Tag Archives: culinary adventures

April 5, 2008 – 12:40 pm

Guess the kitchen gadget?!

mystery swedish kitchen gadget“Gadget Gal” Holly Cole has a little surprise for you today! She recently traveled to Sweden for the 2008 World Skating Championships where she happened to have a little extra time to shop for - you guessed it… kitchen gadgets?!

QuestionsCan you guess what this mystery Swedish kitchen gadget is?

AnswersHere’s the answer:

As my husband and I were walking down Korsgatan (the main shopping avenue in Goteborg, Sweden) we came across what I can only call “gadget heaven.” The store is called Josephssons, you can purchase most anything for your home in this store.

So of course, I had to have a new and different gadget for my kitchen.

Click to continue reading “Guess the kitchen gadget?!”

By Holly C | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (3)
March 30, 2008 – 11:40 am

Thank you for coming on our culinary adventure!

Risk-free culinary adventures with Let’s Dish!Thanks, everyone, for joining us on March’s culinary adventures.

Whether you’ve got a worldly palate or prefer home-style cuisine, we hope you learned something about your own tastes, and the dishes that inspire them. Every meal can tell a story, and we’ve enjoyed taking this adventure with you.

Next month, the blog will change focus, but your taste buds can keep traveling — April’s Let’s Dish! menu features Shrimp Fajitas, Calypso Chicken with Grilled Pineapples and Wild Maine Blueberry Buckle.

Bon appétit!

Valerie Harding

By Valerie | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
March 26, 2008 – 6:00 am

The Dish On… Wine Selection

Culinary adventures aren’t limited to just the food on the table. We asked our wine partner, Neil Smith of WineSmith (Ashburn, VA), to help guide us in wine selection.

Beverage Recommendations in “Nutrition and Details”

And, don’t forget that with the help of wine experts like Neil, Let’s Dish! makes it even easier to select a wine for dinner by pairing a beverage with each dish. When viewing our monthly menu, simply click through to see the “Nutrition and Details” link under each dish next to the information icon - Look for the “Nutrition and Details” for each dish - and look for the Recommended Beverages next to the wine glass icon (above) in the table on the left.

The Dish On…

The Dish On… Wine Selection

Wine Pairing


Selecting a wine to enjoy with dinner can be intimidating, especially when you consider the thousands of wine choices that are available.

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By Valerie | Posted in Culinary Inspiration, Most Popular Posts, The Dish On | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)
March 23, 2008 – 6:00 am

A trip to the moon(pie) - yum!

Moonpie cookiesIf you’re still wondering about moonpies after my last post on starting a Family Book Club, here’s the answer!  I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, a favorite site to try new things.

Chef’<p><p>s hat icon Southern Moon Pies

SUBMITTED BY: Jody Crout

“Now you can make this Southern favorite at home. Full of chocolate and marshmallow goodness! Vanilla extract may be substituted with coconut or mint extract.”


Original recipe yield: 2 dozen pies About scaling and conversions

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup marshmallow creme

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Click to continue reading “A trip to the moon(pie) - yum!”

By Lisa Hardiman | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , | Comments (0)
March 21, 2008 – 6:00 am

Family Book Club: A Literary & Culinary Adventure

Ever thought of creating a Family Book Club? It’s a great activity for the whole family - and you would be amazed at how you can bring food into it!

As I embarked on this culinary adventure with Let’s Dish!, I had no idea where it would take me. I have spent many hours thinking about food in all different ways, not just in new and exciting flavors but also in how food touches us in our lives and how we can make it a lifetime adventure for ourselves and our children.

One thing you should know about me is that I love to read.

Click to continue reading “Family Book Club: A Literary & Culinary Adventure”

By Lisa Hardiman | Posted in Culinary Inspiration, Family Matters, Most Popular Posts, We Recommend | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)
March 19, 2008 – 9:00 am

More noodle adventures!

I hope you’re enjoying the culinary adventures brought to you this month by Let’s Dish!.  Today we continue our noodle adventures!

Last week, we began our focus on noodles around the world with a post on spaetzle, German noodles.  Today, we move on to Asian Noodles, which are by far the most popular. They have many kinds… so, why not try something different for dinner tonight!   

Asian Noodle Bowl - See more of March’s Menu >> And, of course, on our March menu, we feature Asian Noodle Bowl, a delicious soup featuring rice noodles, mushrooms, bean sprouts, chicken and water chestnuts, all simmering in a delicious chicken broth with a touch of ginger, curry, lemon and coconut milk.

