Food

A friend once said there’s no such thing as soup season – it should be enjoyed year-round. As someone who just happily ordered a cup of chicken wild rice soup on a 90-degree day, I agree.

What happens when something you used to love is no longer good for you? Rachel Riggs found out the hard way. Her medical journey and its relation to her diet are what led to Riggs’s debut cookbook, “In Good Health.”

Last fall, I learned that when you fly home from the Quebecois countryside with an overstuffed bag full of maple syrup, TSA will have questions. I would have thought this to be a normal occurrence up in the Great White North, where the excellence of maple syrup is a matter of national pride, but apparently most travelers bring only one or two bottles back home – not dozens.

The pasta universe here on planet Earth is vast. Galaxies of pasta shapes and pasta dishes can be found around the world. It’s still unknown whether aliens on other planets share humankind’s passion for pasta; I’ll wager they do. Are pasta-seeking space aliens the cause of so many unexplained UAPs (UFOs)? Here’s a small selection of American and Italian pasta dishes that I’ve always enjoyed and invite you to enjoy as well.

Even with the best intentions toward overnight oats, many of us find ourselves short on time and hungry while on our way in the morning. Breakfast burritos to the rescue. The origin of “breakfast burrito” sparks dispute, including claims by a New Mexico restaurant for inventing the item, at least the “dry” (unsauced, hand-held version) in the 1970s. Much more likely, breakfast burritos existed ever since burritos intersected with breakfast – likely in the 19th century in Northern Mexico. (And no, burritos are not a Tex-Mex or Cal-Mex invention).

There was a time when canned chow mein, three canned Asian vegetables, chow mein noodles, a box of fortune cookies, and basic soy sauce were the only Asian foods available in grocery stores. There were also a couple of frozen chow mein TV dinners, long since discontinued. Our Asian culinary experiences were mostly limited to these and an occasional outing to a Chinese American restaurant. We’ve since become more informed and sophisticated in our consumption of Asian foods.

When visiting her home country of Malaysia, Alice Koh and her husband Shane Sorey like to explore other areas during the trip.

You never know when you might need a good alibi, and if you live in the Indian Trail Neighborhood, you have one handy.

The popularity of plant-based dishes, boosted by the internet, has been remarkable over the last several decades. Meatless dishes are often delicious and colorful, and many are developed with an eye on nutrition and healthfulness. Today’s column isn’t about meat versus vegetarian dishes, or even necessarily about nutrition and healthfulness.

Eastern Washington University is bringing a tailgate party to a kitchen near you, but first it needs your help.

The comfort of a bowl of slow-simmered chicken soup.

As I chatted with Jordan Barnes about his skin care products at the Perry Street Thursday Market, he picked up his vintage mandolin and strummed a down-home tune.

Eating seafood, and fish specifically, can have numerous health benefits. Seafood generally offers high-quality protein rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals – essential nutrients for brain and heart health. Many of us might be a little healthier if we increased our seafood consumption (use sustainable seafood, please).

Smiling through the overwhelm of the huge late-season harvest, gardeners often deploy the genial phrase, “dealing with abundance.” Although mounds of produce is a gift like no other, it comes with a lot of chores.

Jameson Angle, a North Idaho resident, spent many years sitting behind a screen working as one of two employees at an IT consulting business in Spokane before he completely changed careers.

When life feels heavy and overwhelming, I do something that might sound like a cliché, but it works for me. I close my eyes, and imagine myself in my happy place.

If your mouth is watering for the savory taste of gyros topped with creamy, tangy tzatziki, or if you’re craving the rich, nutty flavor of flaky baklava, you’re in luck.

Take a look at cuisines from around the world, and you’re guaranteed to find dishes with a particular superpower: They let you throw in whatever food you’ve got. Stews that accommodate this and that. Egg ensembles into which you can stir nearly anything. A dough or pastry that disappears meats and veggies. These flexible recipes fight food waste and save money, one half-eaten onion at a time.

Do you consider instant ramen to be a “superhero in the pantry”? Food entrepreneur Peter Kim does, so much so that he wrote a whole cookbook about it. Why? “It’s cheap, it’s accessible, it takes no time to make. The seasoning sachet all but ensures a baseline level of deliciousness,” Kim said over a video call. “And then the noodles give you enough heft to the meal that you don’t have to worry about, say, making a side of rice or making potatoes or whatever. ... All you really have to think about as a home cook using instant ramen is where do I want to take the flavor?”