Ours would be an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime visit to beautiful, fascinating Peru. Now, over two weeks into the trip, as I considered what to write about, it occurred to me that I was struck by the people I’ve met more than the natural scenery, including Machu Picchu, breathtaking as it may be. I will soon share... Continue Reading →
Comfort and Care in the Amazon Rainforest, and Other Thoughts
When I told relatives and friends that my wife and I were going to Peru, their first thought naturally enough was Machu Picchu. I would have assumed the same. But when I said that we were also going to the Amazon rainforest, some were surprised, others were intrigued, and a few wondered why. Aren't there wild animals,... Continue Reading →
Los Toldos’ Pollo a la Brasa (Cusco, Peru)
I've been seeing pollo a la brasa on many menus during my travels in Peru. The problem was that these restaurants did not have rotisseries. The chicken would be adaptations for the oven and would most certainly not have the wood-roasted flavor that has become one of the dish's hallmarks. Its preparation is most famous in Lima, but... Continue Reading →
Luis, Our Peerless Amazonian Guide (Tambopata National Reserve, Peru)
I’ve had my share of good guides, even great ones, whenever I go traveling. Guides are indispensable for finding out more about places than is described in a guidebook. It’s true that many seem like they’ve memorized a script and there is no spontaneity nor drawing from knowledge that only comes from vast experience. The... Continue Reading →
Mango Heaven—It’s Time for the Keitt
Mangos are available year-round. I've gone through my share of them. The result is usually disappointment. Most of them are fibrous. I hate fibrous mangos. I'll never buy another Tommy Atkins for that reason. The only ones that aren't are the Philippine mango (carabao) and ataulfo (from Mexico), but they're rather small. The mango I wait for... Continue Reading →
Annapurna’s Gift: Mirchi’s Biryani
After the superb paella at Tarsan i Jane recently, I was bowled over by another world-class rice dish, this one originating from Hyderabad in India. The city is known for its special kind of biryani. Dum biryani involves a painstaking process of layering basmati rice and meat (usually goat or chicken) that has been marinated in a complex blend of... Continue Reading →
Authentic Paella at Tarsan i Jane. Does It Matter?
When I lived in Los Angeles more years ago than I care to count, I had paella for the first time at a Spanish restaurant in West Hollywood called La Masia (now long gone). I had it there maybe three times. My great fondness for it could very well have been embellished by the passage of time. It was... Continue Reading →
Chicken of the Woods
I've taken a trail near my house many times and have never come across this fungus, which was growing on a Douglas fir stump. Laetiporus conifericola has striking yellow and orange coloring, difficult to miss when approaching it. It's said to be edible and taste like chicken or crab, thus the common names chicken-of-the-woods and crab-of-the-woods, but I'm not in the... Continue Reading →
Recipe: Sautéed Chanterelles with Bacon and Cream
Now is not the chanterelle season here in the Pacific Northwest, so it was a bit of a surprise to see the wild mushrooms at Costco last week. One pound for $8.99 was too hard to pass up. Even if eating light and local is what's called for in the warm days of summer, chanterelles and smoked bacon... Continue Reading →
Vashon’s Smashing Thai Restaurant: May Kitchen
From the outside, you would never guess what the inside is like. Curtains are perpetually drawn over windows on the storefront that's half sheathed in plywood, half in brick, milk chocolate in color. There is likewise no indication that a restaurant occupies the space, let alone a Thai one. A small sign written in Thai and two elephant statues on the... Continue Reading →
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