The Traveler's Lunchboxhttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/Food, Travel...and more Fooden-US2012-02-04T13:55:01ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)The Pizza Projecthttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2012/1/27/the-pizza-project.htmlmelissa2012-01-27T11:28:57ZKen's Artisan Pizza in Portland, Oregon. It's a tradition my dad, stepmom and I have every time I spend a few days in town; we go to Ken's on my first night, or my last night, or sometimes both. Sometimes I secretly wish we could eat there all the nights in between too. I love the place that much.]]>Happy 2012, Long Time No Seehttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2012/1/19/happy-2012-long-time-no-see.htmlmelissa2012-01-19T10:20:49Z Hi! How are you? Staying warm, I hope, or cool if you're reading this from the southern half of the globe. Things around here are fine—and so am I, despite what the long silence around here may have led you to believe. I know, I'm sorry—I feel terrible for vanishing without a trace like that. And as delicious as that butter chicken was, well, six months (oops, actually almost seven) is an awfully long time to be staring at it.]]>How to Cook Indianhttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/6/24/how-to-cook-indian.htmlmelissa2011-06-24T12:12:33Z]]>The Holy Grail of Cookieshttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/5/24/the-holy-grail-of-cookies.htmlmelissa2011-05-24T12:12:36ZIt's an Honor...http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/5/3/its-an-honor.htmlmelissa2011-05-03T10:28:03ZSaveur Magazine's six best food and travel blogs on the web. If you haven't visited their 2011 blog awards yet, don't doddle; like last year, it's a smorgasbord of talent, and I'm sure you'll find several fabulous new sites to add to your daily reads.]]>A Super, Natural Spreadhttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/4/22/a-super-natural-spread.htmlmelissa2011-04-22T13:49:00Zschadenfreude.]]>Kitchen Classicshttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/4/5/kitchen-classics.htmlmelissa2011-04-05T12:15:58Zeither your books that are at least twenty years old or those that are less than ten, which ones would you keep — the old or the new?]]>Pkhali, Unearthedhttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/3/20/pkhali-unearthed.htmlmelissa2011-03-20T10:07:36ZOut of Africa, Into the Bowlhttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/3/3/out-of-africa-into-the-bowl.htmlmelissa2011-03-03T10:13:54Zcoup de grâce, fluffernutter sandwiches on squishy white bread*.]]>Celebrating Love (Cake)http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/2/15/celebrating-love-cake.htmlmelissa2011-02-15T13:29:00ZMid-February always presents me with a dilemma: to post about Valentine's Day or not? On one hand it's usually the first opportunity to talk about an indulgent dessert after six long weeks of steamed-broccoli-and-whole-grain-everything living. And usually a chocolate dessert is called for, which is a great opportunity to remedy the paltry amount of chocolate recipes I have on this site. On the other hand, the older I get the less I feel like celebrating the day. It was all fine and good back in my early 20s to embrace the kitsch and syrupy canned sentiment; now, though, it feels forced and awkward, and somehow trivializes the real business of loving in a long-term partnership. Add to that how commercial it all is with the cards and flowers and chocolates and jewelry (none of which can be skimped on, lest it be a reflection of your commitment to the relationship!), not to mention competitive (heaven forbid your friends are serenading/being serenaded better than you!), and it's enough to just want to make me stick my head in a hole until it's over.]]>January Foodhttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/1/30/january-food.htmlmelissa2011-01-30T11:01:48Zhearing the words 'light', 'healthy' and 'diet-friendly' let alone eating anything that could be described as such. I mean really, who wants to diet now, when the days are at their darkest, the weather at its worst and nothing but roots and crucifers are in season? Give me food that's going to comfort, not depress!]]>Sriracha, Seductress in a Squeeze Bottlehttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2011/1/13/sriracha-seductress-in-a-squeeze-bottle.htmlmelissa2011-01-13T12:56:47Z"It's THE gateway drug of chili heads."
"You know it's a sign that you've got a good condiment when you're making dishes to accommodate your condiment."
]]>Merry Christmas with Meatballshttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2010/12/22/merry-christmas-with-meatballs.htmlmelissa2010-12-22T11:46:00ZMy Calabriahttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2010/12/6/my-calabria.htmlmelissa2010-12-06T17:38:37ZI just couldn't seem to let go of summer this year, the universe responded with something along the lines of "What the heck, we don't need fall anyway!" and fast-forwarded us all straight into winter. Gone are the frosty mornings, muddy fields and last stubborn yellow leaves; in their place have appeared knee-high snowdrifts, frozen ponds and temperatures nobody expected to see until January. Apparently it was the coldest start to December in Germany for centuries. I don't know whether to laugh, cry, or go back to bed until April.]]>The Pumpkin Stops Herehttp://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2010/11/22/the-pumpkin-stops-here.htmlmelissa2010-11-22T13:29:58Z