A Taste for Thai

Ever have one of those moments when someone tells you about their favorite neighborhood restaurant and once it gets in your head, you discover that tons of people you know adore it? I’m not talking about the hip, new, well-publicized eateries that explode on the food scene week after week. I’m talking about those stalwarts that are under the radar, with a loyal following that doesn’t trend-hop. Supannee House of Thai was that for me. As I got to know the restaurant and owner Supannee House, I made it my neighborhood restaurant, even though I live in an altogether different part of town. It was a place that my dad, who has Alzheimer's and Lewy Body diseases, absolutely loved. So in my latest San Diego Union-Tribune food story I wanted to share the special approach she takes with her native cuisine with readers. Supannee may create Thai food, but each dish is crafted with local ingredients, including produce she and her sister, Chef Wan Chant, grow in their own gardens, and local seafood. 

New Piece for New Client Softjourn

Yes, I write about food, but I also have a thriving corporate copywriting business. My new client Softjourn, which is based in Ukraine, outsources software development. They asked me to help them with a couple of pieces, one of which offers their perspective on Facebook's cool new open-source cross-platform framework React Native. Take a read and learn what these experts believe make it a game changer for app developers.

New San Diego Union-Tribune Food Story on Preserving Foods Sans Refined Sugar

I've long loved the process--and results--of preserving foods of all kinds. But I've also hated having to use refined sugar in recipes, especially for jams. So I was delighted to be introduced to author and blogger Marisa McClellan's new book, "Naturally Sweet Food in Jars." McClellan has created recipes for jams, jellies, sauces, pickles, and all sorts of other canned foods replacing sugar with honey, agave syrup, maple syrup and sugar, and other natural sweeteners--all to great effect. I've made several recipes from the book and all delighted me. So, I wrote a story on the book for the San Diego Union-Tribune's food section. Here it is.

New San Diego Union-Tribune Story--On How to Spare Food from Landfills

It's not the first time I've written about food waste and it won't be the last. Too many of us toss edibles that are wonderful ingredients--beet, radish, and carrot tops; vegetable scraps; animal parts that don't conform with popular cuts or filets. It's costly and unsustainable on many levels. Local chefs are very aware of this and the two I write about in this San Diego Union-Tribune story--Miguel Valdez of The Red Door and Rob Ruiz of The Land and Water Company--have been conscious of it for years and are participating in Re:Source, a 2016 event featuring chefs and restaurants demonstrating how to use ingredients sustainably. Learn how you can turn carrot tops into pesto and odds and ends of veggies into a sumptuous gazpacho.

Persian New Year (Norooz) Food Featured in San Diego Union-Tribune

I've been a fan of the University Heights restaurant Soltan Banoo and its owner Mahin Mofazeli for awhile. Her food, straight from her Persian roots, is sublime--simultaneously traditional but recognizing the SoCal environment and customers she's grounded in, a touch adapted to 21st century San Diego. So, as Norooz approached I thought it would be a great excuse to see if I could cajole her into teaching me some family/restaurant dishes traditionally served for the holiday. She needed no cajoling and once I had her yes, my editor at the UT was just as enthusiastic about running a story on it. As I say in the story, which appears in today's food section, it all begins with the rice. Get that down and you'll have the basis of great dishes for Norooz and beyond. 

Chinese New Years Food in San Diego Union-Tribune

This week, my story on traditional foods you can prepare at home for the Chinese Lunar New Years appears in the San Diego Union-Tribune Food section. Thanks to chef/owner Tony Chu Jung Su of Del Mar Rendezvous, I was able to share three recipes as well as learn about the symbolism behind each dish. Eduardo Contreras' beautiful photography made these dishes irresistible on the page.

Photo by Eduardo Contreras