Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage and Goat Cheese

I wanted to post the recipe before Valentine’s Day since it is slightly decadent and worth a special occasion. Alas, midterm papers, work, and a version of the flu kicked in and ruined my posting plans.

So enjoy this postponed special occasion meal:

I love orecchiette. Something about this handmade pasta seems more special then penne or spaghetti, and at an average $2.50-$3 a box, it should.

At least for the college student, or family on a budget—this is a special occasion meal with special occasion ingredients like orecchiette, goat cheese, and crème fraiche you probably don’t have lying around the house. We really don’t eat like this every night I promise!

I got pretty much all for my special ingredients at Trader Joe’s, at a fraction of the price goat cheese and crème fraiche cost at even your average grocery store. This meal cost me less than $10 to make 3 large dinner sized portions, which is still pretty good considering this meal would be $17-20+ at a restaurant.

 If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s—improvise. You can you a little full-fat sour cream instead of crème fraiche. Just make sure to stir it in last so it does not separate with the heat of the stove and acidity of the wine.

But, I must admit, the goat cheese tastes so heavenly on this dish, that if you can get it for $3.50 a log like me (and use only a third of it), DO IT!

This can easily be adapted to a weekday meal especially with the mushrooms, spinach, and turkey sausage that taste so lovely with a pasta noodle and light wine crème sauce. Also, as you might have noticed, this has more dairy, (a.k.a. butter, than a normal night meal), so do yourself a favor and make this for a date-night-at-home, Valentine’s Day, or anniversary (especially if your babysitter is Grandma and you don’t have the luxury of going to a fancy restaurant!)

Either way, this is an easy meal to impress a love one or even a friend, while really no more effort than chopping and sautéing. And trust me, it’s worth the butter!

Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage

 and Goat Cheese

(Makes 2-3 dinner sized portions)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup dried Orecchiette
6 oz. mini portabella mushrooms, sliced
½ bag spinach (about 3-4 oz. uncooked)
1 small medium yellow onion (or 3 shallots), finely chopped
2-3 links of turkey sausage, (I used sundried tomato), roughly chopped into chunks
10 oz. dry white wine
2-3 tbsp. crème fraiche
Splash milk of your choice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. butter
Olive oil
Salt
Garlic powder
1 tbsp. of flour of choice
2 oz. herbed goat cheese, crumbled with your fingers


Directions:

Boil orecchiette in pot of water according to package instructions. Drain, set aside.

Meanwhile in a large pan over medium heat brown onions and half of the garlic in 1 tbsp. olive oil. Stirring often, you want the onions to soften, and then lightly brown, not burn for about 1-2 minutes.
Add mushrooms 1 tbsp. butter, and of pinch salt, and allow them to brown nicely in the pan with the onions. Once mushrooms are browned add half of the white wine and allow the mushrooms to absorb most of the liquid.

Add turkey sausage chunks to the pan with a little more olive oil if needed and brown sausage until completely cooked through. Use spatula to make smaller pieces as desired.

Add spinach and sautéed until nicely wilted. Add a little garlic powder and pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Once sausage is cooked and vegetables are nicely browned, add the rest of the garlic and white wine. Reduce to low-medium heat, allowing to simmer. Add splash of milk and half of flour to thicken sauce. Turn of the heat and stir in the crème fraiche. If the sauce is thin, stir in the rest of the flour. Season to taste.

Gently fold the orecchiette into the sauce, gently coating the pasta. Plate the pasta and top with equal crumbled of goat cheese and more black pepper.

Serve immediately with glass of white wine and enjoy a special meal at home!

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Easy Shrimp and Vegetable Curry

For some reason, January was Indian and curry month for me. Meaning, at least a third of the meals I have cooked have either had a curry blend of spices and/or was an Indian dish. I’ve done spinach tomato curry with chicken and potatoes (more Bangladeshi I guess,) sambhar and masala dosa, Coronation chicken, curry by the spoon, and finally, shrimp curry.

Okay maybe not curry by the spoon as that’s going a bit far.

