Pork Belly Confit Miso Ramen Zanyu Asian Noodles is a fast-casual restaurant offering authentic Asian noodles with influences from Thailand, Malaysia, and other Asian cuisines.  The restaurant, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, is located in Raleigh’s Lafayette Village on 8450 Honeycutt Rd. Chef Michael Bongiorno Career Chef and Zanyu owner, Michael Bongiorno, has played […]

If you have traveled to the state of Jalisco, you may have visited Tlaquepaque.  The charming city lies six miles southeast of Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest metropolitan area.  Tlaquepaque is derived from Nahuatl and means “place above clay land”.  That said, it is no surprise that Tlaquepaue is famous for its pottery.  The Citrus Tequila […]

In preparation for Thanksgiving dinner, I purposely bought an excess of fresh cranberries.  I wanted to incorporate the deliciously tart fruit into more holiday recipes.  Not only do I use fresh cranberries to make a homemade cranberry chutney, but I also use them to make a simple syrup.  The following recipe may seem untraditional, but […]

Similar to the dessert’s signature liquid mixture, this rich and creamy hot coffee drink incorporates three milks in the recipe.  Whole Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk come together, along with a few other key ingredients, to create the Tres Leches Coffee. Yes, the hot coffee elixir is sinful!  However, it is both a worthy […]

The apéritif is one of my favorite pre-dinner cocktails.  It is also an impressive and easy cocktail that any host can make for their next party.  My recipe not only offers how to make large blood orange ice cubes, but also instructs how to prepare the beverage that serves approximately 10-12 servings.  If you have […]

If you have not visited Sassool Mediterranean Cafe for lunch or dinner, you will find that they have an assortment of Mediterranean delights that include platters of lamb, kafta, beef & chicken kabobs, various side salads and dishes like my favorites, fatoush, grape leaves, tzatziki, jalapeno cilantro hummus and more.  Their desserts are also dynamite!  […]

I am closing out 2017 with a memorable food, drink and travel experience in Hendersonville, North Carolina that I will share in two separate blog posts.  My goal for 2018 is to develop this series and highlight other wonderful towns in North Carolina and beyond that have great culinary scenes, but that do not have […]

Over the past couple of years I have not only grown fond of Fayetteville, but I have also become acquainted with its International Cuisine Trail, Antiquing Trail and more.  Even if I have not yet fully explored the city, I always walk away impressed with each visit.  This particular trip surprised me in a couple […]

My Poblano Pepper Crema is the Ultimate Poblano Cheese Dip Recipe.  Unlike other Queso Dips, this poblano cheese dip is served chilled.  The sauce’s beautiful green hue comes from the use of three items: cilantro, poblano peppers, and jalapeño peppers.  While the poblano peppers provide an earthy flavor, the jalapeño peppers pack a fierce and spicy-heat […]

Mole is a traditional Mexican sauce that generally consists of a combination of chile peppers, nuts, seeds, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and a myriad of other ingredients.  Although many people consider mole a “chocolate sauce”, not all mole sauces contain chocolate as an ingredient.  Event though Mole Poblano is possibly the most popular mole sauce […]

This past April, the Morehead City Waterfront hosted the 7th Annual Bites and Blues Festival.  The food and music fest is one of the first events that leads up to October’s 33rd Annual North Carolina Seafood Festival. Bites and Blues Festival: a Preview to the North Carolina Seafood Festival North Carolina Seafood Festival Commemorative Poster Artist […]

As a child, one of my favorite candies were dulces de tamarindo (tamarind candies).  These Mexican candies come in various forms such as a pulp, hard candy, and lollipops.  If you are not familiar with tamarind, it is a brown pod-like fruit that grows on leguminous trees.  Although I grew up eating tamarind in sweets, […]

All of the items shared in this holiday gift guide include products and experiences that I have sampled, purchased or have been gifted this past year.  While there are many more fantastic NC products and experiences that are not on this list, I highly encourage you to shop and gift local.  Keep on reading for […]