TIP OF THE DAY: Pozole (Posole) ~ Not Just For Special Occasions

Much of what we know about Aztec customs is thanks to Bernardino de Sahagún (1499-1590), a Franciscan friar, missionary priest, scholar and ethnographer who traveled to New Spain* (current-day Mexico) after its conquest. Arriving in 1529, he learned the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs and spent more 61 years documenting their beliefs, culture and history.…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Green (Pesto) Lasagna For Spring

[1] “Green” lasagna, made with pesto and spring asparagus. Use green (spinach) noodles for St. Patrick’s Day. Photo courtesy Eataly | Chicago.   Have you ever had green lasagna? We order lasagna every time we see it on a menu, trying to find one that’s better than Mom’s (which has only been bested once). We…
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FOOD 101: Pastilla, Bastilla, Bisteeya, B’stilla

Alluring and delicious. Photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog.   Pastilla, pronounced “bastilla” in the Arabic of North Africa, is a traditional Moroccan dish that crossed the Straits of Gilbraltar from Andalusia, Spain. It is transliterated from the Arabic pastilla, bastilla, bisteeya, b’stilla or bstilla. It all means “delicious,” says Hannah Kaminsky. Traditionally served…
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TIP: Easy Appetizer Napoleons

Avocado-portabella napoleon with lavash layers. Photo © Delicious Knowledge | California Avocado Commission   When most of us think of napoleons, we think of a mille-feuille (millefoglie in Italian), filled with custard. Mille-feuille means “thousand leaves,” three rectangular sheets of puff pastry spread with Bavarian cream, pastry cream, whipped cream, custard, jam or fruit purée,…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Make A Tian, A Beautiful Vegetable Dish

Tian is an ancient Chinese term for the cosmos. But head west, and tian is a word from the old Provençal language of the south of France. It’s an earthenware vessel used both for cooking and serving, and it’s also the name of the au gratin vegetable dish prepared in it. The dish can be…
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