Cooking, Havana Style

For Sandra Cardet, Cuban cooking is pretty much all about the sofrito.

Cardet, founder and co-owner with her son, Alex Guevara, of the Cuban restaurant Havana Grill, explained that “some people around the world call this the Holy Trinity, because it’s onions, peppers and garlic cooked in olive oil. And when you’re frying this up as the base of the dish, the aromas that come out of your kitchen are just fantastic. But the secret is to make a really good sofrito.”

You can learn Cardet’s tips and get her recipes for several of her favorite dishes, including her version of the Cubano sandwich, in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section.

Spring Into Summer with Transitional Produce

June is the apex of the spring harvest, hurtling us straight into the bonanza of refreshing summer vegetables, and timed to collide perfectly with grilling season. Are summer squashes and cukes ready yet? Not quite, but there’s chayote to play with. Kale is abundant in the garden, as are carrots. And peppers are the perfect seasonal bridge. I recruited chef Davin Waite, co-owner with wife Jessica, of plant-based restaurant The Plot in Oceanside, to give readers inspiration for preparing delicious seasonal veggies in some untraditional ways. Here’s the story in this week’s San Diego Union-Tribune Food section.

Designing a Space for a Growing Child

The challenge in designing children’s rooms is that the children grow, both physically and emotionally. The design decisions you made for your child as a baby and young child inevitably evolve as they develop their own interests and style, and they likely want to have a say in how their bedroom looks and functions. The room, of course, now has to accommodate a larger person, larger clothes and shoes, and storage for toys, books and hobbies. And for most of us, a new design can’t break the bank.

This is the second of my three-part series for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home & Garden section on designing rooms for growing children. This piece addresses creating a happy, still serene space for children as they move from young child to almost tween. Thanks to the insights of experienced designers, it offers plenty of tips for parents to work some magic—with the help of their children.

Special Recipes for AAPI Heritage Months

This May marks 34 years since President George H.W. Bush proclaimed the first Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, since changed in 2009 to Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The monthlong celebration was created to recognize the many contributions to every facet of U.S. life made by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

It’s San Diego’s good fortune that, according to the 2022 U.S. census, 13.6 percent of residents in San Diego County identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

Among them are Filipino American chefs Evan Cruz, corporate executive chef with Cohn Restaurant Group, and John Bacolod, executive chef at Vintana Wine + Dine in Escondido. Both men were born in the Philippines and immigrated here with their families as kids. To celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, Cruz and Bacolod prepared three beloved dishes from their Filipino upbringing for my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section: Señorita Bread, a variation on pandesal that includes a sweet filling; Pork Belly Liempo with Atchara, strips of marinated and grilled pork belly accompanied by pickled green papaya salad; and Kare Kare, a decadent stew of meat and vegetables enveloped in peanut sauce and served with Fried Fermented Shrimp Paste. They are stunning examples of traditional Filipino food and have some amazing family stories behind them. Check them out and make them in your kitchen!

Casanova Fish Tacos Take Inspiration From Other Dishes and Their Flavors

San Diego is, of course, fish taco heaven, but for years Hector Casanova’s Casanova Fish Tacos have stood out to me for a couple of reasons: He’s using fresh local fish, not frozen. And he has developed intriguing flavor profiles. A look at his menu reveals inspiration from other cuisines or other dishes, like Cochinita Pibil, that you wouldn’t associate with fish tacos. The flavors he develops translate well from the original dish to a taco. I met with Casanova to learn how he prepares his tacos—and also got his fab ceviche recipe. Check out his story and recipes in The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section.

Time to Incorporate Biophilic Design into Your Environment

What are the elements in your home that make it your happy place, that give you comfort? If they’re elements that connect with nature to create relaxing spaces you probably are in thrall to biophilic design. Designer Megan Siason of M Studio shared just what biophilic design is and how it can be integrated into the practicalities of living in a home in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home & Garden section.