shape) Conchas (shaped like a shell) Payasos Not sure what … Continue reading
Recently I asked a group of Detroit food fanatics to submit favorite recipes and the stories that went with the tastes. The responses are captured in this mini-cookbook, Detroit Delicacies (click photo to download PDF). I’m eager to continue this idea a little further to create a full-length cookbook. Stay tuned! Continue reading
