Chickpea Lessons in a Taxicab

By Andrew Hunter

With my travel schedule, I end up in a lot of taxicabs. I’m always curious about the drivers, where they’re from, and if they’re professionals, craftsmen or artists from a faraway place. Since it’s rude to ask such questions directly, I usually engage in conversation and their stories typically come flowing forth.

Meet Kareem, a Palestinian driver in Phoenix. I jumped into his taxi yesterday wearing my chef jacket; Kareem called me “Chef” with a reverence of someone from a fancy hotel background…turns out he once worked for the Ritz-Carlton. I reciprocated by asking respectful questions of him, which evolved into a discussion on mezze platters. I’m working on a mezze concept and so am especially interested.

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Skinny Dipping for Super Bowl Sunday

By Lori Powell

Super Bowl Sunday is a-comin’ and the need for great dips and chips is imminent Even though I’m not a die-hard fan of football, I can certainly step up to the line and embrace an event that involves food.

I was just on the TODAY Show on Monday as food director of Prevention magazine, www.prevention.com presenting my version of “Skinny Dipping” during the Kathie Lee & Hoda segment. I was the short one next to Jordan Sparks who was standing in for Kathie. It was fun sharing ideas for dips that are not only truly tasty, but healthy.

These recipes will help you think outside the processed dip and chip box to create snacking options that are packed with flavor, without fillers or additives. Plus, all the dips but one are just whizzed in the food processor and can be made ahead. It’s a win-win, as these dips only get better in flavor as they sit.

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The Last Big Holiday Party, Ever

By Sandy Hu

Steve and I have had a tradition of hosting an annual holiday party from our days as newlyweds living on West 14th Street in New York City. We would serve a collection of hors d’oeuvres with wine, ensuring there was enough food so guests could linger through the night and make dinner of it, or just drop by for a drink while doing the rounds of holiday merrymaking. The crowd then was mostly magazine people and accountants from Price Waterhouse, representing our two careers.

We continued the tradition when we moved to a condominium in Waikiki. At that stage in our life, the guests included family living in Honolulu, newspaper people and more Price Waterhouse accountants.

By the time we moved to San Francisco and restarted the party tradition, we had two children so the mix of guests now revolved around PR people from the agency where I worked, people from high-tech startups where Steve worked and fellow parents from the French American International School.

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Easy Holiday Tips from the Georgia Governor’s Mansion

Holly Chute was expecting 1,000 people for cookies and cider last night. And with more guests over the next two weeks, she will be baking 20,000 this holiday season.

Holly is the Executive Chef of Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal. And Sunday was the tree lighting ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion, with cookies and hot and cold cider for all. Whether it’s for a large public function as this or an official state dinner, Holly knows a thing or two about entertaining.

She has cooked for royalty including Prince Philip and Princess Anne of the United Kingdom, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Prince Hassan of Jordan; Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton; many governors; and entertainers like musician Joe Cocker and comedian Jeff Foxworthy.

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No Resolutions

Each year we make resolutions that we break before the New Year really starts. It’s because we get caught up in the peer pressure of resolutions but struggle with the follow through. In other words, we set our expectations too high and fail.

So the Hunter family isn’t making resolutions this year. Instead we’re setting achievable goals for better eating, exercise and health. And like it or not, we’re sticking to them… just don’t say resolution because it’s a dirty word.

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