Three things put me on a curry kick in January:

Brick Lane- The novel I’m reading about Bangladeshi immigrants in East London in the 1980’s

Modern South Asia- One of my history classes I am currently taking

Downton Abbey- I’m reminiscent of the Empire I suppose, hence the coronation chicken for the premiere night.

But the last one, Shrimp curry was my favorite. This is a popular Thai dish too but the way I made it is mixed, at least in my limited experience that’s what I think. I made it for Aaron and Lisa for a cheer-up dinner and it was pretty delicious. The Thai version always had included lots of sautéed vegetables such as carrots and green onions. Indian versions seem to have fewer vegetables, so I added a few for good measure. I also like the light coconut milk as it adds a delectable creaminess and a delightful pink hue.

Note: If you can get fresh ginger, DO IT! It’s make a world of difference as one time the grocery store was out and I could tell. Also fresh cilantro is a must. This recipe is also just as good with chicken breast or even lean leftover pork chops even you don’t have the shrimp. I just did the shrimp for an extra special meal. But the other meats will make the dish last longer for leftovers. Have fun with it! And add more veggies if desired!

This is also a great one-pan meal to impress guests and family. They never have to know how easy it really is! If you really want to impress them, try serving with fresh dosa (Indian crepes)

Easy Shrimp and Vegetable Curry

(makes 4-5 dinner sized portions)

Ingredients:
15-20 small shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 ½ cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz.) light coconut milk
7 oz. crushed canned tomatoes
6 oz. baby portabella mushrooms, quartered
5 large carrots, cut into 3-inch sticks
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice one lime
2 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp. yellow curry powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chopped coriander
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes to top
Olive oil

Optional:
 1 tsp. turmeric
Green onions for garnish


Directions:


Marinate peeled shrimp with half lime juice, a little salt and garlic powder in a plastic baggie. Refridgerate for about 30 or so before cooking. (That’s flexible)

Cook rice according to package directions and let stand for 5 minutes without removing lid, then fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile in a large pan heat olive oil, half the garlic, onion, over medium heat. Sauté for a minute and add curry, turmeric, coriander, chili powder, and cumin. Stir well for a minute until spices are fragrant and onions are translucent. Make sure onions and garlic do not burn. Begin to sauté mushrooms.

Microwave carrots sticks with a splash of water in a covered bowl for two minutes until gently pierced with a fork. Drain water and add to pan.

Sauté mushrooms and carrots together. Add garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper to taste. Once vegetables are soft and browned, add tomato sauce. Cook for two minutes stirring well. Add coconut milk and reduce heat to low. Cook for two more minutes, stirring until pink. Add shrimp and marinade and cook until shrimp are pink and curled.

Take off heat, add lime juice and half of fresh cilantro, mix well.

Serve curry over the cooked rice and top with green onions, rest of cilantro and a little red pepper.

Enjoy immediately while still hot.

Goodbye January! Hello Curry!

p.s. sorry for the harsh lighting, this curry is much prettier in natural light. It's was too good for leftovers in the light of day.

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Tex-Mex Lasagna Casserole

I love trying new things, especially interesting recipes. This is definitely one of those, must-try-for-yourself-type-of-recipes.  Well, after my sister mentioned she made "Mexican lasagna" I decided to try it for myself.
 

 

Instead of lasagna noodle, this recipe uses flour tortillas and be easily replaced with corn tortillas or other types for a gluten-free meal. As my friend Carmen would tell me, this recipe is Tex-Mex, NOT Mexican as Tex-Mex plays on the ingredients of both Latin and American cuisines and its usually a lot more complicated and cheesy than traditional Mexican cooking.

  

I did get some inspiration from Dash Recipes and I hope you make this your own as well.  I added a layer of fajita peppers and onions in the middle for a little interest and a big veggie boost. The toppings for this casserole are easily customizable from fresh tomatoes, salsa, black olives, green onions, crushed red peppers, and much more!

 

 

This is also the type of meal that will last two people 3-4 meals and at least two separate meals for a family of four.  It is ingredient heavy but with the amount of meals you get it's worth it. It is full of veggies and with the tortillas and reduced fat cheese it is a treat without being a cheat.

 

Yeah that rhymed.

