This month we have introduced a hint of summer with our Mediterranean Roasted Chicken. You may have heard of ‘The Mediterranean Diet’ but what is it? The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating based on the traditional cuisine of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. While there is no single definition of the Mediterranean diet, it is typically high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nut and seeds, and olive oil. How come it has become so popular and what are its benefits?
Pad Thai is one of the most simple and delicious street food dishes around. Rice noodles stir-fried with eggs and some tofu, shrimp or meat are the basis for the dish. It is typically flavored with some tamarind pulp, fish sauce, garlic, chili and sugar. Final touches include a garnish of lime wedge and chopped, toasted peanuts. It is probably the most famous Thai noodle dish, checking all the boxes for deliciousness – but why? What is the science behind its remarkable flavor?
I could literally be doing this tonight. That is to say eating chowder – for dinner in the sitting room – here in my Airbnb in Boston. I can even fake a New England accent reasonably well. It’s not that hard, to be honest, if you’re British. I love an opportunity to write about regional cuisine while actually physically there in person. There’s nothing quite like experiencing it first-hand to make me want to put pen to paper (okay, fingers to laptop). And what better excuse does anyone need to justify sampling New England cuisine? None whatsoever or “No Suh!” as the locals might say.
Needless to say, clam chowder, lobster roll, cannoli and Boston cream pie have been at the top of my do-to list this weekend. Maybe it is destiny that the address where I am staying is located on the same street as America’s very first restaurant…a snippet of local culinary history right here on my door step.
My least favorite color in the entire world is orange. To begin with, it screams headaches, 1970’s décor and spray cheese. It means fake suntans, unbrushed Cheeto teeth and Hobby Lobby for three dismal months of the year. It’s Easy Jet when you wanted United Airlines. It’s Fanta when you need a Coke. It’s Mastercard when they only take Visa. I know no one and nothing that looks good in man-made orange. But I do like sunsets and vegetables. Orange vegetables get a carte blanch in my house. A Get Out of Jail Free Card. A Pass Go and Collect $200 status. In truth, orange vegetables are the bomb. Quite honestly, I can’t get enough of them and the best part is, they’re incredibly good for you.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and has become increasingly so the older I get. Not only is it the start of the festive holiday season but it’s an opportunity to take a breath and consciously sit and think about all I am grateful for. That sounds trite but making memories and revisiting traditions helps to cement this gratitude. Usually we begin the day with a very early start involving the local YMCA Turkey Dash. Next we head home and watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on the TV with a glass of champagne in hand. Then, as the National Dog Show is starting, the Thanksgiving turkey is shoved in the oven and we sit down for a game of Christmas-opoly, charades and other silly games.
The practice of roasting a turkey is not much of a big deal to a Brit, because we grew up enjoying ‘Sunday roasts’ most weekends. So when Thanksgiving comes around I try to think of different ways to prepare the turkey, just for the thrill. Here are a five ideas I have tried out with reasonable success. And a sixth for good measure.
I have a confession to make. I have never been to Casablanca. In fact, I am writing this blog about Moroccan Tagine without ever having been to Morocco or experienced authentic tajine. When I say I haven’t experienced it, I mean I haven’t had the pleasure of cooking it in that unmistakeable cone-shaped earthenware pot. I haven’t shared a traditional communal tagine in a mountain village and I haven’t been to Marrakech and haggled for one in the local markets. Clearly, after considerable research today, I have missed out on an unforgettable lifetime experience! In fact, I am starting to think that once Covid’s over I need I need to start planning a vacation to Morocco and not just because I have a crush on Humphrey Bogart…
Well this is it. I’ve been putting off writing this blog for a long time. There’s only one meal left on Flavorly’s menu that I haven’t touched on in some form or other when discussing regional cuisine. And it’s Peri-Peri Grilled Chicken. Why have I left this amazing dish until last? Because it is a classic example of South African cuisine and since Chef F and the Fourie family hail from this beautiful country, I feel they are far more qualified to talk about it than I. However, by coincidence I did have the opportunity to spend a few years working in South Africa in my 20’s and have some very fond foodie memories. So, this blog is a kind of homage to that period of time in my life. In that spirit I will share with you three of my favorite culinary experiences from those days.
Today was a day much like any other day during Covid. Except that I have become more appreciative of my free time at the weekend now that I work full-time during the week. Today I caught up with some girlfriends over brunch at The Oaks Kitchen & Bar in the Cane Island Community. I don’t know what it is about brunch, but I could quite happily eat Eggs Benedict for brunch every Sunday whereas I would tire very quickly of eating any other meal with the same regularity. I am spoiled for choice of brunch venue here in Katy, Texas and I suspect it is much the same in other parts of the country. But brunch wasn’t always a ‘thing’ and its origins are interesting.
We are so very excited to announce that we, Healthy Gourmet Your Way, have changed our official rebranding to EatFlavorly. The change includes both our visual identity and corporate mission. It comes as the culmination of a series of recent changes in the meal provider marketplace and accommodates a shift in interest among our target demographic. This shift reflects a transition from “diet-specific” meals to a more “culinary experience” focused decision-making paradigm. We would love to share with you the thinking behind this rebrand and introduce you to our new website and mascot “Chef F”. Therefore, read on to follow our journey…
Eatflavorly and Clothed by Faith (and its sister organization Closets for Schools) have a very special relationship. They are tied together in philanthropic spirit by a desire to improve the lives of others. They also share the same family spirit: The Fourie family.Continue reading
