Mango Guacamole + the secret to great guac

I don’t claim to be a guacamole expert, or to have some secret recipe passed down to me from a long-lost Mexican grandmother, but I have learned a few tricks that ensure that my guacamole gets devoured at every barbecue and party in about 10 minutes.

Sambal: Indonesia’s “Ketchup”

Sambal. In Bali, most menu translations simply call it “Balinese spicy.” They serve it just about everywhere and with just about everything in Indonesia, along with those ubiquitous shrimp crackers, or krupuk. The recipe is quite simple. Start with chiles. Lots of them.

Learning the basics at Pum Thai Cooking School

All I wanted was a beach chair and a good sunscreen, but the lifeless gray skies hovering over Phuket had derailed my plans of soaking in the Thai sun. With light rain drizzling from above, I decided to sign up for the afternoon cooking class at Pum Thai Cooking School to learn about the basics of Thai cuisine.

Chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons

After last year’s all-day ordeal trying to make French macarons for a holiday party, I decided to keep it simple and add an “o” to the recipe: the macaroon. Here’s a quick and easy recipe that just about anyone can make.

Bradley's Summer Garden Ratatouille

The other day I stopped by my friend Bradley Tuck’s place for a little visit. Bradley is a freelance food and travel writer (whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with), as well as an incredible gardener and landscaper. Just talking to him for five minutes about his own garden will inspire you to grow [...]