Gastro geography
A guide to lesser-known cuisines
by Emily Matchar
Miles of aisles
Go transcontinental at local ethnic markets
by Emily Matchar
Layers of flavor
Local chefs share some of their spice secrets
by Elizabeth Shestak
Donia’s feast
Cooking lessons from an Iraqi refugee
by Victoria Bouloubasis
Skip the singha
Sip wild beverages from around the world
by Jane Hobson Snyder
Restaurant listings
Triangle Dining Guide
A food documentary
For two years, I climbed the stairs that my neighbors and I share, shlepping Chinese dinner combinations that I retrieved from down the street and devoured, anchored on the couch in front of my TV.
It became such a ritual that the person who answered the phone began to remember my voiceand my order: spicy beef and broccoli with pork-fried rice and an egg roll.
Simple. Easy. Cheap. Done, done and done, until one day, when I smelled garlic and ginger wafting from next door. It was a meal that taunted my nostrils. I wanted the take-out food to disappear from my hand. I knew I had to find out what my neighbor was cooking, and most important, how it tasted.
Chinese food is an old friend of mine. We’ve been hanging out since before I could walk, and there’s always something comforting about the spices that rise from the dishes.
But I had no idea of the family history simmering in the wok next door. Watch the documentary Oct. 15 here at indyweek.com to discover the rest of the story. Joe Schwartz
