So today, I decide to try making focaccia for the first time. Growing up, I had the luxury of a having a really well-stocked small family-owned grocery store in my neighborhood. So, I got to enjoy grabbing groceries like fresh baked ciriola rolls , focaccia, pickled olives, yogurt, peanut butter on demand, and coffee. Bread has always been one of those love hate things with me because of the yeast. I do like eating unleavened breads and crackers. However, there is something so fascinating yet repulsive about eating bread with yeast or using yeast when baking. When pressed for time, it’s easier for me to make a lemon berry quick bread, banana bread, or zucchini or carrot bread. But when it’s the holiday season or I feel up to the challenge, I reach for the yeast, flour and get to it! Now usually when I proof yeast, I try to add some warm milk or a tablespoon or two of sugar. Today, I chose a focaccia recipe that only calls for five ingredients: Flour Salt Yeast Olive oil Warm water I me...

There are certain kitchen tools that I adore having around at my disposal.  Of course, I love keeping parchment paper around so that baking and cleanup is a breeze. Plus, the brand I like using the most is a natural brown color and allegedly doesn’t contain silicates that could make us ill. My sieve is another favorite tool because it has a fine enough mesh to help remove any undesirable clumps or lumps when making custards, pastry creme, or smooth batters. And because I don’t have a flour sifter, I sometimes use this fine mesh sieve to help with my flour when cooking. One of my most favorite kitchen tools is my kitchen shears. It makes me feel like a big kid when I’m holding my kitchen shears and slicing through parchment paper, plastic wrap, or cutting up small vegetables. Forget about pulling out a knife to slice and dice scallions, leaves of lettuce or cabbage, and other tasty foods. Sometimes, it’s worth pulling out the kitchen shears to tackle breaking down meats, prepping in...

Do you like lemons? Do you love the burst of freshness and tart acidity with citrus fruit? If you are not the biggest fan of lemons, feel free to swap out with another type of citrus fruit like limes, grapefruits, or oranges… Either way, citrus fruit is even better during the hot months of summer. The luckiest people can pluck off as much fruit as they desire, fresh off of a tree if they have access to one. Trust me, there’s nothing close to the feeling and taste of savoring a freshly picked citrus fruit, compared to buying fruit from the local market (that’s been sitting around for a bit). Need Some Cool And Refreshing Ideas? Enjoy using lemons or other summertime citrus fruits for the following delights: Lemonade Icebox Pie Cake Curd Sorbet Ice Cream Syrups (for drizzling over ice cream, yogurt, etc.) Mixed Drinks (Alcoholic or non-alcoholic) Spritzers Garnish Fresh Pressed Juice Flavor Vegetables Add To Meats Make Candy Peels Infuse Drinks With Zest Can you think of any other fantas...