  

I found a pretty good jarred variety but if you can’t find or make Mole sauce, try another Mexican flavor such as enchilada sauce or be creative and make something completely different! Serve a slice of this Tex-Mex casserole with a salad or some roasted sweet potatoes and you're set!

 

Tex-Mex Lasagna Casserole

(Adapted from Dash Recipes)

 Makes 8-10 servings

 

Ingredients:

 

 

 16 5-inch small Tortillas (or 8, 8-inch large ones making two for each layer rather than 4), or Gluten-free alternative

 1 ½-2 cups Mexican or cheddar Cheese, reduced fat

 1/2 pound Ground turkey

1/2 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped

 2 bell peppers, 1 red and 1 orange or yellow, cut into strips

 1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and then into horizontal rings

1 can Black beans (14.5 oz.)

 1 cup frozen Corn, fresh or canned work as well

 1/2 can diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes (about 8 oz.)

 3 Garlic cloves, finely minced

 1 can fire roasted Diced chilies (5 oz.)

 1 cup Mole sauce (homemade or jarred)

 Olive oil

 1 tsp Cumin

 1/2 tsp chili powder

 Garlic powder

Salt

Black pepper

 

Toppings:

1 Shallot finely chopped, optional

Fresh diced tomatoes    

Directions:

  

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

  

In a large pan heat a little olive oil with 1 clove of garlic and yellow onions over medium heat.  Add bell peppers and cook until soft. Add a little garlic powder, pinch of salt, and black pepper. Move to a small bowl.

  

In the same pan add ground turkey and a little olive oil. Cook until browned. add rest of garlic, corn, black beans, half of the diced chilies, and tomatoes until well mixed and heated through.

 

 

Next, assemble the lasagna in three layers:

  

Using a large glass casserole dish, spread a thin layer of mole sauce. Layer with four of the small tortillas (or two if using large), slightly overlapping until bottom is covered.

 

Spoon half of the turkey mixture on top of the tortillas making an even layer. Sprinkle a little of the cheese on top.

 

Assemble another layer of tortillas and spread another layer of mole sauce, sprinkle of cheese, then fajita peppers and onions, and even sprinkle of cilantro.

  

Next another layer tortillas and the rest of the ground turkey. Add the last layer of tortillas with the rest of the mole sauce. Cover with remaining cheese, chopped shallot, rest of cilantro, black pepper, and remaining diced chilies.

  

Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and lasagna is hot and slightly bubbly.

  

Let stand for 5 minutes and then serve with salad or side.

 

 

Enjoy!
  

Love,

 

The College Cuisiner

 

Roasted Maple Sweet Potatoes

If you have come to the College Cuisiner before you probably know I LOVE sweet potatoes.

They are so much more versatile than many people, like my mother, think they are.

Savory Sweet potatoes are some of my favorite additions and their sweet complex flavor lend greatly to different ethnic flavors of Mediterranean, Indian, and Mexican.

Last week I finally perfected roasted sweet potatoes which go great with tacos, on nachos, in breakfast tacos, even with meatloaf!

 Here are some of the ways I’ve incorporated these roasted sweet potatoes lately:

What’s great about this recipe is there is little fuss and goes as a perfect side dish. If you are making an ethnic dish try adding a little dried cumin or even curry powder!

 I love how sweet potatoes get deliciously caramelized and sweet while savory. This is a surprising crowd favorite, so give it a try and let me know what you think!

Spiced Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes
3 tbsp vegetable oil or enough to coat the potatoes
2-3 tbsp quality maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp sea salt

Black pepper

Optional:
1 tsp ground cumin or curry powder
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Try honey or light agave in place of maple syrup


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, toss all ingredients until sweet potatoes are coated well.

Transfer sweet potatoes to a large glass casserole dish. Place in oven for about 30 minutes until cubes crumble with a fork.

Serve hot with your favorite meal!

Enjoy.

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Enjoy Life Chocolate Products Review

It's become my policy that if I do not have a good amount of time to do a decent product review, I must wait until I do. So I finally found the time to sit down and write a review good enough for two of Enjoy Life's chocolate products: Double Chocolate Crunch Granola and vegan Mega Chocolate Chunks.