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By Valerie | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
March 18, 2008 – 6:00 am

Go Global with Epicurious…

Culinary Adventures aren’t limited to Let’s Dish!

As I sit at my computer contemplating all the many places I would like to visit in the next few years (naturally inspired by our culinary adventure menu this month at Let’s Dish!), I happened onto Epicurious’s website. I was delighted to see that they too have embarked on a global journey via food.

Check out Chef Paul Flynn’s Modern Irish Recipes for some “St. Patrick’s Day” inspirations, learn about the secrets of Indonesian cooking, find several mole recipes, travel to Middle East for Persian and Moroccan food.

Click to continue reading “Go Global with Epicurious…”

By Lisa Hardiman | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)
March 17, 2008 – 6:00 am

Grab an OXO gadget!

Here’s a quick gadget recommendation from the Let’s Dish! “Gadget Gal,” Holly Cole:

Are you or someone you know having trouble with arthritis? Can’t grip your kitchen tools as you once could? Don’t worry - you’re not alone.

I get a new OXO gadget for myself every so often just to make life a little easier. Check out the user friendly kitchen gadgets at the OXO website!

About Holly C

Gadgets We Love:
> Tools for a trip to your own backyard
> How does your (indoor) garden grow?

By Holly C | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)
March 15, 2008 – 10:00 am

Host a Progressive Dinner Party - Let’s Dish! can help!

Who doesn’t love to throw a dinner party? But…no one wants all that work! Why not organize a Progressive Dinner Party? Here’s how it works: At a progressive dinner party, guests share the duties of cooking, entertaining and cleaning up. Dinner often begins with appetizers and drinks in one location, moves on to the entrĂ©e in another, and concludes with dessert and coffee in a third. This gives the traditional dinner party a twist. And, Let’s Dish! is here to help.

In the month of March, add a theme to your Progressive Dinner Party - Culinary Adventures!

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By Valerie | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
March 14, 2008 – 6:00 am

Plan a weekly “geography” dinner!

Risk-free culinary adventures with Let’s Dish!Are your seatbelts still fastened? Are you still with us? Have you learned anything new so far on your culinary adventures with Let’s Dish!? Speaking of learning something new, here is a great way to get the whole family on board and involved on this little adventure we are taking…

Pick one night each week (”say Tuesdays”) for “Geography” Dinner. This will be a great way to teach your family - and maybe even yourself - a few new things.

To prepare for your dinner, pick a country or a culture for the week (take turns letting different family members pick the country or put a bunch of names in a hat, and draw one out each week).

Click to continue reading “Plan a weekly “geography” dinner!”

By Lisa Hardiman | Posted in Culinary Inspiration, Family Matters, Just for Fun, Most Popular Posts | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
March 13, 2008 – 6:00 am

The Dish On…Asian Cuisine

The Dish On…Asian CuisineAs you may have noticed, at Let’s Dish! we try to maintain a variety of different cuisines that hold a broad family appeal. Today, I’d like to introduce you to one of our favorites: Asian cuisine.

The Dish On…Asian Food at a Glance (and a side dish recipe for you!):

  • Asian food, particularly Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean foods are all about balance. Balancing spicy, sweet, sour, salty and bitter are fundamentals of Asian cooking. You will find lots of unique spices and flavors in Asian cuisines. Some of our favorites here at Let’s Dish in the mid-Atlantic are ginger, lime, chilies, peanuts, and sesame.

Click to continue reading “The Dish On…Asian Cuisine”

By Holly W | Posted in Culinary Inspiration, The Dish On | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
March 12, 2008 – 7:00 am

Tools for a trip to your own backyard

We’re back with our “gadget gal,” Holly Cole, with another recommendation! This time, her finds are for an adventure in your own backyard. Whether your quest is to be an all-year, outdoor cook or, like the best of us, a fair weather friend of the grill, here are some gadgets we love:

Grill lightThe season is turning, and it’s time to get out and get grilling. This month at Let’s Dish!, there are several delicious, grillable recipes - and these gadgets will make it fun and convenient to cook and serve.

Click to continue reading “Tools for a trip to your own backyard”

By Holly C | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)
March 11, 2008 – 6:00 am

Try a noodle adventure!

What is your child’s favorite meal? Most moms would say when all else fails….. Macaroni and Cheese. But, why not try other types of noodles from around the world?

