Gin is one of my favorite spirits and I have spent the best part of my time over the past 10 years teaching people about its history, production, virtues and cocktails. I have spoken about the spirit at events such as the International Association of Culinary Professionals and Tales of the Cocktail. When my good…
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You may have heard: Ernest Hemingway enjoyed a tipple or two. In fact, the iconic writer liked his drink so much that another writer, Philip Greene, was inspired to pen To Have and Have Another, a book about Hemingway’s drinking habits and the libations that wove their way into his works. When Greene is not…
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Of all the places to find good Vietnamese food across the United States, two particular hotbeds stand out — Houston, Texas, and the wide swath of Orange County in Southern California known simply as Little Saigon. As a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant who has lived in both areas, I’ve eaten my way through the sandwich shops,…
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Ketchup, traditional partner in crime for fries, hot dogs, meatloaf, eggs and more, has long been a staple on the counters of diners and burger joints. In Filipino cuisine, however, there’s a popular thick red sauce that also goes by the name ketchup. This much sweeter, less tangy red sauce is banana-based, with food coloring…
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Without referencing any grievances about the state of ground beef, the key to a perfect cheeseburger comes straight from the butcher. We got ours courtesy of Dickson's Farmstand Meats, and boy was it beautiful to behold. Neither slimy nor pink, this natural, humanely raised and yet not grass-fed coarsely ground chuck was a fresh, bright…
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1601 Bar & Kitchen is the only Sri Lankan culinary destination in the Bay Area, and since opening a few years back, it has earned critical acclaim and a devoted following. The restaurant is owned and run by chef Brian Fernando, with offerings that spotlight the flavors that helped to shape his palate as a child (his father is…
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