Culinary Adventures with Camilla

  I was sitting at the tire place, waiting for my car to get new shoes and had brought along my Kindle to pass the time. I started to read my husband's book group pick, managed about ten pages before I closed it, and moved on to the next book in my list:  Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagán.* I knew nothing about this book and was unfamiliar with the author. So, I clicked on the title and started to read. When I realized, on the very first page, that it was about a woman with an incurable cancer, I almost closed it as well.  Three friends are battling cancer right now; one lost his battle this month; and several others are currently in remission, but their lives still involve periodic tests and stressful times as they wait for the results. So, though I don't use this word often, I can honestly say that I hate cancer. Still, I decided to stick with this book because Pagán has a way of addressing hard topics - cancer and divorce in this case - while stil...

Welcome to the August editor of our #EattheWorld project, being spearheaded by Evelyne of  CulturEatz , is a lively group of adventurous cooks and eaters.   You can read more about the  challenge . And this month Evelyne announced that, by popular vote, the destination was Puerto Rico. Check out all the wonderful Puerto Rican dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld.  Click here to find out how to join  and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! The Dishes Home Sweet Homestead:  Chuletas Guisadas: Puerto Rican Stewed Pork Chops Palatable Pastime:  Sofrito Rice Sharanya Palanisshami:  Marrallo Pandemonium Noshery:  Pernil - Puerto Rican Crispy Roast Pork Simply Inspired Meals:  Epcot Frozen Torched Cherry Colada Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Empanadillas de Carne CulturEatz: Pastelon, a Puerto Rican Plantain Lasagna   Kitchen Frau: Classic Pina Cola...

When I heard Chef José Andrés being interviewed on NPR last month, his story was intriguing and compelling, so much so that I went home and ordered the book - We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time by José Andrés* - immediately.  I'm including a link to the broadcast because, honestly, I think you must hear his story, but you can skip the book. The story is so important and what he accomplished was phenomenal, but I found the book tedious and difficult to read. On the Page José Andrés is a chef, humanitarian, and founder of World Central Kitchen. He arrived within a week of Hurricane Maria devastating the island of Puerto Rico and set about trying to feed everyone he possibly could. Andrés rallies huge support from volunteers and organizes a network of kitchens around the island to provide chicken and rice as well as ham and cheese sandwiches to everyone struggling to live without food, clean water, electricity, and othe...