Robin: In Mexico, these piggies would probably not be called galletas (cookies) at all; there they are one of the dozens of traditional panes dulces (sweet breads) that are part of the fabric of daily life. Cookies in Mexico tend to be fancy, delicate little things, and these hog shaped pieces of baked dough are…
Snacks
Joy’s Dill Dip
Robin: My mother, Joy, absolutely loved “relish trays”—that is, platters of raw vegetables, pickles, olives, crackers, and cheese served as an appetizer or light lunch. There would be one of these trays of good things in a prominent place anytime she was entertaining, and this delicious dill dip was almost always on it. Who knows…
Caribbean Beef Patties
Ed: Though similar in many ways to South American beef empanadas, both the filling and the dough of these delicious patties have their own distinctive Caribbean ingredients. Ginger and curry powder are must-haves in the meat hash, while turmeric gives a lovely yellow color to the dough. Beef patties, also called meat pies, are very…
Cheese Cracklings (Chicharrón de queso)
Robin: You know that little bit of cheese that oozes out of a grilled cheese sandwich and drips down onto the surface of the pan, where it gets crispy and almost-but-not-quite burns before you scrape it off and pop it into your mouth? It’s sooooo delicious, the very best bite of the whole meal, to…
Spinach Pie
Ed: For me as a South American man, this is a real comfort food. You could say It’s just a simple savory pastry, and it is, but for me this delicious baked spinach pie is a memory attached to my soul. As a child in Lima, Peru, one of my favorite lunches or substantial snacks was what…
Autumn Spice Puppy Chow
Robin: I made a first version of this in October of 2016 and took it in to work. Now, Ed and I live in South Florida—a huge salad bowl of people of different cultures, cuisines, and languages—and plenty of things that might seem ordinary to folks back in the good ol’ Midwest (where I grew…
My Mom’s Pear Cake
Robin: When they lived on a tiny-but-lovely Royer Lake in northeast Indiana, Mom and Dad had their very own pear tree. Some years the harvest was huge, others not so much. When the supply was abundant, Mom would find creative ways to take full advantage of the delicious fruit, using pears in salads, desserts, and…
South American Beef Empanadas
Ed: These baked ground beef empanadas are one of my most beloved comfort foods. I remember my school days, when my mom used to put one or two empanadas in my lunch box, and I would enjoy them at recess. I don’t recall what other kids were eating, but I loved my lunch! Every time I…
Gelatin Marshmallow Spirals
Robin: Don’t you just love it when something is super easy to make but looks like it took great skill and all day to do? This is one of those things. You start with just a box of jello powder (any brand and flavor) and some mini marshmallows, and end up with attractive two-toned spiral…
Pineapple Slices with Coconut Gelatin
(c) Robin Grose[/caption] Robin: Way back in the mid-1950s, an ad came out for Dole pineapple that consisted of a recipe in which a sweet dish was created by replacing the juice in a can of pineapple slices with gelatin. Once gelled, the contents of the can were emptied onto a platter and sliced. This…