Umami Mart

Winter is coming. The leaves are long gone; stark bare branches and the increasing chill in the air are all that remain of autumn. The sun’s attempts to warm its subjects get undermined by the biting wind. Perfect time to duck into your favorite watering hole and defrost with a winter libation. Keeping with my […]

When I was a kid, my mom made ebi-fry, tonkatsu and korokke frequently. Every time she would serve up one of these deep-fried treats, my sister and I who were both picky eaters, would be satisfied. To this day, I love Japanese deep fried foods. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like the […]

By Erin Gleeson via Forest Feast.

It’s that time of the year, when my well-windowed apartment gets really cold and I have to bring out multiple space heaters to supplement the un-strategically placed central heater that seems to whisper lukewarm puffs of air. Luckily, my Zojirushi water boiler and warmer just arrived in the mail and I will have a steady […]

There’s a big financial crisis pillaging through the poor, run down viking villages of Denmark. It’s the revisiting ghost from 2008. Even though we’re still doing better than many of the South European countries, a lot of people are being laid off work and therefore no one’s shopping. At all. All my self-employed friends who […]

It’s Christmas in a minute or two, and from my windows overlooking the big lakes of Copenhagen I watch people rushing back and forth in the typical December rain. They’re probably leaving one Christmas party to go to the next. This month is not only about stressful giftshopping or Christmas Eve preparations or even killing […]

I made vanilla extract for holiday gifts, using vanilla beans that I bought on Valencia Street in the Mission when I was visiting San Francisco in October. I don’t remember the name of where I bought them (it was an ice cream shop), but they have the best/cheapest vanilla beans! $20 per pound, which comes […]

I have missed writing this column, so I’m bringing it back! I can not pretend that I have abandoned my lazy ways, or that I’ve stopped cutting corners when cooking. My kitchen may be much bigger than what I had in Brooklyn, but this only means that I can spread out my laziness over more […]

By Erin Gleeson for Forest Feast.

Chicken noodle soup, whatever the reason maybe, is often eaten when we are sick. I have no idea why. I don’t think there’s any anti-cold medication in it, nor is it medically proven to cure illnesses whatsoever. I guess it’s simply the comfort of its flavor, clear soup, with healthy vegetables, along with the filling […]