German noodles: Spaetzle
Culinary Inspiration from Let’s Dish!German Noodles:
Spaetzle

The Germans call their noodles spaetzle.

Spaetzle is a very popular side dish in Germany which is surprisingly almost never offered in the United States. A delicious part of a evening’s hearty meal, it pairs well with any meat, but is especially nice with sauerbraten. While spaetzle looks more like scrambled noodles, the preparations are similar to those of dumplings. This recipe is an easy one to try.

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By Valerie | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)
March 10, 2008 – 11:00 am

Around the world in 17 dishes!

Risk-free culinary adventures with Let’s Dish!When talking through menu “themes” for Let’s Dish! in 2008, the idea of a culinary adventure was exciting to us.

I am curious…it’s my nature…What do you think? Is it too different for your family or do you see this as fun and exciting? A change from the everyday?We will return to our regular menu selections in the future months - June and July’s menu will focus on meals to take on vacation. May will have meals that are easy to make and take on the “go” as I know most of us are running around with sporting events, graduation parties, end of school activities, weddings.

Click to continue reading “Around the world in 17 dishes!”

By Lisa Hardiman | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (5)
March 8, 2008 – 6:00 am

Rum Punch and Real Simple: Dining at Sea

We absolutely love Real Simple Magazine. It’s a good day when it arrives in the mail at my house each month. I suspect if I asked a random sampling of our Let’s Dish! customers and Food for Thought readers out there, thousands of you would say the same.

Just last week Real Simple launched its own blog called Simply Stated. It’s a fun read because it is actually a collection of blog writers - experts and resources on a variety of topics, one of them being - of course - food!

Well, on March 5th we discovered a fellow culinary pioneer out there.

Click to continue reading “Rum Punch and Real Simple: Dining at Sea”

By Alexa Corcoran | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
March 7, 2008 – 6:00 am

And now for a canine adventure!

First, say hello to Holly Wildberger - or Holly “Dub” as we like to call her - the food team Development Coordinator for the Let’s Dish! stores in the Mid-Atlantic. Holly W is the woman behind many of the recipes you enjoy on our monthly menu and a key ingredient in the testing process for all our tasty Let’s Dish! meals. We are fortunate that beginning next week, she will lend her expertise to Food for Thought, as she takes us on a tour of cuisines around the world.

Click to continue reading “And now for a canine adventure!”

By Holly W | Posted in Just for Fun | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
March 6, 2008 – 6:00 am

How does your (indoor) garden grow?

This month’s adventure isn’t just about international flavor! As a part of our Culinary Inspiration category, we’ll be discussing all sorts of topics for foodies (or those aspiring to be one) as cooking can be its own daily adventure. The Let’s Dish! food team in the mid-Atlantic knows their way around the kitchen and will share cooking tips and recipes with you, suggest new ways to approach food in your life, and pass on some of their favorites - in all sorts of categories. In today’s post we introduce Holly Cole, our food team assistant, as she kicks off a series we call, “Gadgets We Love“: tools and gadgets for your home that …

Click to continue reading “How does your (indoor) garden grow?”

By Holly C | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (3)
March 5, 2008 – 6:00 am

How to introduce new foods to children

So, you want to take your family on a risk-free culinary adventure - how do you begin?

Well, it’s no different than taking an actual trip … you don’t just find yourself at the destination. Before you go, you determine where you want to go, what sights you want to see, how you’re going to spend your time and money there, and more. Introducing new foods to your family - whether it is chimichurri or cauliflower - should be planned as well.

First, let’s review the tips from yesterday’s post:

Culinary Inspiration from Let’s Dish!How to introduce new foods to children
(and maybe that picky adult too):

  • Introduce a new food in a neutral manner.

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By Lisa Hardiman | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (4)
March 4, 2008 – 4:00 am

Itinerary for Your Culinary Adventures

Risk-free culinary adventures with Let’s Dish!This month at Let’s Dish! we decided to go on a “culinary adventure.”

Even at our mid-Atlantic headquarters this meant something different to each and every one of us. To me, it meant trying the latest thing from Timbuktu. To Alexa, it meant introducing a new flavor to her kids that they might not have yet tried. And to some it meant, “Oh, dear, will my family eat this month?”.

After talking to many, I feel like March’s menu really does accomplish everything… it explores new places, new tastes - and yes, still helps you get dinner on the table.

Click to continue reading “Itinerary for Your Culinary Adventures”

By Lisa Hardiman | Posted in Culinary Inspiration | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (3)