The best part of going to a restaurant for me is not having to do dishes at the end of the evening. The second best thing is looking at the cheffy tricks that are used in plating. I am only just now realizing that I so much look forward to seeing what those tricks are, and…
Month: January 2024
Pasta with Pancetta/Bacon, Garlic and Onions
This is one of my favorite quick meals — it has several iterations because it’s so easy to “make it your own.” I have a really hard time finding guanciale which would make it a little more “authentic,” so I don’t even try anymore. Instead I use pancetta if I plan in advance, or bacon if dinner…
Candied Bacon with Aleppo Pepper
Okay. Before we go a whole lot further, let’s chat about my all time favorite seasoning, Aleppo pepper. I’ve been using it in my cooking for maybe 10 years now — and I can honestly say, it goes in almost every savory dish I make. It actually comes from Turkey these days before of the danger in…
Coconut Rice (My favorite food EVER!)
I’ve been dinking around with coconut rice recipes for a very long time, and it says a lot about my love of coconut milk more than anything. I’ve been dissatisfied with the various recipes I’ve tried over the years–they’ve all been kind of flat, so I added more salt, more lime juice, more cilantro, but…
My Favorite Potato Soup
Hard to believe, but this week (January 8-12, 2024) in Arizona, we have been FREEZING!!! I know, by Montana and North Dakota standards, it’s balmy and warm, but 30 degrees is dead cold for me, and our potato vines and bougainvillea have suffered trauma from the freezing temps. So, it’s been a soup week here. There are a zillion…
Cafe Barber 