Cooking & Food Archives

14 Sultanahmet restaurants worth visiting (plus more elsewhere in Istanbul)

August 13, 2026

It’s an efficient delivery vehicle for ground meat, cheese and onions. – Anthony Bourdain on Turkish pide In the bustling historic center of Istanbul, there’s no shortage of places to eat. Anchored by the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet’s streets aren’t just filled with tourists. They’re lined with cafés, fish … More 14 Sultanahmet restaurants worth visiting (plus more elsewhere in Istanbul)

Savoring Sicilian Flavors: A Culinary Journey of Palermo

July 2, 2026

The problem many people have with Italian food is they over complicate it. Italian food is extremely simple. – Gino D’Acampo After six weeks in Syracuse, Robie and I moved across the island to continue our Sicilian food tour in Palermo. Once again, our hunt for the city’s best dishes started with cannoli. Cannoli After … More Savoring Sicilian Flavors: A Culinary Journey of Palermo

Savoring Sicilian Flavors: A Culinary Journey of Syracuse

June 25, 2026

There is a history to Italian food that goes back thousands of years. – Lidia Bastianich When Robie and I decided to spend spring in Sicily, we were excited to experience the fresh food and multicultural cuisine of the island. Sicilian food is humble, packed with flavor and made using fresh, seasonal ingredients to create … More Savoring Sicilian Flavors: A Culinary Journey of Syracuse

Finding ancient Greece in Italy and a whole lot more

April 9, 2026

Sicily was Greece, only with richer soil and more sources of seafood and wild game. – Michael Bennett Visiting Syracuse was like being transported to a Greek isle. Arriving in Sicily during the 8th century BC, Greeks brought democracy and Hellenic culture to the island along with their mythology, fishing techniques and a distinct ‘doric … More Finding ancient Greece in Italy and a whole lot more

Shopping & cooking in Morocco

February 19, 2026

When the stomach gets full it tells the head to sing. – Moroccan proverb After getting a taste of Morocco’s mouthwatering cuisine, Robie and I couldn’t wait to find a market filled with exotic spice blends, briny olives, fresh vegetables and loaves of round bread to reconstruct some of the dishes in our rented apartment … More Shopping & cooking in Morocco

Mouthwatering Moroccan cuisine

January 29, 2026

Moroccan food dances on your tongue with spices that tell a story of the desert and the sea. – @living_with_a_cook I adore Moroccan food. The rich, aromatic blend of Berber, Arabic and Mediterranean influences characterized by slow-cooked dishes filled with fragrant spices, fresh vegetables, meat and seafood served alongside fluffy couscous and round loaves of … More Mouthwatering Moroccan cuisine

In search of free tapas

December 4, 2025

Spain is love served on a plate. – Anonymous Blame it on Anthony Bourdain. When Robie and I saw a rerun of CNN’s Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown during a trip to Mykonos last December, it set the course for what we would do after the Camino. At the time we knew we were heading to … More In search of free tapas

Lunchtime Poll: What’s your best go-to meal in a snap?

October 23, 2025

Simple ingredients prepared in a simple way – the best way to take everyday cooking to a higher level. – Jose Andres In a post about budgeting for long-term travel in retirement, Robie and I mentioned how having a few items in the pantry along with a rolodex of quick and easy recipes helps us … More Lunchtime Poll: What’s your best go-to meal in a snap?

Top 10: Cheeses

September 11, 2025

How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese? – French President Charles de Gaulle It’s no secret Robie and I love cheese. While we’ve learned to make queso with gouda and pinched pennies to splurge on American cheddar in Europe, we really miss the shelves of French bries and bleus, rows … More Top 10: Cheeses

Our top picks for the best places to eat in Sarandё (and a few to avoid)

August 28, 2025

Food is our common ground, a universal experience. – James Beard In Sarandё Robie and I had time to explore the city’s many hangouts. Arriving in January we found few dining options open in the off season. Come March places that had been closed since the holidays began welcoming customers as more restaurants reopened across … More Our top picks for the best places to eat in Sarandё (and a few to avoid)