This Feeds Me Hungry Musings of a Gastronomic Gypsy – NC-based freelance writer Victoria Bouloubasis

In researching this story, I found the following surprise fact: In 1907, a Chicago man was arrested for shooting his wife in the head. A pie, he said, made him do it. Mincemeat pie. Locally, the nightmarish pie resonated with folks that came from British stock and left the tradition behind, and older adults of [...]

As incongruous as it seems, white navy beans create an impressive dessert when whipped into custard. Many attribute the original recipe to Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad, who wrote the cookbook How to Eat to Live, which prescribed a clean diet for African-American Muslims in the 1960s. But in the online documentary, Bean Pie, [...]

“It’s just a bit weepy,” says Brooke Erceg as she coos over a lemon meringue. Tiny brown pearls of liquid sugar slide down the peaks of snow-white meringue as it wiggles, elevated at least 4 inches from the lemon custard pooled into the crust. Erceg settles her pie onto a table at Cup A Joe [...]

I have a very long way to go before I can actually say I know how to bake. I’ve got the phyllo bases covered – baklava, spanakopita – and have dabbled in bread making for a couple month-long stints on farms. But I leave cakes and pastries to professionals, including a few favorite cupcake nooks [...]

If you can handle goaty, throw on an apron, click the link below and whip up this hardcore recipe. Don’t be a sissy.

I’d rather explore my senses heaped over a sizzling pan, my fingertips spontaneously picking up spices at the whim of my big, fat, Greek nose. You can’t do that with baking. And ramekins are for baking.

Oh, was I wrong.

While staying in Andros, my Theia Georgia (aka Georgette Irene Mandarakas) spoiled us by whipping up tasty traditional Greek meals and side dishes nearly every day. She keeps many of her recipes secret; the rest you can find in her three-part Greek cookbook series: Golden Cooking. Currently only in Greek, this is her first published [...]

There are times when I think I must have South Asian or Hispanic roots. One of these times is summer, when a sweltering heat hits and all my body craves is a juicy mango. My genetics urge me to get my hands on watermelon, figs and tomatoes instead, which I do… when mangoes aren’t available.

As I hinted in an earlier post, my friends are artistic chefs at heart. Especially Victor Hugo. In the kitchen, as in life, this guy flies by the seat of his pantalones. Inspired at the oddest of hours, he’ll shuffle from fridge to spice cabinet and back to fridge, carrying an assortment of ingredients to [...]

When I need a quick recipe inspired by the flavors of my family’s kitchen, I turn to Andy Harris’ cookbook, Modern Greek. His recipes let individual ingredients shine while connecting bright and simple flavors. This Fakes Salata (or Lentil Salad) is my staple out of the book, and always an interesting contribution to summer potlucks. [...]

I challenge anyone who claims to despise beets to try them roasted. They’re magic, really. I can’t think of anything else that tastes like them. A beet dug out of the dirt, scrubbed, and roasted, dances on the palate. A hint of earth with a sweet tinge. It’s not the mushy, putrid taste you’d get [...]

I’m in love with pumpkin goodies this season. Since writing the column, I’ve made pumpkin chocolate cupcakes (I’m not a baker… yet) and have tried an amazing pumpkin chicken curry at Spize Cafe in downtown Raleigh. Local chefs get inventive with pumpkin by Victoria Bouloubasis Smirking jack-o’-lanterns are popping up on patios and stoops all [...]

Tangy with a twist of mint, this lima bean hummus (dubbed “butter bean hummus” down here) was a hit at this year’s Indy food writers’ potluck. I whipped it up by modifying and existing recipe I found (adding in extra fresh mint, oregano and garlic, of course), and Indy’s amazing locavore recipe extraordinaire Sheryl Cornett [...]