Sudden Cravings Returns

Took a brief hiatus.

There was good reason.

I packed a bag or two and hit the road for a few months. Flew to Hawaii, Greece and back to Hawaii again.

With every trip home to Hawaii, I found a new favorite place to dine. Like Therapy. The sports bar, not the counseling sessions.

I also revisited some old favorites. Like Leonard's Bakery.

But Greece is where I left my heart. I did not know good Greek food until I visited Greece - traveling from urban Athens to romantic Santorini. My two-week culinary immersion deserves its own series of dedicated posts. There are a plethora of pictures and tales that I cannot wait to share.

But first, given that it is a new year, I'd be remiss if I didn't share some family traditions. For us, it's about the soup. Two, in particular. Ozoni and pig feet soup.

We believe that a bowl of ozoni soup, made with mochi and vegetables and prepared as the first meal of the first day of the new year, brings good luck. Time will tell if this is true. So far, so good.

Pig feet soup is an Okinawan tradition. When homemade, it's healthy and tasty. I'm talking slices of shiitake mushrooms, knots of konbu, pieces of daikon radish and fall-off-the-bone pork. My folks say it'll bring me good health. Can't be mad about that.

So by consuming both on January 1, I hope that I'm covered for the year. Bring on 2010!