What better way to celebrate Carnival & Fat Tuesday than with fritters fried in pork fat?! Castagnole are a specialty of Carnevale and eaten across Italy during this period. Pastry shops are filled with Italian fritters drizzled in honey or rolled in sugar with the ruby colored alkermes liquor atop.

Jiao zi (dumplings, 饺子) have been an integral part of Chinese culture for as long as anyone remembers.

It's a cold, rainy, blustery fall day here in Michigan. Immediately, my thoughts turn to warm, comforting Irish recipes. Yes, I remember many cold rainy days in County Kerry, and eating the best Guinness Beef Stew, accompanied by that lovely classic Irish Brown Bread. Here are two recipes that I love to make.

Planning a family reunion can be a daunting task – from figuring out the best location to plotting activities that work for everyone, whether they’re ages 2, 22, or 82.
 
And then there’s mealtime.
 
Inevitably there’s a mixture of food likes and dislikes, paired with an allergy or two, or more. At least that’s how it goes in my family, which now tops more than 20 at family gatherings.
 

Hungry? I've got a book (and a recipe!) for you. I recently was sent, for review, an Irish cookbook, entitled The New Irish Table: Recipes from Ireland's Top Chefs. Now, our wandering educators will know how much we LOVE Ireland, but if you're new: WE LOVE IRELAND. There's something magical about that island - the land, views, friendly people, deep culture, music, and, of course, great food.