FOOD 101: Empanadas, History & National Empanada Day

[1] Latin American empanadas are made in half-moon shapes (photo © Fairway | NYC). [2] Breakfast empanadas. Here’s the recipe (photo © Good Eggs). [3] Dessert empanadas have become popular. Here’s the recipe for these pumpkin cheesecake empanadas. [4] Go fusion with Buffalo chicken empanadas. Here’s the recipe.   April 8th is National Empanada Day.…
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Have a Taco Party For Cinco De Mayo Or National Taco Day

At this time of year, we receive nonstop recipes for tequila cocktails in anticipation of Cinco de Mayo, May 5th. Personally, we love Margaritas—plain and flavored with fruit purée. We prefer to focus on other celebratory ideas—like a Taco Party. The renowned master of Mexican cuisine, Chef Rick Bayless tells us that the name for…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Celtuce, Stem Lettuce

It’s a happy day when we discover a new food. We discovered celtuce [photo #1] in our local Chinatown. There are a number of fruits and vegetables in Chinese cuisine that are unfamiliar to non-Chinese Americans. They move slowly into the hands of mainstream American chefs, and then trickle down to home cooks. One of…
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