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Here is a great way to showcase the beautiful strawberries and currants.

They were both hand-picked by me, and I’m so proud of myself (lol).

They are both so pretty.

You just put some sliced strawberries and currants in glasses, and pour sparkling water over them.

I just love how it looks.

So festive!

Too bad, it was just me at home today.

But this will be great to serve at an outdoor summer party.

Traveling is a fun experience itself, but I also like the part that the new experience adds something new to my life home.

We recently took a trip to Milwaukee, and we had a fabulous dinner at a plant-based restaurant called Strange Town.

Their food was unique, and their drink menu was not an exception.

We found something we had never heard of, and after listening to the description given by our server, we decided to try it.

That was Tepache.

We absolutely loved it, and I was already googling recipes that night.

Tepache is a Mexican fermented beverage, made from water, piloncillo or brown sugar, pineapple rind, and spices (e.g,, cinnamon).

It’s super easy to make.

Mix water and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves.

Add pineapple rind and core.

I also added cinnamon sticks.

Loosely cover and wait.

Many recipes said wait for 24 to 36 hours, until it starts bubbling, showing fermentation.

But mine did not start bubbling until 4 days later.

After that you can take the solid out and put it in the fridge, or you can let it continue to ferment.

The timing was tricky.

I tasted mine every day since it started showing fermentation, and it was tasting better and better every day.

I let it keep fermenting until 6th day.

This turned out amazing!!

It was as good as the restaurants, if not better!

It definitely has the fermented taste which I loved, and the cinnamon gives a depth in the flavor.

You don’t necessarily taste the cinnamon, though.

If you don’t know, you won’t know there was cinnamon, although you will probably guess some kind of spice was used.

This is super refreshing and delicious.

The idea of making jam with a can of tomatoes came to me toward the end of our recent vacation.

We had a nice kitchen at our vacation rental, and we cooked most of our meals.

But toward the end of our stay there, I realized that I had a can of diced tomatoes I had bought but forgotten about.

So, I was pressured to use it for something quick.

I couldn’t think of any particular dish I could use it for, and then I thought, why not making jam?

I had some bread, and I knew we could use jam for toasts.

I put it together with limited ingredients I had, and it turned out great.

We liked it so much that I decided to recreate it at home.

( ↑ This is when the content of the can was just poured into the pan, before cooking).

1. Combine a can of diced tomatoes and sugar (I go with 3 to 4 tablespoons, at least) and cook over medium heat while stirring it constantly. Don’t burn.
2. Remove from heat when the liquid is almost gone (I cook for about 20 minutes).
3. Add lemon juice (approximately from a quarter of a lemon) and cinnamon (I like to go heavy on it).

This jam is so versatile.

You can enjoy it on toasts, scones, and biscuits, like you would with fruit jam, or you can also serve this with savory dishes.

A hint of cinnamon adds an unexpected, somewhat exotic, flair.

The rhubarb season has arrived!

Luckily, my mother-in-law always tells me when the rhubarb in her backyard is ready.

She lets me “harvest” ones I like, and I really enjoy finding dark red ones and pulling them one by one.

I have a lot of ideas of how to use it, but one thing I always make every year is pickles.

Sweet, tart, and crunchy.

Tasty!!

When it’s pickled for a few days, it turns pretty pink (see the top pic).

I was so spoiled!!

My husband ordered a full-course dinner takeout from http://roottorisekitchen.com/ to conclude the celebration of my birthday month.

I was so excited to pick it up.

Everything was packed so well, and opening each box was like opening my birthday present one by one!

I knew he ordered a course meal for me, but the menu was a secret.

Hearts of Palm & Jackfruit Crabby Cakes.

Unripe Shaved Papaya Salad.

Spicy Pumpkin and Coconut Thai Soup.

Butternut Squash Tamale with Roasted Orange Sauce Wrapped in Banana Leaves.

Hummus Platter with Seasonal Fruits and Veggies.

Avocado Chocolate Soufflé.

Everything was absolutely delicious!!

It was one of the best course meals I’ve ever had, vegan or not.

My husband chose the dishes, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well he knows my food/flavor preference!

Although we are not spending time with our family this year, making a vegan Thanksgiving meal for two is the same as usual.

The stuffed vegan roast took the center stage this year as well.

It just looks so festive.

I always have a hard time deciding if I want corn bread or dinner rolls, but this year the choice was easy just because creamed corn casserole was on the menu.

I like how these cloverleaf rolls look.

So pretty!

Loved these rolls.

This year’s Thanksgiving menu…

-Crimini Mushroom and Italian Olive Stuffed Vegan Roast.

-Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Gravy

-Creamed Corn Casserole

-Sauteed Green Beans

-Lingon-Cranberry Sauce

-Cloverleaf Rolls

This year I plan things well, and as a result, the whole process went so smoothly.

This is our third plant-based Thanksgiving, and I guess practice helps.

I usually make a dessert myself, but this year I decided to order it from a local vegan baker, Rachel with RachCakes.

This worked out great because I had to work the day before this year, and I also wanted to try her baked goods anyway (and why not supporting small business particularly this year).

I got two kinds of pies.

Apple Cranberry and Salted Chocolate Caramel Pecan.

They were both excellent!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.