By Nicole Presley
I know many people reach for a can of cranberry sauce to dress the Thanksgiving table with a dash of red and to add a nice, sweet condiment for the bird. But, why …

I am declaring it, right here, right now:
The Future is Fried Pies.
Fried pies sold in rolling trucks, fried pies sold in cute little cafes, fried pies served as dessert in chichi restaurants.
It is the next …

At my house, there always is a jar of instant café in the freezer, which I use especially for making heavenly Coffee Flan.
It is easy. Just dissolve café granules into the flan’s liquid ingredients, making it a …

 
Preserve las Frutas
The strawberries in my parts have been spectacular this year, so this weekend when the local farmer told me his plants were about to be done, I grabbed two quarts and rushed home …

Editor’s Note:  This is the fifth in the series, ¿Vege-Que? — A Week of Healthy Eating, ongoing from April 11 to 18 on the Tiki Tiki. Please visit the first essay to learn more about the series …

Way back before I became a famous baker of Cuban flan, my caramelo el stunko.
It boiled and boiled, but never turned beautiful caramel. Or, it boiled and burned.
Salvation came when my Los Pollitos partner, …

So, this Fall, I dropped my Caja China off at a Cuban-American friend’s house so  she could use it during a party and pig roast.
La Caja China (Chinese Roasting Box) is a genius, portable, wooden …

By Veronica Gonzalez-Smith
We grew up next door to my grandmother and for several days before Christmas I’d watch her do all the necessary preparations before making tamales. One day she would make the savory pork …

Giving Dulce de Leche and Crema de Vie
I’ve been busy cooking up Christmas gifts in my kitchen. Cookies? No. I like to give gifts with a little more flair (and lots of leche condensada).
I usually …

I often say that I lead a charmed life. In fact, I think I’ve said it enough that now there’s something out there in the universe which makes it so.
The week before Thanksgiving, Eric and …