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Beta vulgaris, known to us as beetroot has a distinguished history, it was mentioned in Assyrian text as growing in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, 800 BCE. Romans used roots and leaves as a remedy for fevers and constipation. The famous surviving Roman recipe collection by "Marcus Gavius Apicius," De re culinaria (4th/5th century AD), translated "on the subject of cooking," mentions beetroot soup. I recently had a vegetarian beetroot burger and pledged to test it in my kitc

Do you love art? Do you love fashion? Then you will appreciate the elegant, equisite Schiaparelli fashion exhibition at the Kensington V&A museum in London, UK. It is a treat. WHEN FASHION BECOMES ART Elsa Schiaparelli was an Italian born fashion designer who created "Maison Schiaparelli" in 1927. She began wiith knitwear in collaboration with Salvatore Dali and Man Ray. Her exceptional designs and colors celebrated Surrealism. Her artistic representations included insects, t

Wherever you start your trip to this flagship of a museum, exit the tube at St. Paul's Cathedral to get a view of St. Paul's majestic building, A 15 minutewalk across Millennium Bridge will offer a view of the Thames and take you straight into the arms of Tate Modern, opened to the public in 2000. I entered via Turbine Hall entrance, Level 0. Admission is free except for special exhibitions like Frida Kahlo, Tracy Emin and Julio Le Park. Members can enter special exhibiti

While at the Natural Museum of History in South Kensington, on Exhibition Road, you might as well cross the street from the Natural Museum of History and visit the Victoria & Albert Museum (no entry fee except for special exhibits, no reservations, donations encouraged). "Schiaparelli at the V&A," is one of the new exhibits that requires a ticket and currently it is sold out until July. Since I could not get in the Schiaparelli Exhibit, I opted for a Theater Production visit

What Are Enchiladas? By definition, enchilada translates to "in chili" or "covered with chili." It's a tortilla filled with various ingredients like beef, chicken, fish, pork, potatoes, beans, veggies, or cheese. Indigenous people called flat cornbread "tlaxcalli," which the Spanish later turned into tortilla. Originally, enchiladas were sold by street vendors as filled tortillas with a side of sauce for dipping. Today, you can find them made with flour or corn tortillas, mos

Cranberry is a shrub that grows mostly in the Northeastern part of North America. Cranberries have a long history of healing effects. Native Americans used cranberry fruits and leaves for bladder, stomach, blood and liver disorders. There is some evidence that cranberries might be useful in preventing UTI's. In addition to vitamins C, E, and K1, cranberries also include manganese and copper. Cranberry juice is tart and usually combined with other fruit juices. https://www.n

My fillet of cod might have come from any of these four stocks: the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands, and Pacific Coast . Regardless of where it was caught, it was delicious. Pan-searing cod is a quick method to create a tasty crust on fish and it uses less oil than pan-frying. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/pacific-cod Ingredients: 2 zucchini, cut in half and cut again (see pictures) 1 cod fillet, patted dry 1 egg 1/2 cup spicy breadcrumbs 1 1/2 Tbsps ol

With famous cousins tomato, potato, and pepper, the eggplant takes its rightful seat as a member of the deadly nightshade family. Deadly because other cousins in this important food crop family are belladonna, mandrake and tobacco. Fear not, I have eaten eggplant for years and it is absolutely safe. Botanically classified a fruit, it grows from a berry, contains flower and seeds, this purple beauty is considered a vegetable in culinary circles. I would not add it to my fruit

Botanically classified as a fruit, zucchini, or curcubita pepo, the pepo being the fruit, is a summer squash next to melon and cucumber. Zucchini descends from the squash family originating in Mesoamerica over 7,000 years ago. The particular zucchini was cultivated in Italy in the 1800's. There are 12 known health benefits to zucchini, here are three; abundant vitamin A, antioxidants and carotenoids. Is it any wonder that zucchini pairs well with carrots in baking?...