 

I love trying new things, especially those I cannot find easily myself. Soon after I received these bad boys I found the chocolate chips at Wegman's outside Philadelphia. If you do not have a Wegman's, they are pretty great and have a gigantic organic/all-natural wing of their already giant grocery stores.

Right before Thanksgiving, Enjoy Life Products sent me a box of some of their chocolate products. You might remember a while back when they were nice enough to send me a huge sampling of their delicious lentil chips, Plentils.

Before that I was introduced to Enjoy Life through their Gluten-free double chocolate cookie which was a part of a Go Picnic box of goodies.

After reviewing Plentils, Enjoy Life asked if I would be interested in trying some of their chocolate products. Which of course I answered, YES! After trying their other products I was really excited see what was in store for me.

When the box of their vegan chocolate mega chunks and double chocolate granola arrived I could hardly keep Aaron out of it long enough to take some photos. As I positioned the morsels of granola and made a delicious breakfast bowl (recipe below) I noticed a creeping hand slowly work into the shot going for a bite.

After taking the photos and slapping his hand away, I finally let Aaron have some. As if I really had a choice.

As I have yet to master vegan baking, I began using the mega chocolate chunks as I would normally. They melted and tasted just as delicious as very high quality semi-sweet baking chips you would normally buy, making them highly versatile for melting, baking, and eating. On the back of the package is a great recipe for vegan, gluten-free blondies I am dying to try along with tons of allergy-free recipes online!

I could not believe how chocolately and deliciously smooth the GIANT chunks were, I could hardly eat them in one bite!

I also love the three simple ingredients: Evaporated Cane Juice, Natural Chocolate Liquor (Non-alcoholic), Non-Dairy Cocoa Butter. And if the chunks are too big for you, they also make "mini-chips" great for baking!

The granola includes chunks of the same chocolate and a mix of brown rice flakes, crisps, bran, even flaxseed, and lots of iron. Their granola, like the rest of Enjoy Life products are vegan, gluten-free and free of the 8 most common allergens including egg, soy, fish, nuts, and dairy.

Their granola is all-natural and comes in three varieties: cinnamon raisin, very berry, and double chocolate.

When giving it a try, I paired the very crunchy and very chocolately granola with dark chocolate almond milk, Enjoy Life's mega chocolate chunks, chia seeds, and fresh pomegranate seeds for a chocolately yet healthy alternative treat for anytime of the day.

This granola would be great whether you have these common allergies or not. It is delicious in strawberry Greek yogurt, as part of trail mix with craisins and more chocolate, or any other way you could think of.

Here are some of the ways I incorporated these products:

• Brioche bread pudding with chocolate chunks, craisins, and walnuts with a cognac toffee sauce

• Vegan breakfast/dessert bowl with Enjoy Life granola, dark chocolate almond milk, chia seeds, and pomegranate seeds.

• Cookies, brownies….

• By themselves!

 

Along with their mega chunks and granola, Enjoy Life has tons of products both sweet, and now savory as well as chocolate, furit, and other varieties in cookies, granola bars, cereals and more! I would love to try their boom-choco-boom chocolate bars in both dark chocolate, and ricemilk varieties which are "truly" allergy free: gluten, dairy, nut, and  soy-free! 

Whatever you may use these enormous chocolate chunks or crunchy granola for, I hope you pick up a bag of them both. Make sure you tell me how you've used them!

Chocolate Almond Breakfast Bowl

Ingredients: 

 1/2-3/4 cup Enjoy Life Double Chocolate crunch granola
 Handful Enjoy Life Mega chunks
 1/2 cup dark chocolate almond milk
 1/4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
 2 tsp chia seeds
 1 tbsp almond butter

Directions:

Add granola and mega chunks to the bowl and pour in almond milk. Top with pomegranate seeds, chia seeds and almond milk.

Serve and mix together.

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner


Disclaimer: Enjoy Life sent me these products to try and review. I was not further compensated nor promised a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Tips for London Study Abroad

As we get closer to the spring college semester I’ve noticed more and more hits for my “What to Wear for Study Abroad in London” post. The first thing I state in my post is that this is not a fashion blog, but I had so much fun coming up with study abroad tips I decided to write another “What to do for Study Abroad in London”  post. Fashion was so huge for me but there were so many amazing things about living in London I feel I must share some of my tips. This is not a complete list but at least can give you a few ideas.

