So Many Recipes, So Little Time
As long as I remember myself, Uighur food has been one of my favorites. It is forever associated with Central Asian republics possible only during summer vacations, mom and dad off from work, vegetables unavailable in cold Moscow, exotic flavors. Inside the Iron Curtain, from Moscow, -stan republics and their food were the mysterious “Abroad.”…
Although geographically moving West from my childhood home, somehow my mind has always been drawn East. Probably like the place where I come from — neither West or East, or both. When we moved from Manhattan to suburbs to start a family, one of my very first friends was Japanese. An artist by training, she…
After seeing a lot of deconstruction happening lately in a cooking community, I’ve decided to deconstruct something of my own. To experiment, I pushed off Anya von Bremzen’s recipe from Please to the Table. Dishes from this book taste exactly like what mom used to make back in Moscow when she did all the cooking…
It all started 30 years ago in Manhattan. A year later, we found each other. Another year, and we made it official. One more, and we moved. One more, and a little Japanese restaurant opened on our block in a strictly residential area of our village starting an omakase tradition for this February day. If…
After having spent a year and some to recap the adventures of our ten day trip to Russia, it seems appropriate to save some recipes this trip came with. One of the things I could never get used to in the US is having cereal for breakfast. It just doesn’t do it for me —…
Bigos is one of those Eastern European dishes that has as many versions as borscht. And debate about its origins can only be compared to arguments what pizza is better. It is also one of those meals that can go a Rolls-Royce route or a pickup truck one. A few years ago, for a family…
Diana Henry’s savory pies have such an unmistakable signature of comfort, flavor, and practicality. They are doable and luxurious, uncomplicated and lavish at the same time. Just tasty. And, considering the presentation, you’d never tell that often they are just an elegant way to clean up the leftovers. This is a Russian chicken pie from…
That’s the beauty of the food scene in Elmhurst area of Queens — there’s always something for any occasion. Even when you made a hike all the way from NJ to only hit the permanently closed door of the restaurant you were planning on. There are five more equally interesting places across the street. And…
Ever since years ago l set my foot in Xi’an Famous Foods in a Flushing basement, this has become my favorite salad. L1 — Tiger Vegetable Salad (Spicy & Cold). For an unknown to me reason, it is now off their menu. But I got the book and the craving. There are eight ingredients in…
Mohinga, Burmese National Dish based on the recipe by Daw Hla of 132 Edward Street in Rangoon. According to the 1956 edition of Rangoon International Cook Book, Daw Hla was “reputed as the best Mohinga cook in the city, catering for more than 40 years… for the Union Club and Orient Club.” In MO-HINGA, MO…