South American

Ceviche is a cool and delicious dish in which raw fish is marinated in fresh citrus juice. The acid of the juice "cooks" the fish until it is firm and plump. It's a wonderful Summer course that can be served as an appetizer with tortilla chips or placed atop a bed of greens as an entree. Although it may not be the most authentic Peruvian recipe, this is my favorite rendition of ceviche. It's packed with vibrant colors and crunchy flavors. When making any variation of ceviche, it's important to purchase the most fresh fish available. Using fish that has been previously frozen won't yield the same results. If experimenting with this scrumptious dish popular in Latin America is of interest to you, check out this rewarding recipe and read more

It may be the dead of Winter, but this past weekend, San Francisco felt like pure Summer, with clear skies and balmy temperatures. I decided to celebrate with a drink that couldn't be more appropriate: the Caipirinha.

This drink, is made with limes, as well as a special liquor called cachaça, which incidentally happens to be the national liquor of Brazil. Over the past five years, cachaça has developed a large fan base in the United States. Like rum, it's made from sugarcane, but while rum is made from distilled molasses, cachaça is the product of fermented sugarcane juice. To make this cocktail, you can choose any brand, but I used Água Luca ($28.99), a premium variety of cachaça that's filtered a whopping 12 times.

On the nose, it resembles tequila, and it has a light, clean flavor with a slightly sweet finish. Although Água Luca can easily be enjoyed by itself on the rocks, its sweet-tart flavor is incredible when used in a caipirinha. To transport your palate to Brazil, read more

When I went to South America, I made it my mission to find an amazing chimichurri recipe. The green paste-like sauce is Argentina's most popular condiment. An essential topping for grilled meat, the sauce is incredibly easy to make and much more delicious than anything that comes out of a bottle.

Since Memorial Day is this weekend, I thought you might be interested in experimenting with my recipe. After tasting chimichurri at countless restaurants, I came across this variation at a packed parilla. I begged the waiter for the recipe and wrote it down on a napkin that I still have. To experiment with this scrumptious sauce — it's delicious on grilled fish, chicken, or even vegetables — read more

Upon my early morning arrival the first time I visited Buenos Aires, I begged my sister to take me to a decent cafeteria, where I immediately ordered a cortado. Along with the espresso came a small but delicious sandwich cookie. My sister explained that this cookie, the "alpha whore," was as ubiquitous in South America as chocolate chip cookies are in the US. While the name made me laugh, the subtle butter taste highlighted with the creamy caramel filling made me hungry for more. However, you don't have to travel south of the equator to enjoy these delightful cookies. To whip up a batch — they make excellent gifts and pair nicely with coffee — read more