“…Into something rich and strange” Part I: The Philosophy of a Foodie

This blog celebrates all the strange and wondrous foods that our world has to offer—especially those products that have become forgotten or despised. Part and parcel of this is encouraging respect for the whole plant or animal and minimizing waste—the bones, tongue, and liver of the cow are just as desirable as the loin, the beets greens as savory as the beets themselves…

Melting Pot I: The Diverse Dish that Is Gumbo, and a Recipe for Seafood Gumbo

There are three key elements to the best gumbo–an excellent seafood stock, a solid brick roux, and quality ingredients to go into it–fresh seafood when possible, okra in season, and so on. While you may sometimes have to make due with frozen or out-of-season ingredients, the stock, roux, and giving the gumbo the time it needs to develop flavor will still always give you incredible results.

Smoky Seafood Chowder

This rich, briny, creamy, slightly smoky seafood chowder is also easy to put together, and is a sure-fire way to impress dinner guests.

Gras Double (Tripe Lyonnaise)

Gras double, or tripe lyonnaise, is a staple in the bouchons of Lyon, France. The name gras double describes the method of cooking it in two helpings of fat, which not only makes the tripe tender while still slightly chewy (about the same texture as really good calamari) but also gives it a subtle richness.

Wafu Pork Belly Skewers

The pork belly on these skewers is succulently tender, coated in a sweet and salty sauce. This a simple but memorable meal that makes my fiancé nostalgic for good times in Japanese yakiniku restaurants.

Tentacular Spectacular: A Recipe for Grilled Octopus

Want to serve up some citrus kissed, grilled seafood that’ll really wow your bbq guests? With this recipe for octopus, do some prep ahead of time and you can just whip these tentacled beauties out when you’re ready to grill. Presto! Tentacular spectacular!

Kimchi Jjigae with Kanikama and Tofu

A Korean classic, kimchi jjigae is one of my favorite ways to consume kimchi. In this recipe, the broth is umami-rich and spicy, and the texture of the tofu and kanikama (imitation crab) are light but satisfying, harmonizing with the mildly crunchy kimchi.