Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

pig feet. i'd like to try the cicadas. they sound kinda fun.. and crunchy

been craving saltiness lately and it's been satiated with the kalamata olives. :)

Or Dong Gua. I think it means winter melon... better sounding name than all of the above. Chinese think it's Yin - cool. We grew tons of these in Houston, and it's fun to see families try to best each other to see how ginormous they can grow; I think we've gone up to 40 lbs before. My family also likes to cut it up into chunks and soupify it with some salt, it's actually quite soothing.

AND the best thing about it is that it's so hardy and became my version growing up of watermelons and pumpkins. There is something very magical about watching a little melon get bigger and bigger in its melon patch. Also, since it grows so easily, it's so fun to share and we'd always cut big slices to give to neighbors.

P.S. The hairs are kind of prickly. They give your skin an unpleasant numbing sting (which doesn't make sense) so wear gloves or brush off all the hair.

oh, P.S. again - the flowers are sweet. They make excellent soup or steamed-wise and also very fun for little girls to make garlands since it's yellow with curly tendrils and then pretend to be princesses, until your aunt realized your head full of flowers may have potentially been some of the best melons of the crop. :)

i always love bbq lamb, but recently went to a friend's for backyard bbq of grilled veggies and bluefin that was so simple which made it all the more delicious!

asian cake.. fluffy fluffy from well beaten egg whites and swans down cake flour. we've kinda sorta mastered this and are quite proud.

with too much sugar unfortunately. and lots of ice in this ridiculous summer heat!
that or buy from alex's lemonade stand. =)

blueberry pancakes, but don't forget the toppings! - a lil bit of honey and most def whipped cream!!

honey, bananas, coconut shavings :)

ice cream sandwiches that was part of our after school daycare snack rotation.

During my first backpacking experience in Costa Rica, I had taken an incredibly bumpy and dusty bus ride to a more secluded town for sea turtle watching. I was hosted by a family where each night I was served wonderfully fresh fried fish, magenta cole slaw, delicious rice, superbly sweet plantains and a lime with green skin yet bright orange flesh. Such a wonderfully colorful meal!

the first small bite of refrigerated dark chocolate, the audible crunch as you break off a piece and the initial impassivity before it yields its treasures for you to finally savor.