Semiserious Chefs

We’ve all met him. That guy at the end of the bar who just gets wiser and wiser with each drink, until he is convinced that everyone else is convinced he has a PHD. Recipes are a funny thing. They can be very sophisticated, very simple, very reminiscent, even very strange. We serve certain foods […]

This dish came about after my week-long exploration of Latin American mashed plantain breakfasts. Finally, after plenty of savory, I created a sweet dish. For my own tastes I like just a dash of cayenne pepper included in the dough, but you can always leave it out. This is an especially fun and easy dish […]

There are two ways to go about plantain arepas… well two places to start. Do you want Arepas de Plátano Verde, Green Plantain Arepas, or Arepas de Plátano Maduro, Ripe Plantain Arepas? Green plantains tend to taste a little less banana-y, while ripe plantains are sweeter. Some folks even add some sugar to make a […]

Apparently there is no question about the fact that Tiger Nut Sweets are pretty much as ancient as it comes. I just wish I could find a picture of this Egyptian clay or broke pot on which the possibly 6,000 year old recipe was found. The name has me a little dumbfounded, though. Tiger Nut […]

Samboosa are Arabic fried triangle pastries. They are most often savory, so the title word here, halwah or ‘sweets’ gives us a clue that this is a fried triangular pastry sweet snack. The original recipe I played off called for cashews and walnuts, but I am really not a fan of walnuts. For my rendition […]

Yes, that is a spoof off barbecue, but no, I did not make it up. It is indeed a real thing, and a really popular thing! Also known as banana-Q, it’s actually quite funny in that these simple sweet treats are not actually barbecued, but rather fried and then served on barbecue skewers. This faux […]

What can I say about these famous French pancakes? Well it turns out, probably a lot. My interest in the French culture and culinary arts has grown considerably over the last couple years, so why not spend some time discussing these delicious breakfast treats with everyone else?

Because quick pickling doesn’t require a bunch of time to be delicious, (not even overnight,) this is a FANTASTIC last minute dinner party recipe. It’s the perfect addition to the classic holiday dinner, but they are also just as good served with toothpicks along side your charcuterie board or other hors d’oeuvres. As for the […]

Anyone who has spend much time in ‘Tolkien-Land’ will most likely think of Gimli when asked about a dwarf. “Gimli, son of Gloin,” he can always be quoted. I always think of the 13 member dwarf company in the original book, “The Hobbit,” with all their clever, rhyme-y names: Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, […]

Bilbo. There is a possibility that you don’t know that name, but if you live in the US it’s quite unlikely. Either way, he was a most beloved hero in JR Tolkien’s book “The Hobbit.” He was the precursing character to Frodo in the “Lord of The Rings” trilogy. He was brave out of necessity, […]