Recipe | Caldo de Res

Caldo de res (beef stew) is my all-time favorite Guatemalan dish -- even over pollo frito, tapado, and pepian. I love anything I can fill with hot sauce and caldo does not disappoint. I make a nice, fresh salsa picante from onion, cilantro, lime and roasted serrano chiles that goes great. You can also top with a little sliced avocado if you're feeling rich.

Recipe | Jamaican Patties

I've spent quite a bit of time trying to perfect the patty, and I think I've got pretty damn close. Everyone has their own recipe, and they each have their merits. (But some don't. I once had a patty that tasted like pureed cat food wrapped in yellow play dough. You know who you are DC food truck!) Ultimately, I really think the key to delicious patty is the crisp, flaky pastry with the perfect amount of heat in the filling.

Restaurant Review | Le Cosi

Location | 12 Rue Suquet  06400 Cannes, France

It was our first time in Cannes, so we did what any good American would do - eat! There's a little winding street (Rue Suquet) with tons of little restaurants. The hotel didn't give us any specific recommendation, so we just walked a bit and picked one. We chose Le Cosi.

Restuarant Replica | Shabu Shabu

Dish | Shabu shabu

Restaurant | Shin-Sen-Gumi

Location | 1695 W. Artesia Blvd.  Gardena, CA

I miss all-you-can-eat shabu shabu in Japan. I miss all-you-can-eat anything in Japan. I miss eating in Japan. Boo hoo. Anyhow, if you can find the sliced meat for shabu shabu it's one of the easiest meals you can make. The hardest part is slicing the veggies. Unfortunately, there weren't a lot of interesting vegetable choices at the market because of the season. I really wanted corn but couldn't find it anywhere.

Recipe | Chimichurri & Sirloin Steak

Yum, yum, yum. Chimichurri and steak! I've never been to South America, so I've only ever had Central American chimichurri. I think it's a little more tangy than the traditional recipes I found online, so I spruced up a recipe to increase the spice and the tang. You can really make it to your own tastes though. Either way, it's a great little dressing to jazz up grilled meat, veggies, and even tofu.