First steps: Your University or program will probably recommend these same tips, so you better listen!

• Apply online for your student Oyster card ASAP!

If you have to commute to school, (or even if you don’t) it is essential for you to get a student Oyster card. An Oyster card is like a Metro pass for the London Underground train (more commonly known as “The Tube.) As soon as you get your university ID card and information, go online to order your Student Oyster card. This will save you SOOOO much money as the Tube/buses will be your main source of transportation to get around the city.

An unlimited month pass for students will cost around £80, which is a lot but if you are using the Tube at least twice a day, it is totally worth it. Trust me! Do it immediately! You will need your London University’s ID card to get it.

• Get a 16-25 railcard for discounted travel around the UK.
 

If you plan on traveling around the UK (which you definitely should,) make sure you get a student Railcard as well. It costs about £30 but will save you 30% on all rail travel and will quickly pay for itself (especially if you take the train to Scotland, Wales, or Northern English cities such as York.)

• Register with the US embassy in the Mayfair neighborhood of London.

Just in case of an international incident or terrorist attack, this is just to be on the safe side. If you decide to visit the embassy (but you cannot get in without an appointment) I recommend going to Allen’s or Mayfair café right down the street and getting the orange tea!

• Plan your daily route to University before classes start.

Trust me, you be glad you know where you are going and where your classes will be held if you do not live on campus.

• Take a walk around your neighborhood to scout out the best grocery stores, pubs, clothing stores, and closest Tube station and bus routes.

• Open a UK bank account or get a Bank of America debit card for free ATM withdrawals from Barclays.

• Get a top-up mobile phone during your first few days at Carphone Warehouse or likeminded stores. You will need it for your various forms and just meeting with friends.

• Bring your own towels and sheets (1 set of both) as you will not be able to get these for a couple of days once you arrive. Also, bring your own adaptor that you can use for the UK and Europe (it is harder to find once you get there.) And leave your Iphone at home.

• Get a wallet that blocks electronic machines that can steal your passport and credit card information without even touching your handbag! This happened to a friend of mine.

• If you can, bring you own pillow whether or not it is provided. That is a long time to be without a good pillow!

• Mind your voice and attitude in public places and transportation: if you look and act like a tourist, you will be targeted by pickpockets and you will be sorry! Always keep your most important items in your front pants pocket.

• For the girls: Split the cost of a decent UK blow dryer, straightener/curling iron with your flatmates. Hair is your biggest fashion statement in London, don’t cheap out! I recommend going along with 3-4 other girls and buying the equipment for around £30 each. You’ll be happy you did.

• Argo’s (close equivalent of Target) is a great cheap place for bedding and other necessary items, but you must order ahead of time before picking up!

Because this is a food blog….

Food & Drink: Food in London and most of Europe is very expensive and you will easily blow your budget by going out to dinner, to the pubs, or to the clubs if you are not careful.

• Make a budget for your weekly food allowance and for your “going out” spending. Clubs are often expensive so if that's your thing, make sure you have a budget.


• If you have access to a kitchen, plan on cooking most of your meals and get easy breakfast items to save money. Since classes are often long you will most likely be away from home over lunch. Plan on packing your lunches to save the most money. It is so easy to go to Prêt à Manger, Eat or any number or very delicious fast options on a regular basis.


• If you plan on a lot of traveling that is when you should eat out the most. But with all the amazing restaurants and tea shops in the city you must explore them! Try to limit going out to tea or dinner only 1-2 times a week.

• Plan out your meals: While the food quality is much better for the most part, food has little preservatives so it goes bad in two-three days. Buy in small quantities, and plan to go to the market every two-three days.

Food Musts in London:

• Make sure you go to afternoon tea at least a few times! It was one of my most favorite things to do and it is fun to dress up a little and go to the various famous and not-so famous spots

• Don’t forget about the countless food markets: From the Borough Market under the London Bridge (my favorite) to the Marlborough Market, to so many more big and small, you will want to go to the markets! We went about once a week for fresh vegetables and so many amazing local vendors and specialty items. 

