When I was choosing a photograph to give you today, I decided to focus on what we saw on our recent road trip: Sugar cane. We were passing the fields of Selati Sugar, near the Malelane entrance to Kruger National Park. Depending on which field you passed, the cane was in several stages of growth. … More Sugar Cane and… “Sugar Cane”
Recently we had a few friends to dinner. They were from another African country, and at least one of them had never heard of lasagne. Since lasagne happens to be one of my favorite dishes to make (and eat!) I knew that’s what we would have for dinner. For me, lasagne is always served with … More Eating Lasagne for the First Time
The title of this month’s Expat Focus column was based on an entertaining chase to track down as close to American-style Easter fare as I could find. As this is our first Easter in South Africa, I picked several people to invite who have never heard of some of our American traditions. Please follow this … More White Eggs and Ham, American I Am
When our favorite chef, Anoop, offered to let me make my own Keema Paratha one evening at the resort where we stayed in the Maldives, I took over his rolling pin before he could tell me he was just kidding! The evening was titled Spirit of the Maldives and it was abundant with foods from … More Making Keema Paratha in the Maldives
Let’s face it. There’s nothing light about Russia’s most recent threat to reduce America to ashes. But there is also nothing new, thankfully, and all the blustering leaves ordinary Americans and ordinary Russians scratching our heads and wondering why we can’t just have a cookout (that’s a “braai” for you ZA’ers) with some hot dogs … More Meanwhile Russia Hates America. So Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
Traveling through Việt Nam a couple of years ago I had the privilege of tasting authentic Cao Lầu noodles in the town from which they are famous: Hội An. Hội An is a trading town in central Vietnam, famous for its handmade clothing from the tailor shops and even more famous for Cao Lầu noodles. It’s … More Eating Cao Lầu in Việt Nam: Ancient Well Water and Lye? Yes, Please!
Er, I just re-read my title and realized it might sound like I was soliciting a box of Honeycomb. Finding our favorite American foods in South Africa, as I’ve told you in previous posts, can be difficult, and sometimes impossible. But it really hasn’t been a big problem for us. We’ve adapted pretty well, I … More Honeycomb, Won’t You Be My Baby? Wait…You Want HOW MUCH??
First, let’s be clear that like most things Pittsburgh, our local flavors vary by suburb. The Pittsburgh Salad is no exception. But most will agree that whatever the actual salad base, it’s topped with a combination of fries, cheese and either grilled chicken or steak. This is the first time we’ve made a Pittsburgh Salad … More A Pittsburgh Salad in South Africa…and a Superbowl Party?
Well that’s pretty much a title I never thought I would write. My first foray playing International Travel Agent went pretty well for our big anniversary trip. We splurged on the long flights by upgrading to business class, and stuck to coach for flights four hours and under. But I still tried finding decent fares … More Jo’burg to Addis Ababa to Dubai
You’re either country folk, or you’re city folk, and it’s a deep-seated longing when you’re out of your element. Kurt and I are country folk, and we never get used to the close-quarter assignments of urban (or even suburban) living. So we were really grateful, this past holiday weekend, to be invited to the family … More Weekend at a South African Farm
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