All in Food & Beverage

Spiced Citrus Sun Tea with Mint (A Homage to Juneteenth)

Spiced Citrus Sun Tea with Mint (A Homage to Juneteenth)

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Recipes

Happy Juneteenth!!! It’s been a wild ride this month filled with incredible protests, activism, personal sacrifices, thorough discussions, courage, strength, and so much more to shed light on the important fact that black lives matter. This month the act of celebrating Juneteenth is more powerful than ever before and I’m excited to take part in it this year all the way in Japan! I’m a proud black southern woman and I grew up enjoying delicious southern sweet tea on hot summer days. I remember adding lots of ice and even a little bit of water to dilute the sweet tea because at times our folks could be a bit heavy-handed with the sugar. Meaning that it can become pancake syrup in a glass lol! Today’s recipe is a Spiced Citrus Sun Tea with Mint and it is my loving homage to Juneteenth and the south!

Robust Black Tea

Robust Black Tea

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Culinary Education, Ingredients

Let’s discuss an ingredient that when brewed becomes one of the most consumed beverages in the world, and that ingredient is black tea! This is quintessential to breakfast because it’s served alongside another popular beverage which is coffee. Black tea is served in many ways and used in daily rituals worldwide. It can be served as a simple cup with cream, sugar, and snacks for afternoon tea, steeped with spices to make a chai tea as well as brewed on the stovetop and served in a large pitcher with lots of sugar, ice and a slice of lemon on the side to make southern sweet tea.

Summer Herb Compound Butter with Garlic & Lemon Zest

Summer Herb Compound Butter with Garlic & Lemon Zest

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Recipes

There’s something so special about butter. It’s perfect on toast, adds a richness to sauces, browns baked chicken beautifully and so much more! Butter already seems perfect as is, however when you add herbs, spices, and other types of flavorful ingredients, it transforms into something amazing called a compound butter. Since we recently learned about delicious summer herbs, today’s recipe is a Summer Herb Compound Butter with Garlic and Lemon Zest!

My Favorite Summer Herbs

My Favorite Summer Herbs

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Culinary Education, Herbs

Based on previous posts or if you already know me pretty well then you know that I have a deep love for herbs! They are my favorite plants to grow from seed when I prepare my annual patio garden. Herbs are a staple in my everyday cooking due to their aromatic and deeply flavorful accents. There’s nothing like going outside in your own garden to snip some fresh rosemary or parsley to enhance your dinner!

Today I want to share with you five herbs that I love to grow and use in the summertime which are Rosemary, Parsley, Thyme, Bay Laurel, and Sage. These herbs are versatile and can be used in a wide array of culinary dishes and medicinal remedies.

The Japanese Cucumber #ACAinJapan

The Japanese Cucumber #ACAinJapan

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Culinary Education, Japanese Food

Today we begin with one of Japan’s most common vegetables that’s used on a daily basis and that is the Japanese Cucumber! It is known as “Kyuri” in Nihongo and I have to say that this has become my favorite type of cucumber! Like other cucumber varieties, the Japanese cucumber has a light and crisp taste. However, this cucumber is not bitter and it actually has a slight sweetness to it when you take a bite…

Sweet Basil & Cardamom Lemonade

Sweet Basil & Cardamom Lemonade

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Recipes

It’s Memorial Day weekend which means summer is officially here! This Sweet Basil & Cardamom Lemonade is bursting with refreshing summer vibes and I know you’re going to love it. Even though we are in the throes of a pandemic, you can still live the good life by allowing this drink to take you to a faraway place in your mind or in your backyard! ;)

The Joy of Sweet Basil

The Joy of Sweet Basil

Shari Sweeney
Food & Beverage, Ingredients, Culinary Education

Let’s talk about one of my favorite herbs of all time...Sweet Basil! It’s the first herb I grew on my balcony when I was in college and it started my love for gardening. When I see this beautiful herb, it makes me think of spring and summer because of its amazing smell and taste! Sweet basil is one of the most common herbs you will see in your grocery stores, farmer’s markets, and garden centers. It’s widely used in an array of culinary dishes as well as it’s used in many ways for it’s medicinal properties…

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