Ever since I took that riverboat cruise in Czechia last spring, French food has been on my mind. This was a CroisiEurope cruise with an itinerary designed by a French company that claimed to be the world leader in river cruises. The week-long cruise featured an all-you-can-eat French gourmet meal plan -- that's French food three times a day, every day, plus champagne, wine, and any cocktail you desired. If there was a foodie heaven, this surely must be it ( see pics from the cruise ).  When I returned home, I found myself cooking more French dishes than ever before. Then my intern Kat and I planned and taught a French cooking class a few weeks ago at Urbana Park District's Phillips Recreation Center. So now it's time to start thinking about a new French "deep dive series" for this summer at the Common Ground Food Co-op. This will be a series of three classes where we will survey all the deliciousness that France has to offer, region by region. We'll start in...

Okay, this is not a movie — it's an art exhibition. More specifically, it's a series of 30 photographs made by American photographer Michael Andrews who volunteered with United States Peace Corps in 2018–19. While in Ukraine, he also worked as a photographer for Ukraine’s Baba Yelka Cultural Expedition which was formed in 2018 to preserve and share the unique cultural traditions of Ukraine’s Kirovoghad region — stories, songs, recipes and material culture, including traditional embroidery. The exhibition offers a unique window into remote village life before Russia’s invasion, and focuses on the lives of Ukrainian “babusyas” (grandmothers) and their cultural roots. The show debuted in Charlotte, NC in 2022, and is now on exhibit in Krannert Center's lobby (currently installed in the Foellinger Great Hall mezzanine). The exhibit is free and open to the public from 8am-10pm daily (except during concerts). I had the privilege of working with these images on social media and...

I've never been to Japan, but if I were to ever go, Tokyo's " Yakitori Alley " would be at the top of my list of culinary destinations. There are over 7,000 yakitori restaurants in Tokyo, but the most "authentic" ones are all located in one alley near Tokyo's very busy Shinjuku station. Also affectionately called "memory lane," this strip of 81 tiny stalls sits in a narrow alley that hasn't changed much since World War II. Most of these "mom and pop" shops are so small that they seat only six or seven people. What would it be like to take a tasting tour of this alley? Well, I'm going to try to recreate that fantasy experience at the Common Ground Food Co-op on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Sorry, but this cooking class is already sold out. But since we are doing regular pop-up events, perhaps a Japanese yakitori dinner experience might be in the cards soon (send me an email if you're interested). Technically, yakitori is transla...

Want to attend a pop-up dinner? Want to host a pop-up dinner? New " popup_dinners_cu " Facebook group just created for serious foodies in the Champaign-Urbana area who are passionate about food and travel. Our goal is to build a community of like-minded adventurous eaters who also want to expand our culinary horizons. Our mission is to encourage new cultural discoveries, share celebrations of diversity, and make more meaningful connections to the world with pop-up dinner experiences and cooking classes hosted by locals.  Join " popup_dinners_cu " to post, be notified of upcoming events, and to share your own food-related events like the upcoming "Dinner + A Movie: Ukraine" pop-up dinner experience. Since our original February 19 date is sold out, we have scheduled another dinner with the same menu for March 19, 2023 at 6pm. The cost for joining this event is $65 per person and all net profits will be donated to the Ukrainian war effort ( see details ). Mor...

Chicken Kiev is the featured entrée at our upcoming "Dinner + A Movie: Ukraine" pop-up dinner experience. This Ukrainian variation of fried chicken is Marina's personal recipe and we'll be serving it as part of a four-course traditional home-cooked Ukrainian dinner complete with wine pairings. Since our original February 19 date is sold out, we have scheduled another dinner with the same menu for March 19, 2023 at 6pm. The cost for joining this event is $65 per person and all net profits will be donated to the Ukrainian war effort ( see details ). More recipes and information about my cooking classes can always be found on my website . For the latest news, feel free to subscribe to my monthly email newsletter.