Product Review: Zico Chocolate Flavored Coconut Water

Chocolate flavored coconut water?

Chocolate flavored coconut water?

I am writing this right now while eating two slices of pizza drizzled with a healthy dose of sriracha; right after spending an hour moving my body in accordance to the torturous ways of Pilates. Luckily, this review isn’t about the effectiveness of Pilates in improving one’s eating habits. Rather, it’s all about the Zico coconut water.

In Thailand, my grandmother used to smack open coconuts to give me the juice inside. Luckily, it’s become a lot easier to enjoy coconut water recently. All I have to do is twist the cap. That said, I can’t say a lot about coconut water. They pretty much all taste the same to me from brand to brand. My recommendation is to simply get the one thats most available, and appeals to your sensibilities. I’ve tried the different flavors different brands had to offer, to include the ones by Zico. I guess I’m a purist in that I like my coconut water unadulterated. Why mess with perfection, right? Continue reading

The Not Challah. Garlic Knot Challah.

My Garlic Not Challah is garlic bread from the inside out!

My Garlic Not Challah is garlic bread from the inside out!

Do you ever get a craving for something, and then realize that you then must have it at all costs? Me too. Lucky me, the thing I wanted didn’t exactly exist yet. Not that I went out and invented something new and different, mind you, but it presented itself as an idea with many possibilities. I love garlic knots. I needed a challah for Shabbat. Can you say two things that work great together?

The thing about garlic knots is that they’re usually made from left over pizza dough (one does, after all, acquire these doughy knots of happiness from pizza parlors), and pizza dough tends to like being baked at high temperatures. I wanted something more like a diner roll, and just a little bit of chewiness to it. And lots of garlic. Lots. Continue reading

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Kosher Paad Thai. No kidding.

The secret to good Paad Thai is getting the sauce just right.

The secret to good Paad Thai is getting the sauce just right.

Possibly one of the most well known and beloved Thai dishes among Westerners is Paad Thai, and really, what’s not to love? Hot, greasy, spicy noodles flung at you from a street cart promises all kinds of gastronomic adventure. And it delivers. Even bad Paad Thai is not bad. Well, generally speaking.

So what’s the secret to perfecting this divine heap of pasta? It sounds kind of obvious, but it’s mostly in the sauce. The “real” Thai dishes (that is, excluding the curries, heavily influenced from India and the Middle East) are simplicity incarnate, and it should come as no surprise that Paad Thai sauce is no exception. The ingredients are simple, but balancing them is an art; and this is what distinguishes good Paad Thai from great Paad Thai.

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Product Review: Trader Joe’s Coconut Oil Spray, and a Basic Blintz Recipe

This spray coconut oil won't disappoint, even if you don't like the taste of coconut!

This spray coconut oil won’t disappoint, even if you don’t like the taste of coconut!

A couple of weeks ago, I came across this little gem at my local Trader Joe’s: spray coconut oil. Friends of this blog know how much I love all things coconut, so it shouldn’t surprise any of you that I checked out with a can in my shopping cart. Continue reading

A Giveaway: You’re In The Spotlight!

Hens on a Henhouse LadderMost of the Thai food I know how to make centers around chicken. This might have to do with the fact that my grandparents had a chicken farm in Thailand. “Free range,” and “organic,” weren’t buzz words back then. In fact, if you asked them whether or not their chickens were organic or free range, they’d probably look at you funny and simply conclude that it was part of the craziness of being an American. How else would you raise chickens, if not on a farm like theirs, and who on earth ever thought to give a chicken a shot? In fact, I doubt they’d ever even seen a sick chicken. Continue reading

Product Review: Trader Joe’s Rice Bran Oil, Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

This Rice Bran Oil from Trader Joe's can really pull its own weight...without adding any to your food.

This Rice Bran Oil from Trader Joe’s can really pull its own weight…without adding any to your food.

I’ve been debating for quite some time about putting reviews on my blog. Part of it had to do with considering the so-called “big picture;” where exactly am I taking this blog, and what do I ultimately want to do with it? After much consideration, I’ve decided that reviews might be a good thing. People often ask me about a product and whether or not I like it. The problem that usually arises is a rather predictable potential conflict of interest. Should I be honest about it, whether it be good, bad, or indifferent? Will too much honesty cause vendors to not send me things to review? Will it potentially result in a loss of advertising revenue? Continue reading

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Here’s the Rub for A Smoked Brisket

This slow smoked brisket is a treat hot or cold!

This slow smoked brisket is a treat hot or cold!

Say you’re not a traditionalist. You know who you are. When it comes to hamburgers and fries, you pass on the ketchup and grab the sriracha. You forego Passover macaroons in favor of the lemongrass sandwich macarons. And who wants plain ‘ole broccoli in a stir fry when there’s broccoli rabe? There’s nothing wrong with the tried and true, except that, true, you’ve been trying it for so long. How about moving on to something different? Since you are reading my blog, I will assume you are not exactly a traditionalist. Continue reading

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