 I had one outside of my University on Thursdays! It is just as much fun to go to the markets for a fun weekend day as to shop. A great place to bring visiting family and friends!

• Make sure to get Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Persian, or other various ethnic foods while you are there since due to large immigrant populations the food is authentic and amazing! Naan, hummus, etc. are top notch!

• Try ethnic neighborhoods such as Chinatown, and Golders Green for authentic flavors.
• Find your favorite neighborhood pubs as this is where you will spend a lot of relaxing nights with flatmates and new friends. Try to find ones that are not “managed” as these are like chains and not the real thing any longer. You will be able to spot these from similar signs and menus.

• You must try: Full English breakfast, authentic fish-n-chips, sticky toffee-pudding, coronation chicken sandwiches, tea, Yorkshire puds, roast dinners, chocolate digestive biscuits, Ribena Blackcurrant, Victoria Sponge Cake, scones and clotted cream, and so much more! Whoever thinks London has bad food, they have obviously not been there in the last ten years.

• Stay away from: most Italian restaurants or pizza places- these are rarely what you think, kebab places open until 3pm (these are favorites of drunken young people but will often get you seven more sick!)

• P.s. If you are a regular coffee fan, you will have a very hard time finding it. “Drip” coffee as we know is not found often and you will instead get an Americano (espresso and hot water) if you ask for a “black coffee.” FYI.

Travel: You will want to travel all over Europe while you are studying in London, but don’t forget to explore the city and the UK itself!

• Coordinate early on with flatmates and classmates on destinations you both would like to visit and plan it out early so you can get good cheap flights and private hostel rooms if possible.

My recommended destinations abroad:

Paris, anywhere in France-Bordeaux, Nice, Normandy, etc.; Barcelona, Berlin, Strasbourg, Amsterdam, Bruges, Vienna, Morocco (surprisingly cheap and tropical, just make sure you bring a guy friend if it is only females), Riga, PRAGUE!!!!!

Other popular destinations: Ireland, Madrid, Canary Islands, Greece, Budapest, Bucharest, Krakow….

 Always make sure you know the location of the American embassy or consulate closest to you.

 Make sure to get a good amount of local currency from the airport ATMs are you will not want to pay foreign fees over and over again.

Recommended UK destinations:

Winchester, Bath, Cornwall, Edinburgh, St. Andrews, the Scottish highlands, Snowdonia and Snowdon Mountain in Wales, Oxford, Horsham, Rye Royal, Tunbridge Wells, Cambridge, Greenwich (outside of London proper); Harry Potter Experience at Warner Brother Studios, so many others!

Recommended London stops: Give yourself the first two weeks to do the tourist stuff and get it out of your system!

Abbey Road, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, High Street Kensington, Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Borough Market, Greenwich, Mayfair, Marlborough, Portobello Road, Barnaby Street, the London Monument, Tower Hill (home of the famous Tower Bridge and Tower of London), Notting Hill, Chelsea, St. Pancreas and surrounding area, Harrods’s, Selfridges Department store, the theatre, the Royal Opera House and surrounding neighborhood, anywhere you would like and so many others!

Budget:

• Sign up for Livingsocial, Groupon, and other city deals. I found some of my favorite places through these services. Also good for the much needed three-month mark haircut, massages, manicures, theatre tickets, or trip deals

• Look for the many student deals around the city. Many places such as restaurants, clothing stores, and museums offer student discounts so do not be afraid to ask!

There is always something unique and awesome going on in London, you just have to look! Like the amazing Thursday night £5 Wine and food pairing tastings at Whole Foods Kensington (a.k.a. heaven)

• Make a budget and try to stick to it. Plan to spend $5,000-8,000 depending on the length of your trip and how many trips you plan on taking.

Most of all:

HAVE FUN! You are in one of the greatest cities in the world. Enjoy yourself!

There are so many places, tips, and ideas I could tell you. This is what I’ve thought of so far and I will probably recommend other things. I hope this helps some of you think about your experience and prepare.

If you have any tips of your own, please comment below!

Love,

The College Cuisiner