Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream? With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream. Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make? Yes you did, so…

The other day I saw Irish bangers in the grocery store. Usually, ethnic sausages are found in specialty or butcher shops. I had to buy them. What to make? Bangers and mash. Bangers and mash is a dish served in Ireland and the British Isles. It is bangers and mashed…

Sometimes you discover amazing things. A couple of weeks ago, I was asked if I heard about a Russian restaurant near my home that was open 24 hours. I made Google my friend. It turned out the restaurant was Uzbek, a Central Asian cuisine inspired by Uzbekistan’s location on the…

Those of us who grew up Catholic during the 1950’s through 1960’s remember meatless Fridays during Lent. The one day of the week where some kind of fish, eggs, or vegetable dish ruled. We remember tuna or egg salad sandwiches, sardine sandwiches, and cheese sandwiches, PB&J, all wrapped in wax…

Chicago is a melting pot of immigrants from all over the world. Immigrants came to Chicago, fleeing poverty, the ravages of war, oppression, cruelty, natural disasters, and other reasons. Many came for work. Some work so bad no one else would do it, like working in the various packing plants…

Cooking for the holidays can be trying. There is so much to do with the perception of too little time. Planning is key. Prepping as much as you can ahead of time makes things easier. There are tricks or hacks you can use to smooth your path. You can make…

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is a holiday devoted to food and gratitude for the abundance we have. It is also a bittersweet holiday. A day of remembrance of Thanksgivings past. I have fond memories of childhood Thanksgivings with my parents and extended family. The tables would…

Sometimes Thanksgiving is just for two. A couple who for whatever reason are cooking for themselves. Empty nesters. Newlyweds. Whoever and whatever the reason, some will be celebrating Thanksgiving as a twosome. They do not want to do the whole turkey and groaning table feast thing. They do not want…

Thanksgiving is a week away. People are preparing for the folkloric traditional American turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, mashed or sweet potatoes, dressing, and other side dishes. Thanksgiving, unlike other American holidays, is solely devoted to food. Somewhere along the line, the attitude of…

Tryzub is the coat of arms and symbol of national identity of the Ukraine. It appears with the same colors as the Ukrainian flag, blue and gold. The Tryzub is a blue shield with a golden trident. Tryzub Ukrainian Kitchen is a restaurant in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood name after the…