On the importance of Roquefort: Or Seeing Accra Through New Eyes

Sometimes we all need a little perspective to appreciate how lucky we really are. After living here for some time, many expats find themselves in the trap of focusing more on the things that irritate or inconvenience, without appreciating all our blessings. For example, we see clearly how hawkers on the street go out of their way to aggressively try to sell to us because we are foreigners, but we

Ghanaian Oto: The Breakfast of Brides and Birthday-girls

If you are looking for a simple and classy way to incorporate an African tradition into your birthday or wedding day, this is a great place to start. Oto is a hearty and tasty Ghanaian dish that is quite easy to learn to prepare. I recently celebrated my birthday, and so in true Ghana style I asked one of the women on our compound to teach me how to make traditional oto.Oto is boiled mashed

What is Food Porn?

"Profiteroles” is used with permission from Rick Poon.If the casserole is missionary style, food porn takes its devotees into the foodie kama sutra.It glistens. It drips. It uses props. It is both lusty and intimate. For those who partake, it is an obsession. But just what is “food porn” anyway? Here it is, not for the faint of heart. Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about food porn but were

Weekend Herb Blogging Roundup

Weekend Herb Blogging is a blog event where people have a chance to showcase a favorite vegetable or herb in any dish. What a bounty of delicious recipes from around the world! This week we have something for every palate. We have spicy and sweet, hot and cold. We have items for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We have great things to whip up with what you probably already have in your house, and a

Troubleshooting Cinnamon RollsOr the flattening of my dough and ego

Sometimes it is said, “Love means never having to say you are sorry.” Whoever said that is a chump. In my book, love means being ready to admit to the litany of your mistakes, most of which originate from being stubborn, pigheaded, and/or egotistical. Love means standing up and being willing to admit when you were wrong. And so, dear readers, because I love you, I am here to admit that I was

Chicago-area Foodie Events for February

What I think I love best about my fellow Chicagoans, is that we are a hearty people. We are also unusually friendly for folks in a big city; but even that, I think, stems ultimately from our heartiness. We are a people who willingly endure punishing cold and prodigious mounds of snow, which means that when we get out in the middle of all that traumatic weather, the triumph of the exodus adds a

A Swanky February Playlist

Terry, the mix-master, is at it again. This month he's offering a delectable selection of tasty morsels inspired by February themes of love and chocolate. Looking for something swanky and romantic, whether for a dinner for two or a larger dinner party, without breaking out the Barry White? We got your playlist right here.February: Chocolate1. “Satisfaction ” – The Rolling Stones2. “I Put A Spell