I remember asking friends on FB during the pandemmy where they were dreaming of going, and everyone had elaborate answers. I was obsessed with bullet train videos from Japan and books about cooking in Provence.
I would love to accompany you to Mexico! We're of similar age and are both bean club officianados, so what else do we need? Ceviche and margaritas, that's what else we need.
I can't wait to try all the salads, but especially the Thai one! And I've actually been to the tiny village of Pai (at least it was a tiny village when I spent a couple of nights there in 1995)! We travelled around Thailand for a month after we got married, Thai food is amazing. I'm not someone who goes crazy for hot spicy food just for the pain, but in Thailand I learned that incredibly spicy food that also tastes amazing is worth the pain.
No way!! I love this! I wonder if Nuit Regular's restaurant was around back then--I think it was just called Curry Shack. I feel the same about Thai food. I never don't want it.
Who knows, we might have eaten there! I remember having some amazing laab in Pai but I have no idea what the place was called (or if it even had a name ;)) Now that I live so close to Canada, I'm planning a trip to Toronto and will definitely be stopping in at one of her restaurants.
I'm going to try very hard to say this and not sound too pretentious, but when Northern Californians travel to France, they pretty often say that the food there is overrated. That's because we are spoiled rotten here, foodwise! Spoiled! It's shocking what I can go find to eat within walking distance of my house in San Francisco.
Oh, haha! I agree that the food is wonderful in San Francisco! (My point was just that it’s silly to generalize about an entire city’s food after spending 2 weeks there! Or anywhere.)
Hi there--I had not had any loyalties until I tried this brand! It comes in smaller jars of course, but it's delicious. Tahini is pretty potent in its undiluted form, but I wonder if you've just gotten outdated jars? It gets bitter if has started to go rancid, but it can be bitter if it's just not good tahini (bad sesame seeds, etc.) I stir mine up and then store it in the fridge. Anyway, Try this one. I got it at a middle eastern store where I go for my felafel wraps, but you can buy it at the site. https://www.tarazifoods.com/shop/tarazi-tahini-1-x-64oz/
I adore your writing and the way you nail pretentious people. How is it that the following type you described has been in the life of nearly everyone I know? “…where my boss (who had a fake British accent from living in London for a year, even though he grew up in Queens)…”
So often cookbooks have been my own method of travel, too! These salads all sound delicious and are going into the menu plan for the next couple weeks!
Oh, Emily. It‘s always the food we remember, isn‘t it. During my years as a foreign correspondent (*just* *like* the movie with Cary Grant, in case you‘re wondering) I collected recipes and spices and cookbooks. So when I am feeling that life in Switzerland is way too dull — almost, but not quite, a daily occurrence— I travel in the kitchen.
Thank you, as ever, for your writing and annotated recipes. Both provide fodder for the imagination.
Beautiful essay, beautiful food and I love the “traveling aboard cookbooks” 😊
Thank you, Jolene--I know you know exactly what I mean! xo
xo
Love this! Your writing is so beautiful and evocative.
Cary, thank you so much--and than you for reading and being here!
I remember asking friends on FB during the pandemmy where they were dreaming of going, and everyone had elaborate answers. I was obsessed with bullet train videos from Japan and books about cooking in Provence.
Pandemmy sounds friendly and familiar, like pajamas. Thanks for that!
We also called it the pandy--like a friendly bear.
Yes! My friend Rachael calls it "the panini"
And it got you through!! I love this!
I would love to accompany you to Mexico! We're of similar age and are both bean club officianados, so what else do we need? Ceviche and margaritas, that's what else we need.
We should get Steve Sando to go with us!!!
That would be fantastic!
Great narrative. Wonderful stories. Super salads. Thanks.
Sheila, thank you so much. I am thrilled to read this. Thrilled!! And than you for being a reader!
I love allspice! Tabbouleh doesn't taste right to me without it.
I put so much garlic and mint in my tabbouleh I wouldn't taste it! But I love the hint of it in this salad.
You had me at white bean sundae!
All it needs is a cherry! (If you like tahini, you'll like this salad.)
I can't wait to try all the salads, but especially the Thai one! And I've actually been to the tiny village of Pai (at least it was a tiny village when I spent a couple of nights there in 1995)! We travelled around Thailand for a month after we got married, Thai food is amazing. I'm not someone who goes crazy for hot spicy food just for the pain, but in Thailand I learned that incredibly spicy food that also tastes amazing is worth the pain.
No way!! I love this! I wonder if Nuit Regular's restaurant was around back then--I think it was just called Curry Shack. I feel the same about Thai food. I never don't want it.
Who knows, we might have eaten there! I remember having some amazing laab in Pai but I have no idea what the place was called (or if it even had a name ;)) Now that I live so close to Canada, I'm planning a trip to Toronto and will definitely be stopping in at one of her restaurants.
Oh, Emily!
Your recipe-mind-travels to Turkey, Thailand, Beirut, and Italy bring these flavor sensations to life!
Architecture, art, music, and lifestyle are juicy memories of travel... but our food-eating-experiences last the longest!!
Bellisimo. Bravissimo!
I agree with you--it's very hard to forget certain meals, isn't it. And the memories are multidimensional!
Great post w/ accessible delicious recipes!
Teah, thank you!--I'm so happy to hear this and I'm also happy to have you here at the Department of Salad 🥗 ❤️
Thank you!
my pleasure!
I'm going to try very hard to say this and not sound too pretentious, but when Northern Californians travel to France, they pretty often say that the food there is overrated. That's because we are spoiled rotten here, foodwise! Spoiled! It's shocking what I can go find to eat within walking distance of my house in San Francisco.
Oh, haha! I agree that the food is wonderful in San Francisco! (My point was just that it’s silly to generalize about an entire city’s food after spending 2 weeks there! Or anywhere.)
Hi Emily,
What brand/brands of tahini do you like? I find a lot of them bitter. Thanks
Hi there--I had not had any loyalties until I tried this brand! It comes in smaller jars of course, but it's delicious. Tahini is pretty potent in its undiluted form, but I wonder if you've just gotten outdated jars? It gets bitter if has started to go rancid, but it can be bitter if it's just not good tahini (bad sesame seeds, etc.) I stir mine up and then store it in the fridge. Anyway, Try this one. I got it at a middle eastern store where I go for my felafel wraps, but you can buy it at the site. https://www.tarazifoods.com/shop/tarazi-tahini-1-x-64oz/
I adore your writing and the way you nail pretentious people. How is it that the following type you described has been in the life of nearly everyone I know? “…where my boss (who had a fake British accent from living in London for a year, even though he grew up in Queens)…”
Sheryl, thank you! It's so mutual! And: If I know the person I'm talking about, he's probably the one in every situation! Hahaha!
So often cookbooks have been my own method of travel, too! These salads all sound delicious and are going into the menu plan for the next couple weeks!
Fabulous! I hope you enjoy them--aren't we lucky to have cookbooks?
Oh, Emily. It‘s always the food we remember, isn‘t it. During my years as a foreign correspondent (*just* *like* the movie with Cary Grant, in case you‘re wondering) I collected recipes and spices and cookbooks. So when I am feeling that life in Switzerland is way too dull — almost, but not quite, a daily occurrence— I travel in the kitchen.
Thank you, as ever, for your writing and annotated recipes. Both provide fodder for the imagination.
Thank you, Caroline--I'm so jealous of your past as a foreign correspondent--so Graham Greene!!