Frikadeller, Frikadellen, or just plain meatballs are a cherished food across Europe with roots tracing back to the 1600s starting out as a meatball eaten in soups and stews. According to food historian Nina Bauer, no single country can lay claim to having invented meatballs. In Denmark, the meatballs are on the rough, crispy, pan-fried side, in Sweden meatballs are smaller and smooth in comparison and Norwegian meatballs tend to be bigger, flatter and topped with gravy. In G

It's all in the pear and today, I will focus on four different pear types; Anjou - sweet with a splash of lemon-lime, perfect for baking, salads and snacking. Bosc - woodsy with honey sweetness, excellent for baking, broiling, poaching, snacking. Concord- sweet with a vanilla flavor, great for snacking, roasting and cheese pairing. Seckel - super sweet, perfect for baking, snacking, salad and canning. Pears are sodium, cholesterol, and fat free and naturally hydrating. One pe

"Pepe" (the king prawn from the muppets) is high in protein and low in fat. Shrimp seems like the perfect food, however, for cholesterol awareness, consume "Jacque" (from Nemo) only in moderation. We like the little scavenging crustaceans broiled, fried, and grilled but today they will be served saut é ed with veggies and rice. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-shrimp-healthy INGREDIENTS: 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 cup of white or brown rice (cooked with 2 cups

RECIPE INGREDIENTS 1 cup avocado oil 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 egg 3 cups flour (Almond flour is an acceptable substitute, I used half regular and half almond flour.) 3/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. cardamom Icing Ingredients : powdered sugar, beetroot juice Beets are a natural way to color foods red or pink. Instead of artificial food coloring, I've opted to add a few tablespoons of beetroot juice to the icing for a natural pink to decorate my cookies. STEPS Me

Harissa is a seasoning made with chili pepper paste. After salt, garlic and coriander are added, the paste is stored in jars. Harissa paste is part of the daily culinary food tradition in Tunisian society. Unesco placed it on the intangible, cultural heritage of humanity list (2022). https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/harissa-knowledge-skills-and-culinary-and-social-practices-01710 If you are fond of a little spice, like eating vegetarian, harissa tofu might be for you. Ingredien

Bread pudding according to Wikipedia is a British invention dating back to the 11th century. Originally a recipe to repurpose stale and dry bread, today, it comes in many different variations with; cream, butter, eggs, fruit, nuts, rum-raisins, maple syrup, you name it. The list of ingredients used for breadpudding in regions around the world is endless. One recurring tasty topping is ice-cream. I like to make my bread pudding with little sugar, dried fruits and nuts....

"Eat an apple before going to bed and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread," (Wales folk rhyme). Easy baked apples for a cold day. Great for dessert or breakfast. Ingredients: 3 apples 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) cinnamon sprinkled vanilla (use sparingly) almonds (sliced) and cranberries Steps: Heat oven to 350 degree. Cut apples in half, remove core and stem. Sprinkle all ingredients on top of apple halves. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. The cinnamon will melt into the s

A cold weather stew with vegetables and couscous. Most couscous is made from durum wheat, the same grain used to make semolina pasta, it is grain-based but considered a pasta and used in many North African dishes. Couscous has been around since the 13th century when Arabic cookbooks mentioned it in recipes. https://www.bobsredmill.com/articles/where-is-couscous-from#:~:text=Couscous%20is%20a%20grain%2Dbased,all%20types%20of%20taste%20buds . Ingredients: 3 large carrots, peele

Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, home fries are a classic staple. I like to make enough to enjoy as a hearty breakfast the next morning. Ingredients: 1 pound potatoes, peeled and sliced (my preference is yellow or red) 1/2 onion sliced 1 jalapeño sliced (or any chili pepper) 1/2 orange or yellow bell pepper 3-4 TBSP olive oil (depending on skillet size, the amount might vary) salt, pepper, garlic to your liking water Steps: Heat oil on high, add potato, onion, j

Nothing beats a warm, crispy schnitzel dinner after a long day—each golden cutlet perfectly breaded and fried to crunchy perfection. Paired with a generous serving of homemade home fries, crispy on the outside and soft inside, this meal wraps you in comforting, hearty flavors that feel like a cozy hug on a plate. If it was only that simple. In the past, lots of my schnitzel ended stuck to the bottom of the pan, make sure you use enough oil and heat on high, then when the schn