Others
Swooshing through a spa in high-tech Tokyo
TOKYO — Spa LaQua is a contemporary take on one of Japan’s national treasures: the “onsen,” natural hot springs that bubble up from deep inside the earth. Such resorts are a popular destination for Japanese and are found from north to south on the archipelago. Spa LaQua’s saltwater springs come from about 5,500 feet below …
Read moreSPRINGTIME IN SICILYIn the markets of Palermo, vendors share deliciously imprecise recipes
PALERMO, Italy — Nestled among the faded gray and peeling concrete buildings, some still cratered by World War II bombings, sits one of the liveliest markets in Sicily. Bright red and blue awnings cover hundreds of stalls in the colorful Ballarò, the most extensive of many markets in this charming, chaotic city. I traverse the …
Read moreThe layered look is easy and elegant
Watching a chef create individual pieces of sushi at lightning speed is quite a sight. Rice is compressed into a perfect oval in a slightly cupped palm and topped with a thin slice of fish. Artistry and skill and many years of practice are in evidence. But without any training or experience at a sushi …
Read moreFor picnics, toss together some sushi
Sushi rice is short-grain white rice that is cooked and mixed with rice vinegar and sugar. This, of course, is the rice you’re biting into when you sit down to a plateful of sushi. What you put on or in the rice determines the kind of sushi. But there are other dishes — which don’t …
Read morePasta is full of carbs, but that doesn’t matter Tomatoes or cream?Here’s your guide
ROME — A nattily dressed gentleman, unlit cigar poised between his lips, studies the pastas in a soccer-field-length supermarket aisle. Signore Pino Magno is an Italian diplomat who loves to cook. He is choosing pasta to go with one of his sauces. After much consideration, Magno decides on a bag of casarecce, a delicately once-twisted, …
Read moreClay pots irresistable in design, function
What do a Romertopf Schlemmertopf, tagine, and donabe (donabay) have in common? They are all earthenware pots with covers, from different parts of the world. The high-domed Romertopf and Schlemmertopf are from Germany, the pyramid-shaped tajine (tagine) is from Morocco, and the round donabe is from Japan. Using clay pots is an ancient method for …
Read moreYard sale cycle can spin out of control
What do a bread machine, electric wok, heart-shaped waffle maker, Tater Twister, and avocado-green fondue pot have in common? They all seemed like a good idea at the time! A wedding present? Spur-of-the-moment buy? Mother’s Day (Father’s Day) present? What was your excuse? Whatever the reason, these contraptions that ended up hidden in the back …
Read moreNavigating the nutrition info highway
Looking for some good food jokes? Try the KidZone page at asfsa.org, sponsored by the American School Food Service Association. Need a lesson plan and ”ready to print” activity sheets on the food pyramid and good food choices? Visit nutritionexplorations.org, the site of the National Dairy Council. Looking for ways to reduce the fat in …
Read moreWhat’s for lunch? Mom may be surprised
NAOMI Joshi, mother of three and director of a nonprofit organization in Boston, still happily packs a lunch for her 15-year-old daughter, Emily, throwing in a sesame bagel with whipped cream cheese, a yogurt stick, a bottle of sparkling water, an apple, carrot sticks, and a package of graham cracker cookies. ”This is one way …
Read moreWhen the lunch bell rings, teachers run
NEWTON – It’s Burr Elementary School at 12:25 p.m. Stomachs are growling, excitement is mounting. ”Line up!” Squeals of delight and they’re off to the lunchroom – the teachers’ lunchroom. It is ”Salad Bar Wednesday” for the second-lunch-period teachers and almost nothing gets between them and their meal. No stopping in the halls for a …
Read moreBento:Build a Better Lunch
Debra Samuels, bestselling author, food writer and cooking instructor, wants to give the American lunchbox a makeover. In the chapter on “bento,” the traditional Japanese lunch box, in her upcoming book, My Japanese Table, Debra encourages the use of color, texture and taste to create healthier and more visually appealing meals.
read more »
