Gansu province in northwest China has given the culinary world many rustic, ancient, and deeply comforting dishes. One of the most unique among them is Jiaotuan, a thick, dough-like, spoon-able dish made primarily from roasted wheat or buckwheat flour. Its texture is soft yet resilient, its flavor earthy and warm, and its cultural roots run deep in the historical Silk Road region.
When you travel across the rugged, picturesque province of Gansu, you encounter a blend of cultures — Han, Hui, Tibetan — all leaving their mark on the region’s food. Among its most comforting and beloved dishes is Hezhou Baozi (河州包子), soft, pillowy steamed buns filled with juicy meat or vegetables. Originating from Linxia, historically known as Hezhou, this dish reflects the rich Muslim culinary heritage of the region.
In the heart of Gansu province, where the ancient Silk Road once connected East and West, there exists a dish that perfectly captures the essence of nomadic life and frontier hospitality — Hand-Grab Mutton (手抓羊肉, Shǒu Zhuā Yáng Ròu).
It’s a simple name, but behind it lies centuries of cultural heritage. This dish represents the spirit of the northwestern Chinese people, especially the Hui and Tibetan communities who inhabit Gansu’s vast grasslands and mountain regions.
When the warm wind blows in from the Atlantic, and Lisbon’s hills smell like charcoal and sea water, you know summertime has arrived in Portugal. And in summertime, nothing represents Portugal more than Sardinhas Assadas — grilled sardines, salted simply, served with boiled potatoes, roasted peppers, bread, and a cold drink.
In Portugal, few dishes capture the soul of Lisbon’s cuisine quite like Bacalhau à Brás (pronounced bah-kah-l’yow ah brahz). It’s a dish born in the narrow cobbled streets of the capital, humble in its ingredients yet rich in flavor and tradition. Imagine shredded salted cod… Read More »Bacalhau à Brás – A Beloved Lisbon Classic of Cod, Eggs, and Potatoes
There are dishes that define a country, and then there are dishes that define its spirit. For Chile, especially the colorful port city of Valparaíso, that dish is Chorillana — a glorious, messy, satisfying pile of French fries, beef, caramelized onions, and fried eggs, often shared among friends with a cold beer on the side.
It’s not elegant or fancy, but that’s the whole point. Chorillana is food made for sharing, for laughter, for late nights filled with stories. It’s the kind of dish that brings people together, whether you’re at a bustling picada (local eatery) or sitting at a bar watching the sun dip into the Pacific.
When summer arrives in Chile, fields turn golden with fresh corn, and kitchens fill with the aroma of humitas. This beloved dish, derived from Mapuche traditions, is a type of steamed corn tamale made from ground fresh corn
If you’re ready for a taste of Chile’s wild, misty islands, curanto is the communal feast that’ll have you dreaming of Chiloé’s rugged shores. This ancient dish—layers of seafood, meats, potatoes, and dumplings steamed in an earth oven
I always say that every Chilean family has their own way of making empanadas de pino, and that is true. But for me, the way I learned from my own mamá in Valparaíso is the way I still do it today. It carries the smell of Sundays, the chatter of cousins running around, and the feeling that home is always close, even when life takes you far away.
So let me tell you how it goes, from the heart of a Chilean abuelita who has spent many afternoons with flour-dusted hands and a warm oven humming in the kitchen.
Every country seems to have a dish that feels like a warm hug, the kind of food you eat on a Sunday with family gathered around the table. In Chile, that dish is Pastel de Choclo—a golden corn and beef casserole that manages to be both sweet and savory at once.
I still remember my first taste of it in Santiago’s Central Valley. It came bubbling hot, baked in a small clay pot, the top a golden crust of sweet corn purée.