Don’t let it “Bug” you

Recently, the health department in Columbia, Missouri cracked down on Sparky’s Homemade Ice-cream for serving cicadas in one of their ice-cream flavors. The winged insects were boiled, coated with milk chocolate and brown sugar, and mixed into the ice cream base made from butter and brown sugar. To the uninitiated, such a flavor might seem downright bizarre; but for those that possess a reckless spirit of adventure, this ice cream was a perfect novelty. As you can guess, the entire batch of ice cream was sold out within a short while of the flavor being announced on the establishment’s Facebook page.  (more…)

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Salty Snacks Help reduce Stress Levels & Facilitate Social Interactions

Different people have different ways of dealing with stress. Some like to prepare a scented bath and soak in it for a while; others switch off the lights and put on some soothing music; yet other head straight for the refrigerator, pull out the biggest tub of ice cream and pig out all by themselves. I know someone who likes to tackle stress by attacking with great vengeance all the weeds in her garden. To each their own, I guess. You can’t always explain why one activity seems to calm you down more than the others. However, if you are the kind that finds solace in salty and crispy snacks or savory munchies, scientist will be able to explain the whys and wherefores of this phenomenon. (more…)

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Best of Bangkok’s Eat-out Zones: Binge away to your Heart’s Content

If you are a slave to your taste buds, you couldn’t have come to a better place. Considered street food heaven, Bangkok has earned this title with aplomb. There is not a single walkway in this city (and I don’t believe I’m exaggerating) without a stall catering to your gastronomic demands. The food zones are crammed with colorful stalls that sell an unending variety of noodles, soups, meats, fruits, drinks….it just never ends.  While all are top class in terms of quality and taste, here are four most loved. (more…)

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How to Make your Cooking Practices Sensible & Energy Efficient

Preparing meals at home is definitely cost efficient – there is no denying that. However, whether our cooking practices are energy efficient is an entirely different question altogether.  Did you know that making hot meals at home accounts for 15% of your total energy consumption? You had no idea, right?

Given that energy costs are increasing day by day, common sense would dictate a more judicious use of electricity at home. For green lovers and planet-conscious folks there’s an added incentive – the more wisely you use energy at home the less greenhouse gases you will produce. Now that we have our respective motives in place, let’s get started on some energy efficient cooking practices. (more…)

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Peeling Back the Layers of Culinary Myths

We live in a world abounding with myths – some related to our daily lives, others related to our religious beliefs and some even connected to cooking. In fact myths are especially abundant in the culinary world. How many times have you heard that you need to salt the aubergines before you cook them, or you must prick sausages before you fry them? But is there any truth behind these practices that have been handed down for generations? Let’s find out and see if we can’t make your life simpler in the kitchen.

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The ABC’s of ordering Wine in a Restaurant

Are you the kind of person who’s never ordered anything beyond “Iced Venti Caramel Macchiato,” or “grande, extra cream, extra hot cappuccino,” or maybe “whole wheat bread, all vegetables except tomatoes with pickles on the side with extra mayo and extra cheese?” Well, I will go out on a limb here and hazard a guess that you will feel like a fish out of water if transplanted into a fine dining restaurant with a wine menu in your hand and called upon to order for your discerning guests. (more…)

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