by AW Thomas Jr.

Next to the King of Spices, Black Pepper, Ginger is perhaps the most frequently used, widest spread and overall most successful of all the spices.

Interestingly, for such a common food, we have no idea where it actually originated.

Black pepper was first discovered, and is still grown, in the mountains of Southern India. Cloves are claimed by the Spice Islands and Zanzibar. But no one know where exactly ginger first appeared.

by Sasa Sunakku

If ever I asked “Where shall we go for dinner?” when we lived in Tokyo, F was sure to answer “Gyoza Party.” Actually, he often suggested it even when I hadn’t asked. Like, daily. In fact though, Gyoza Party (yes, I did intend for that to be capitalised) is less a place, than a state of mind. Gyoza Party is a happy place, a place where an endless parade of gyoza magically appear within chopstick range, dip themselves delicately in the shouyu, vinegar and chilli oil and insinuate themselves gently between your lips, only to explode in an orgy of garlicky porkiness.

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us and I am excited. I love any holiday dedicated to eating. But I also love the idea of being thankful. I have always worked in people oriented businesses and have seen first hand how a thankful attitude can affect others. It is more fun to work with someone who appreciates the things and circumstances around them. I also find that I am happier the more I realize how many things I have to be thankful for.

With this in mind here are some of the things I am thankful for: tea, baseball, hunting, New York, being born in America, being born male, computers, the internet, HDTV, hotdogs, lobster, butte

by Barbara Dearing
Have you heard? Chocolate isn’t the bad guy anymore! Sure, too much of even a good thing can become a bad thing, but when eaten in moderation, chocolate actually has a number of healthy benefits.
Made from the cacao bean, chocolate has vegetable origins– which means it contains some of the same health benefits as dark vegetables. The bean in its natural state contains flavonoids, an antioxidant, which helps protect the body against free radicals that can cause heart disease and other symptoms of aging. In fact, chocolate …

Imagine this. We are standing in the kitchen and we are really hungry. We could pull out a loaf of bread and some sliced ham and cheese. It would make for a quick, filling meal. It is not terribly healthy, but it is not unhealthy either. It would get the job done. Now, if we were to take a little bit of extra time and effort, we could cut up some lettuce and tomato and then spread on some mustard. The sandwich would taste much better. It would be healthier, …

By John R. Chapman
Of all the things you would consider sexy, food should be on your short list. Good food, that’s good for you, is just plain sexy. After all, some of the best foods are naked; they are free of being over-processed and over-packaged. They are simple, nutritious, and versatile.
Even with the purity of this subject matter, you don’t have to go 100% organic. I’ll also stop short of recommending that you seek out vegetarian, unless you already are (a vegetarian). Instead, I’ll list everyday foods that have higher …

Waiting. Just the mention of the word conjures up feelings of frustration.
Picture this: It’s Saturday and the kids have tired you out with a soccer game in the morning and in the afternoon shopping for supplies for a school project. But it’s evening now and they are off at a friend’s for the night and it’s just you and your wife. You pull the car up to your favorite restaurant and step out of the car. You stretch, for it has been a long day, and take a deep …

It is easy to cut back on some expenses. We can cut back on how much alcohol we buy, or the clothes we buy, or our movie club memberships, but it is hard to cut back spending on food. We need food to survive and we like it. At least I do. Hey, we eat three times a day, seven days a week. We might as well enjoy it, right? But enjoying often means spending a lot of money.
College food really taught me how to cook. My first week …

By Joseph Devine
Few things are more enjoyable than sharing a delicious meal with friends. Why not add to the fun with eye-catching decorations, cleverly themed meals and even costumes? Throwing a dinner party is a great way to show off your creative abilities and your culinary skills all at the same time. Just think of a theme you enjoy – the ocean, eighties movies, haunted houses – decorate your home and call some friends over. If you need a little inspiration before getting started, consider some of these ideas:
Princess Party. …

By Elea Almazora
I grew up in a culture where everything – I’m not kidding, I do mean EVERYTHING – is pretty much celebrated with food. We have fantastically wonderful spreads during the Christmas and New Year seasons, treat each other to a special lunch or dinner on birthdays, even bring little snacks over to work because Gina in accounting is going to have a baby and we all just found out. Food just makes everything so much better for us, because more than just nourishment, food symbolizes for us a …