Garlic: strength, health, protection, and flavor

Garlic has long been my favorite vegetable.  I love it so much that, in college, I used to eat raw cloves.  My roommate’s mother, a Taiwanese woman who rarely spoke to me when she visited, made a point to call me out on it one day. “You eat garlic like Chinese Red Army.  They’re strong and healthy. …

Spiced-rubbed Sichuan Roast Pork

I have a recipe for you.  It’s not my own.  But it is pretty delicious and inspired by the Sichuan peppers I ran across on my recent trip to China. Sichuan peppers, if you haven’t had them, are an interesting experience.  I won’t say interesting flavor, simply because flavor is too simple a word for what…

Exploring China’s Street Food Vendors and Local Markets

Visiting a foreign country, to me, is an opportunity to explore much more than what my eyes can see. It means listening to the sounds in the streets – the  voices and unique rhythms of a place, enjoying local music, meeting people and sharing stories and perspectives, and tasting new-to-me foods. That’s why I love markets…

China – A Feast for the Senses, But Especially Our Taste Buds

A year ago, my husband and I were invited to join some of our favorite traveling companions on a journey to Tibet.  We planned, did some research, and prepared ourselves for a trip that would include both spiritual (Buddhist monasteries and culture) and adventurous (Mount Everest basecamp) experiences. Two weeks before we were scheduled to…