Harlem is gentrifying like crazy. Crime is down, so brownstones are going, going, gone and craggy old warehouses are being converted to condos for yuppies as we speak. All this is so inevitable that of late even the crunchy socially conscious granola-eating, Subaru-driving community activist types on my block seem to have given up organizing [...]

The first time I tasted this dish I was in paradise on earth. After exploring the Douro valley of Northern Portugal where grapes for port wines are grown in one of the most dramatically beautiful landscapes in all Europe, we crossed the rolling mountains of the Beira Alta by car. After being too late for [...]

It’s good to back in New York. My New York, the unsung Uptown, where I’m enveloped by the golden vowels of Antillean Spanish and the throb of bachata and reggaetón from passing cars.
The ribbon of park along Riverside where strangers smile and greet each other every morning. Bodegas where air fresheners are so strong they [...]

My mom bakes buns and pies almost every weekend, and this lingonberry and carrot pie is one of her staples - and super good at that! The pie crust is made from the same dough as the cinnamon buns/rolls she also makes (pulla in Finnish), which is very convenient as you can bake several pastries [...]

Late winter / early spring in Helsinki is not the greatest time of the year. After months of pristine winter weather, long brisk walks on the ice-covered sea become treacherous affairs. Snow turns into a dirty, shoe-ruining slush and everybody seems to come down with a cold.
Hearty stews are a great antidote and survival strategy. [...]