By Brandon McDearis It’s not really news these days that dark chocolate, especially that which is high in cocoa, has quite a few health benefits. After years of being told that every guilty pleasure that we enjoy is slowly killing us, it is a relief to know that small
Found throughout the tropic and subtropic area, the coconut is a fruit known for its great versatility because of the many uses of its different parts. Many supermarkets sell coconuts in the produce section. Coconuts are relatively inexpensive and not nearly so hard to crack as you might think.
By Brandon McDearis This month’s recipe is a little something different. These Caribbean cakes take quite a bit of prep, but they are fairly easy to assemble, and their unique, tropical flavor is worth every minute of work. They work great as a vegetarian entrée, but they are light
Rumor has it that the first chili sauces (“chile” refers to the pepper pod, and “chili” to the concoction) were made by Mayan Indians around 1500 B.C. and were used for dipping. Initially consisting of chili powder and water, the addition of other ingredients didn’t come till much later.
By Brandon McDearis Whether you are busy training for Ramblin’ Rose this month or you are just dealing with the generic chaos of life as we start a new year, this month’s recipe is healthy and easy to prepare for anyone with a limited schedule. The prep for this
Antica Pizzeria at Port’Alba in Naples, Italy, is generally considered the world’s oldest pizzeria. It was established in 1738 as a snack stall for street merchants. The actual pizzeria was opened in 1830 in the town center at Via Port'Alba, replacing the street vendors who would make pizza in
By Brandon McDearis It is almost that time of year when you will need to start thinking about food for holiday parties. This month’s recipe is great for taking to get-togethers or for entertaining your own guests. The flatbread turns out great in the oven, but cooking it briefly
North Carolina is the No. 1 producer of sweet potatoes in the United States and rightly so, as the sweet potato is the state’s official vegetable. More than 40 percent of the national supply comes from North Carolina. Grown in the Coastal Plains, sweet potatoes were already an American
By Brandon McDearis It is that time of year when sweet potatoes are sold more frequently at the markets, especially in our great state of North Carolina, which is the leading producer of sweet potatoes in the United States. That is great news for us, seeing as they are
Squash, a revered food among Native American Indians, was believed to be linked to fertility. Early colonists found the Narragansett Indians’ word it – askutasquash – difficult to say and shortened the word to “squash.” Although the colonists included it in their diet, they considered it a rather bland
