I wish I could tell you this was the last no-bake dessert you’d see from me in the near future, but that would be a big lie. I am back on the solid food train as of a week ago, but I’ve got a backlog of recipes to share with you. The truth is, I really did not expect all of my puddings and mousses and soups to be exciting and delicious- but they were, and  I would be doing you all a real disservice if I didn’t share. So brace yourself for some more recipes for the toothless!

Continue reading

Slovenia is the kind of place most people would probably struggle to locate on a map. But once you found it- nestled between Austria, Slovakia, Italy, Croatia and Hungary, you’d quickly realize that its location right in the middle of Europe, surrounded by a diverse bunch of neighbors, means that Slovenia is an endlessly intriguing place. It has the spectacular scenery of Switzerland (those gorgeous Julian Alps), a varied food culture influenced by Italy and Eastern Europe (and executed to perfection at Hisa Franko), several wine regions with top-notch reds and whites and an interesting and well-preserved history. In the past few years, Hisa Franko’s well-deserved success has secured Slovenia a place on the culinary map, and that in itself is reason to visit this underrated and fascinating country. Check out the Slovenia travel page, with all the best the country has to offer, and be prepared to eat like you’ve never eaten before- and hike it all off on an alpine trail. Enjoy!

When I returned from Russia, everyone was especially curious about the trip and wanted to hear about my impressions of the place. Russia, I guess, is a little mysterious.  I didn’t think I’d had any expectations before I visited, but I found myself describing it as a place that really surprised me. I think it’s the contradictions. It’s filled with physical beauty- Baroque architecture and pastoral landscapes- and drab, concrete Soviet leftovers. It often feels familiar, like somewhere else in Europe you’ve seen before, but then you realize you can’t read any of the signs and haven’t heard English in days. Above all, it just feels uniquely Russian, and I could sense a solidarity in the people I met, a deep pride in their country, its strengths and its flaws. With things between Russia and the US as complicated as ever, travel is one of the best connectors I can think of. If you’re curious, consider booking a ticket and head on over to the latest guide for all of my favorite things that Moscow and St. Petersburg have to offer!

I’ll admit, I had some preconceived notions about Ireland. Grim weather. Junky shamrock souvenirs. Greasy fish and chips. You know the clichés. But the Emerald Isle was calling my name, and so I planned a trip aimed at discovering some of the country’s in-between spaces. The quaint charm of Dublin’s Ballsbridge neighborhood. The lush, green farmlands and picturesque fishing villages of County Cork in the south. The rugged, desolate beauty of Connemara, that wild peninsula that extends past Galway towards the Aran Islands. There is so much more to Ireland than the well-traveled tour bus roads, and the Guinness Storehouse, and the spectacular cliffs you want to photograph but there are tourists in your frame.  There is a whole other Ireland where sheep are more common than people, where food is so local you may have seen it earlier that day, and where you pull over the car to capture the magnificent view and the wind is whipping, and the sheep are blinking and there is not a single soul in sight. Visit this stunning Ireland using the latest travel page, here.