Catching Up in October

October was a whirlwind even before there was a Frankenstorm on the way.  While we wait to wait it out, I thought it was a good time to catch-up for October.  To start, I was thrilled to be part of an article written by Rachel Swarns – In the Kitchen, Holding on to Heritage Before It Slips Away – for the New York Times.  I’ve also been spending a lot of time at The Latin Kitchen – building up a virtual spice rack both sweet and savory.  To top it all, my sister Carmen (also my partner at La Filosofia) were included in a travel story for New York Magazine that metaphorically sent us to Norway.

If I don’t make it to Oslo, it’s because Gourmet Live’s Brazil issue convinced me (not all that hard) to go south for the winter instead, with recipes only hinted at in this gallery of Brazilian street food.  If you’re more interested in time travel – Mark Bittman seeks out the Food of the Ancients in the Yucatan Peninsula.  Of course, I could do both and makes this rose petal jam from a Venetian monastery (via 101 Cookbooks).  I only just discovered Emiko Davies’ lovely blog and all I can say is – come for the jam recipe, stay for the references to escaped nuns and the insane.  For more dreaminess, there’s Mimi Thorisson’s Manger – in particular these pomegranate meringues.

While all of these sites will be a wonderful escape, I’m aware of the limits of my ebooks and stock pile of downloaded magazines.  If my iPad charge holds out, I’ll be reading out the storm with The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo: A Novel by F.G. Haghenbeck (translated by my fiend Achy Obejas).  If not, there have been many new cookbook releases to keep my offline mind busy – like Maricel Presilla’s La Gran Cocina Latina,  Muy Bueno: Three Generations of Authentic Mexican Flavor, and Small Plates and Sweet Treats by Aran Goyoaga.  Hope everyone is staying safe!